The westbound lanes on the Interstate 20 bridge over the Mississippi River will be closed intermittently as workers for Missouri-based contractor OCCI Inc. begin repairs to the bridge.

The upgrade project is expected to run from Jan. 20 through May 15, according to information from the Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development.

Built in 1973, the 2-mile bridge connects Madison Parish to Warren County and provides one of the few interstate roadway crossings over the river.

The $27.7 million rehabilitation project includes significant repairs and upgrades to the bridge and is expected to extend its service life.

Under the project, the old bridge deck will be resurfaced with new concrete to improve traction and preserve the structural aspects of the bridge flooring. The current electrical circuits will be replaced and about 100 roadway lighting fixtures will be replaced with a modern LED system.

Roadway fiber optics will be replaced with new cameras and radar, which will integrate the system into Mississippi’s IT network.

Selected bridge bearings will be adapted to provide the ability to reposition the bridge truss upriver as necessary. The steel structural connections at certain locations on the bridge will be modified to improve resilience against all loads and conditions.

New navigational lighting and aerial beacons will also be installed, along with improvements to the bridge monitoring system and enhancements to the inspection access walkways.