View on top of LA 1 bridge looking North towards railroad bridge
Photo taken by John T. Dauzat
BH Photo #164188
Two 300 foot truss spans were added to the bridge on the West side of the river in 1938 to allow the cross section of the Atchafalaya River to be increased.
I am from Avoyelles Parish, and I have heard many stories from older folks about driving cars over this bridge before the LA 1 bridge was built. My father remembers having to fold in his truck mirror when meeting another truck on the bridge, as it was a narrow road set around the tracks.
Bruce is correct. Bing Maps still shows Gremillion St. crossing on this bridge although the road deck has long since been removed. You can still see some of the pilings.
I've worked on this bridge and was on the turnspan part in operation. It is pretty neat to see something so old work like it does.
Is this the bridge built in 1928 jointly by the State of Louisiana and the L&A railroad that also carried LA Hwy 1 across the Atchafalaya? I have early childhood memories of driving across that bridge.
I found a postcard in my grandmother's photos showing a bridge like this being built at Simmesport in 1937. She wrote on the back that my grandfather, Bill Icenberger was the carpenter foreman (for the concrete forms). Is there an auto bridge and a railroad bridge at Simmesport?