Loop Parkway To Be Closed This Weekend For Drawbridge Work

The Loop Parkway is scheduled to be closed this weekend as state crews continue work on the drawbridge.

The entire parkway will be closed beginning 10 p.m. Friday and running through 5 a.m. Monday. State crews are working on major structural, electrical and mechanical improvements to the drawbridge over Long Creek.

In addition to the roadway being closed, boats will not be allowed to pass under the drawbridge over the weekend.

A detour will be available via the Long Beach Bridge. Drivers should follow detour signs and the message signs which have been placed along the route.

The state said it planned this work for winter to minimize the impact to car and boat traffic that Long Beach experiences in the warmer months.

This bridge and the nearby drawbridge on the Meadowbrook State Parkway over Sloop Channel, both built in 1934, are undergoing a $22.5 million strengthening project with enhancements that include structural repairs of the draw spans as well as mechanical and electrical repairs (including new navigation lighting). Work on both bridges began in the fall of 2017 and is scheduled for completion later this year.

As with most road and bridge projects, work may be cancelled, postponed or prolonged due to inclement weather.