The Point Cadet fishing bridge, actually a 4,700-foot long concrete pier next to the Palace Casino Resort, should be officially opening sometime next week, Mayor A.J. Holloway said this week.
“I know we’ve been getting two or three calls a day about this, so people are ready for it,” Holloway said, “but the contractor is working out a few issues with the electrical system. Once that’s worked out, they’ll turn it over to the city, and we’ll open it up.”
The new fishing pier, which replaces a popular fishing spot that was destroyed by Hurricane Katrina, has faced several delays duirng its construction. Weather has been the biggest factor.
The $9 million federal-funded project was originally scheduled to open after the first of the year.
The new structure will be nearly 4,700 feet long, which is about 200 feet shorter than the Katrina-destroyed bridge, but it will be wider and offer overhead lights that will illuminate the pier itself and adjoining waters.
The pier features two 11-foot vehicle lanes bordered by two five-foot, ADA-accessible sidewalks; and vehicle turnarounds at the halfway point and at the end of the bridge.