Thursday, February 4, 2021

Red Bluff Bridge Repairs - 1983

 Keeping the parish road bridges in good repair is a continuing job, one that takes skills in demolition, crane work, and precise placement of concrete panels. At least that was the case back in the 1983 when this Red Bluff Road bridge was hit by trees coming down the waterway during a massive flood and the embankment was washed away.

 
Click on the images to make them larger. 


 
Police Jurors and work crews arrive on the scene

 
Some pretty big trees were swept down by the flood 

 
Repairs are made to the pilings and top cross beams 

 


 
The concrete bridge replacement panels are brought in 


 
Then the placement of the bridge panels from cross beam to cross beam



 

Red Bluff is off Million Dollar Road going to Land O Pines campground from Hwy 25. It is a portion of the Bogue Falaya River that features high bluffs on both sides, and at one time was called Strawberry Bluff because of the color. According to commenters over on Facebook, people would take their wagons and go to Covington for supplies and on their way back home they would camp at Strawberry Bluff.

Bridges that cross the Bogue Falaya in that area include the Bruhl Road bridge, the Million Dollar Road bridge near the Girl Scout camp, the St. Joseph Abbey bridge and the Hosmer Mill Road bridge.

Police Jurors Floyd Glass and Herman Sharp were on the scene. The repairs were done by Branco, Inc. and one of the persons doing the work was identified as Johnny Brandt running the crane and on the bridge. Brandt built several bridges in St. Tammany parish and Tangipahoa parish.