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METAIRIE – The driver of the truck that went over the side of the Lake Pontchartrain Causeway has been identified as Christopher Knight.

The 41-year-old Franklinton resident was on his way to work around 3:45 a.m. on January 24 when his red utility truck went over the side of the bridge and into the lake.

The Coast Guard recovered Knight’s body just before 6 p.m. on January 24, according to Causeway General Manager Carlton Dufrechou.

Causeway Police were alerted to a possible accident after motorists reported about a half mile of railing missing around mile marker 11 of the southbound span.

Dufrechou said Knight’s truck was the only vehicle involved in the accident.

“There was definitely not a collision with another vehicle,” Dufrechou said. “There was considerable debris on the bridge deck, and a good number of rails had been knocked off. It is under investigation, and the vehicle was taken to a yard on the North Shore. It will be inspected. Our officers are still doing their inspections on the bridge.”

Officers will institute a rolling convoy during a time where a lower traffic volume is expected over the weekend, and may possibly even shut down traffic for a short time to complete the investigation, Dufrechou said.

Work to install new railings on the bridge is set to begin this year.

“The plans and specs are almost complete, the advertisement for bids is early April, we anticipate having the bids back by June, hopefully we’ll be awarding then, and the target construction date is late summer,” Dufrechou said.