Lake Pontchartrain Causeway

The Lake Pontchartrain Causeway consists of two Pont S parallels which are the longest bridges of the world. These two bridges cross the lake Pontchartrain in the South of the Louisiana. The longest bridge measurement 23 miles length (38.422 kilometers). The bridges are supported by more than 9000 concrete piles.

The bridge leads to the South to Smallholding, Louisiana, suburbs of New-Orleans and with North, in Mandeville, Louisiana.

The road was at the origin in 1956 made of only one two-track bridge. In 1969, a second two-track bridge, parallel with the original, and slightly longer, was open. Lake Pontchartrain Causeway was always a toll road. Until before 1999, toll was carried out each side of the traffic. But to improve circulation on the southern part, southern toll was transferred to North, at the exit of the bridge. The price of the toll of $1.50 in each direction passed to $3.00 for the cars coming from the south only. While entering on the bridge, it is necessary to be prepared with “ to do all the distance ”. There is no possibility of making half-turn on the way.

The opening of Causeway significantly improved the standard of living in the small communes on the Northern side of the lake Pontchartrain. The residents thus could reach with the New-Orleans.

Following the Hurricane Katrina on August 29th, 2005, many vidéos testified to the damage on the bridge, primarily visual, the foundations of the structure remained intact. The highway I-10 Twin Spans having suffered serious damage, Pontchartrain Causeway was used like a major road for the rescue squads come with New-Orleans. After being closed, the bridge from now on is reopened with the public.

Lake Pontchartrain Causeway should not be confused with Pontchartrain Expressway, one of the section of the I-10 highway (Interstate 10) and U.S. Highway 90 in the center of New-Orleans.

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