By KERI CHAMPION

Staff Reporter

GRAMERCY-Construction of the road connection for the Gramercy Bridge has begun.

&#8220The bridge will provide quick and easy access to the Thibodaux area without having to go around River Road to get to the West Bank,” said Steve Perilloux, district construction engineer for District 62.

Currently drivers cannot take a straight route to get onto the bridge and must make a roundabout turn to approach it.

&#8220The construction of the road will cost $14.3 million and take about a year and a half to complete. Construction began on June 30 and, weather permitting, it is expected to be completed in Dec. 2007 or Jan. 2008,” Perilloux said.

The winning low-bidder was Byron E. Talbot Contractors from Thibodeaux and the next lowest bid was submitted by Coastal Bridge Company LLC with $15.2 million, a difference of $1.1 million. There were at least four other bidders for the project.

The connection road has been planned for several years and the approaches to the bridge were completed in 1995.