Did you know that one of the scariest bridges in the world is in the United States? It’s the Lake Pontchartrain Causeway in Louisiana, known as the longest bridge over water in the world. Guinness World Records recognized it in 1969, and it’s still famous today.
In the 1940s and 1950s, New Orleans grew quickly, making it clear that a direct route to the north part of the city was needed. Lake Pontchartrain made it hard for drivers to travel between the city and the north. To fix this, plans were made to build a direct road across the lake to its northern side.
In 1955, the Louisiana Bridge Company was created to start this huge construction project. Finished in only 14 months, the first two-lane part of the causeway opened in 1956 and was 23.86 miles long. It was an amazing engineering achievement.
The Lake Pontchartrain Causeway isn’t just long; it’s also surrounded by many stories. Drivers often feel amazed when they can’t see land for eight miles. Some even get scared and stop their cars, needing help from the police.
Extraordinary things have happened on the bridge too. Babies have been born there because their mothers couldn’t reach the hospital in time. There’s also an amazing story of a plane that ran out of fuel over the lake but safely landed on the bridge. These stories add to the bridge’s legend.
Ten years after the first bridge was finished, over 5,300 vehicles crossed it every day. To handle the traffic, a second two-lane bridge was built next to the first one. The second bridge opened in 1969 and was just a little longer, with about 84 feet between them.
This expansion was noticed by the Guinness Book of World Records, and the Lake Pontchartrain Causeway was named the longest bridge over water in the world. It held this title until 2011.
In 2011, the new Jiaozhou Bay Bridge in China was longer than the Lake Pontchartrain Causeway. However, Guinness included land bridges and an undersea tunnel in its measurements. Supporters of the causeway argued these parts weren’t really “over water.”
To settle the issue, Guinness created two new categories. The Lake Pontchartrain Causeway became the “longest bridge over water (continuous),” while the Jiaozhou Bay Bridge was named the “longest bridge over water (aggregate).” Although the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macau Bridge is now longer than the Jiaozhou Bay Bridge, the Lake Pontchartrain Causeway still holds the title of the world’s longest continuous bridge over water, more than 60 years after it was first built.
If you want to cross this famous bridge, here’s what to know. The Lake Pontchartrain Causeway spans Lake Pontchartrain in southern Louisiana, starting in Metairie, a suburb of New Orleans, and ending in Mandeville on the north shore.
Tolls are only collected on the north shore for southbound traffic. The standard toll is $5 in cash or $3 with an electronic tag. Also, at the 16-mile marker, there’s a drawbridge that lets boats pass under the bridge.
The Lake Pontchartrain Causeway isn’t just any bridge; it’s an amazing engineering marvel that still impresses everyone who travels across it. Whether you go across it by yourself or with family and friends, this famous bridge offers a journey you won’t forget. Get ready to be amazed as you drive over Lake Pontchartrain, experiencing the fascinating history and charm of Louisiana’s most important link.