Atchafalya Basin Bridge (photo courtesy of Wikimedia Commons)
26 commercial truck drivers on the Atchafalaya Basin Bridge were cited by Louisiana State Police during a targeted enforcement operation to keep trucks out of the left lane. Renee Amar, the executive director of the Louisiana Motor Transportation Association, says commercial vehicles have been required to stay in the right lane while crossing the bridge since 2003.
“My guess is that those are probably commercial truck drivers that are driving across the country, and maybe they don’t see it day in and day out like our regional drivers do,” Amar speculated.
The operation came after police received several complaints about truckers in the left lane. Amar says the state law is in place to protect drivers and prevent traffic delays.
“We have incredibly narrow shoulders on that bridge and, apparently, there is an accident there every other day,” Amar noted.
State Police said they plan to continue similar operations along the Atchafalaya Basin Bridge. Amar says those efforts are a positive for all Louisiana drivers.
“There should be better enforcement and, hopefully, safer conditions on the Basin. So LSP is just out there trying to do their job and enforcing the rules that are on the highway,” Amar said.
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