Recent Louisiana Comments

This is more accurately called the Toledo Bend Spillway Bridge. NBI data says it carries La 191 over the Toledo Bend Reservoir and was built 1963. Since the Toledo Bend Reservoir is an impoundment of the Sabine River, the Sabine River Bridge name is also technically correct, but not as specific as it could be.

I am not sure which bridge this is. LA 191 Crosses more than one cove of Toledo Bend. I think it is the one just north of LA 6 on LA 191. Either way it DOES NOT cross the Sabine River. It should not have the name "Sabine river bridge", unless this is a duplicate of the LA6 /TX 21 Bridge. (Which I do not think it is.)

Here's a video on how they kinda made it.

http://www.history.com/videos/lake-pontchartrain-causeway-modern-marvel#lake-pontchartrain-causeway-modern-marvel

Technically it wasn't moved. This bridge was built and that bridge was removed at the same time they removed the Fulton street bridge.

As of 3/14/2013 the dularge bridge is actually closed... Thanks

The pistols are not actual pistols. They're just pieces of iron shaped like pistols. I drive over this bridge twice a day on my way to work in Lafayette and on my way home to Sulphur. I have totaled a car on this bridge. An 18 wheeler tire came off and because the bridge is so narrow, I had no where to bail out. I had to eat it and it ripped the entire undercarriage of my car apart. I can assure you, this bridge is a deathtrap. It's also unstable, no matter what LA DOD says. They know that it is structurally unsound as well. What few people realize is that there is absolutely no way to build a new bridge on the present location. In fact, they can't even do much to improve the Westlake exit. Unbeknownst to most, including the people that live in this area, is that the boggy/marshy area to the northwest of the bridge contains a toxic stew of vinyl chloride and polychlorinated biphenyl and God knows what else. If they drive new bridge pilings into this area, they could release these nasty things into the groundwater. They can't build further north because SASOL if expanding their gas plant in that area. They can't build further south because Isle of Capri is there. Catch 22.

So...

Was this a swing span? the south pier looks substantial enough to have once supported a rotation mechanism.

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.

Judging from the piers I'd say this is the second bridge built here, using the first bridge's supports.

The pictures here are of the new Causeway, but the street view and data are for the old causeway.

Actually it is owed and operated by Union Pacific Railroad, not Kansas City Southern.

Interesting note about this bridge: While I can find no information on the internet about it, I was living in the area at the time this bridge was converted from a swing-type structure to the lift-style it is today. The lift truss was floated in and the conversion was done quickly, to limit the disruption in rail traffic.

The third picture is not the former Fulton Street bridge. It is the Jackson Street bridge, which was built to replace the old Murray Street Bridge.

Here's the scoop on the pistols

Gotta be the Charles Brown Rd. Bridge. US80 wouldn't have been on a one lane 11.8 foot wide bridge, would it?

This one is a puzzler, since Old 80 ran between Delhi and Tallula, and it's course seems to be north of Judd bayou. In fact, Old 80 appears to be only a short abandoned section just south of present 80 near Delhi. Look at Delhi in Bing and you will see a road ending at the river named Country Club Rd/Old US 80, and named Geddis Rd east of this unnamed river. The bridge is gone.

Bing imagery does show an iron truss just west across the river from the coordinates cited here.(+32.37000, -91.34333) It is on Charles Brown Rd.

The most likely scenario is that there is a mistake in the NBI, and the Charles Brown Rd. bridge is the correct one. That's my take on it anyway. There are only two other trusses on the NBI, and they are correctly placed.

Try this site for info and pictures on US80:

http://home.comcast.net/~bygonebyways/louisiana_80.htm

And this one for the FHA's description of US80.

http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/infrastructure/us80.cfm

Quebec Rd. looks to be a possibility since it's a very straight road leading to Tallulah. It crosses the bayou and appears to have a new bridge.

WoW! How I found happiness on "Bridgehunter.com". It seems too good to be true!!! I'll write a book called "My Love At the Natalbany River Bridge". Yeah!!

http://www.timedla.com/bridge/long/overview/

Is a discussion and notes page for the widening of this bridge. It is a unique widening of the truss structure while the bridge remains open.

Really a neat concept

Years ago, my wife and I were waiting for the ferry. It was a cool night. We had just missed the previous trip and someone said bout 45 minutes for the turnaround. We decided to kill the car and let the windows down..... Bad idea! In about two minutes our car looked like the mosquito tent from the DEEP WOODS OFF commercial. Wonder we didn't die from West Nile. The plan was to stay in Lake Charles that night. We were nearly back to Holly Beach driving with the windows down to get the mosquitoes out. We finally went west and stayed in Nederland TX!

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I agree - from the looks of the metalwork I'd say 1920's

I received an e-mail saying this road is now county maintained and the bridge will likely remain closed.

Hi. This picture is a bit out of date. I have updated pictures if you would like.

I highly doubt anyone would waste 10,000 Civil War pistols on a bridge in 1950. Maybe they are modeled after Civil War pistols, which is neat, but not historic in itself. Though it does add character to the bridge.

THIS BRIDGE MAY HAVE BEEN COMPLETED IN 1952, HOWEVER, MY FATHER, ATWILL REED "HUTCH" HUTCHINGS WAS A FOREMAN ON THIS BRIDGE FOR KANSAS CITY BRIDGE CO. THEY BUILT THE SUB STRUCTURES, (CONCRETE PIERS).

THEY STARTED THIS IN 1948. THE REASON I KNOW THIS IS, I STARTED THE FIRST GRADE IN LAKE CHARLES, ALSO THE SECOND GRADE.

SEE ATTACHED PHOTO OF ATWILL HUTCHINGS.

THANKS, ROBERT REED HUTCHINGS

the bridge was also restored in 1936 by the WPA. records at the New Orleans Public Library (http://nutrias.org/inv/bridges.htm).

originally located at Esplanade Avenue. probably erected late 1896 or early 1897 because the Esplanade Line street car route was extended across Bayou St. John and opened May 1, 1897 (according to Hennick, Louis C, and Elbridge H. Charlton. The Streetcars of New Orleans. Gretna, La: Pelican Pub. Co originally published 1965). The bridge was moved to its current location in 1909 to allow construction on a new wider bridge at Esplanade Avenue (April 11, 1909 The Times-Picayune).

The steel on the bridge is stamped with CARNEGIE

I have traveled this bridge many times since I was a young child and although the facts lead you to believe that the bridge is structurally unstable, there is historical value associated with the bridge. If you look at the detail of this bridge carefully, you will notice pistols lining the bridge on either side. Over 10,000 pistols have been carefully crossed to provide a design unique to this bridge, and from my understanding the pistols have been dated back to the civil war. To suggest that this landmark be destroyed is in my opinion completely irrational. The bridge can be renovated to provide structural stability. To demolish this piece of history and remarkable design will be a true loss to the people of Louisiana and all traveling this route.

I grew up in Ruston. The Bonner Street Bridge was part of my early life. It was, like the new one, steep, high-peaked, and short. The construction was dictated by the space available due to streets at both ends, as well as businesses, making a longer and less steep bridge impossible. The old bridge was shakey whenever a vehicle went over it. What I remember best was the trains operated by the Illinois Central Railroad. The 1940s and early 1950s were the time of steam engines burning coal. We boys would stand on the top of the bridge watching approaching trains, the black smoke pouring out, trying to see who could stand there the longest without ducking away from the smoke which looked and felt almost solid. I also remember hurrying there from school once to stand on the side and watch the Ringling Brothers, Barnum and Bailey trains go past. And twice I stood there to watch the great trains of the Royal American Shows passing on their way from the Mississippi State Fair, heading to Shreveport to set up the Louisiana State Fair. When I started driving I would go over on occasion, hating the top where one would lose sight of what was ahead until the car went over and started down. The only other place I recall having such a blind spot was the Cooper River Bridge at Charleston, SC.

I think the daily volume is way overstated. I would be surprised if the actual number was 300 vehicles daily. Just "Pigeon" not Pidgeon with a "D". Good photo from the bridgetender's position.

Drove by this bridge yesterday. Sagging very heavily in the middle; much more pronounced than in the current photos. I wouldn't walk across it if I stopped. Maybe I'll get pictures next time. Didn't think to snap them as I cruised by, though I did get some of the Hudson Creek bridge.

Which date to believe: NBI at 1953 or the cast in date on the bridge at 1950? The phrase "set in stone" suggests an error in the NBI.

For the life of me I don't understand why they don't install templates before a bridge so that an oversized vehicle would harmlessly hit it before damaging a bridge. It would make a lot of racket or even damage the road vehicle but would prevent damage to the bridge. Better to damage only one vehicle than bring down a costly bridge.

Yeah, it looks like modification by collision with 14 ft. high trucks!

It certainly appears the railroad decided they needed more load carrying capacity on that span. So with the grace of an artist they simply scabbed up ugly concrete and steel strapping under a somewhat graceful arched span.

It also appears the notorious over height truck likes to victimize this bridge.

Another thought on that note. The bridge could have been hit and damaged so bad that this ugly repair was the only thing the railroad could do to save the span.

FYI it's the tallest bridge on the Mississippi.

What's going on in this picture? It looks like they altered an arch.

Oops! I deleted it. Thanks!

Photo 5 might need replacement....

This bridge shows that in the mid 1990s cantalievered bridges were still being built, such as this one and two in West Virgina. Even though this design is more expensive and cannot be widened, it is extremely monumental. Although there is one being constructed between Indiana and Kentucky, I don't much approve of it replacing an unusual type of bridge and wish the situation was handled differently. A cantalievered through truss can still be built even in this day.

Neat four tower cantaliever truss in the middle of the flats.

I'm looking for a recipe for Pete Aucoin's chicken sauce piquant. I'm 83, grew up in Orange, and ate at Pete's many a Sunday. And we always looked over the back railing at the alligators......in the slough or bayou or whatever it was.

Wish I could go back once....

I'm so glad for these pictures--no one I know is still living to talk with about those times.

The middle cantilevered span is fascinating. I have not noticed one like it before.

Bridge is now gone. It was so narrow I hit mirrors with another pickup once when driving to work. It was built during the administration of Gov. Huey P. Long.

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.

For those who might wonder, this appears to be a vertical lift bridge whose towers were cut off now that the river is not navigable for tall boats.

I grew up at 1001 Moss St. and now live at 1232 Moss.

As a young boys we use to call the magnolia bridge " the Silver Bridge". We often would say "meet me at the Silver Bridge" because it was painted a bright silver. Later it was painted blue.

Also, the pictures are showing that the new bridge sits on the old bridge's piers.

If you just look at the pictures, you would see a modern bridge. If you look at the info, you will see that the page is referring to a LOST THROUGH TRUSS BRIDGE. Also the first comment on the page is asking if anyone has photos of the lost bridge that this page was created for. Sometimes people post a couple of pictures of the modern bridge to show what replaced it. Please get a life and stop cluttering up the forum page.

MODERNE/NON-HISTORIQUE!

Calcasieu River 1-10 bridge and I-210. NO LIGHTS dark at night.

I have been over bridges all over the USA, Mexico, and Europe, they all have good lighting. There is no excuse.

I did the same on the Hulton Bridge Saturday

I drove to B.R. and back Friday. Sat on top of this bridge in rush hour traffic. To feel it flex and vibrate is awe-inspiring. Engineering marvel.

I remember those blue Louisiana signs.

I feel old now.

Just wanted to make sure you knew this bridge was under construction when you actually took the pictures and that you should re-inspect the bridge March of 2013 when the project is due to be complete.

Wikipedia cofirmed this as well.

This is not a vertical lift or swing span. This is a pontoon bridge. The lift are for the ramps to the pontoon and the pontoon is swung out into the channel by cables.

The railroad bridge looks like an overhead counterweight trunnion bascule bridge designed by Strauss Bascule Bridge Company. It may date to ca. 1915, since it is very similar to the Deering Bridge in Chicago: http://www.historicbridges.org/bridges/browser/?bridgebrowser=illinois/nchicago/

I wonder how old that RR bridge is.

(Photo courtesy of Bridge Hunter's own C. Hanchey)

It was built in '28, not '38.

A barge hit this bridge and closed it. http://photos.nola.com/tpphotos/2011/05/barge_accident_closes_bridge_i_2.html

Saw this bridge operating today. According to our swamp tour guide it's pretty rare to see it being elevated; he'd only seen it one other time in his life. Really loud bridge. Took a quick video and thought I'd share.

http://youtu.be/bmUguONM5wE

According to the TIMED page, it is cable-stayed and not wire suspension. It is, however, the longest cable-stayed in the western hemisphere.

Is this bridge wire suspension or cable stayed? It has been said for the past few decades that a wire suspension is only necessary for real long spans. With that, most new constructions across rivers like Mississippi wind up being cable stayed. If this new bridge is a wire suspension, that would be more interesting and look better than a cable stayed.

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.

Google street view of that RR bridge links to this photo showing an interesting pentagonal portal bracing.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/8569617@N04/2215929811

If you look south of 190 there's a railroad bridge that's not listed on this site.

The flooding of the Mississippi brought an early end to ferry traffic, and now this bridge is open. There are still minor things that need to be finished but it is now carrying traffic.

http://www.thetowntalk.com/article/20110506/NEWS01/105060330/Audubon-Bridge-opens-ferry-closes

Cliff - The now-open bridge carries LA-10 across the Mississippi. There are plans to eventually expand the highway to 4 lanes all the way to Bogalusa. Hopefully they'll pair it with an elevated section over the Morganza Spillway, a bridge over the Atchafalaya, and a new interchange with I-49.

Gary - The bridge you speak of was the original truss bridge, built in 1933.

Wow, does this look familiar. I did a double take of this one!

http://bridgehunter.com/wi/outagamie/B44008100000000/

I guess when you cross it on a regular basis (and its not a truss) one doesn't think of the history :)

I visited this bridge on 23 March 2011. At first glance, it appears to be in good condition but upon closer inspection it is showing its years with the embankments eroding away and parts of the bridge railing crumbling.

Meets the 50 year guideline that I typically go by.....and the railing does indeed add significantly to it.

While it may never win any awards in my book..... I would say it does belong here.

1958 is probably "borderline", but you don't see many with the steel fence-type sides anymore.

Ehh... I drive over this bridge every day that ends in Y, and I wouldn't consider it historic. The bridge/tunnel under the railroad on Fulton/Overton street, maybe.

Do you know where the NB & SB HOV on-ramps are located?

The build date for the older westbound span is inaccurate. I do not know exactly when it was built, but it is at least as old as 1960. You see, my Aunt died in a car accident on that bridge in 1960, so there is a mix up somewhere.

Sort of looks like the US 71 Aloha bridge: http://bridgehunter.com/la/grant/aloha/

Just a theory but maybe this bridge was relocated here in 1950 since this road only serves one house and I can't see any traces of an old roadbed in Gooogle Earth.

The lack of any portal bracing is what stands out the most to me on this one. I thought at first maybe it had been removed to improve clearance, but with enlarging the pictures it doesn't appear that there ever was any. Perhaps with the somewhat beefier trusses the designer felt okay about omitting them altogether. While not a common practice to completely leave out portal bracing, I have seen a few others like this as well. One that comes to mind was located about 20 miles from my home and has been gone for many years now.....

http://bridgehunter.com/in/hancock/bh44371/

Wow. Many thanks to you and Mr.Erikson and Mr. Miser for the information! This website is a great resource!

There are no markings visible. The photo and frame seem to be stuck together due to age. I think any attempt to separate them to see the back of the photo may cause damage.

Again, many thanks! And if anyone wishes to inspect this photo or display it somewhere, I would be glad to ship it and freely lend it.

Ralph Nazario

Hey Randy... Google Earth historical imagery goes back to 1989, and as of that date, the only thing standing were all the pilons from the west to the east. Do you have any pictures you could add of the old bridge?

Great photos!

Ralph......I think Mr. Erickson may have found your bridge here!

The truss type; number of spans; number of panels in the closest span......and they all seem to line up.

Not saying that there isn't another 3-span Warren through with a center swing-span out there somewhere......but this one looks like a real possibility.

Just out of curiosity, have you taken the photo out of the frame to see if there is any writing on the back?

Glad I was looking at La. bridges on the web. I grew up in the area and fished from the bridge often before it was burnt. Not to sure of East Orange Louisiana, all this time I thought it was called Toomey. I also do not think both ends were set on fire, although its been a while but last time I was fishing from a boat the west side of the bridge was still there.

I like the concrete embankments that have the stream name and date on them. Louisiana and Mississippi do that a lot.

What route will utilize this bridge? LA 1 or LA 10 or just local traffic? Is this part of the proposed extension of I-49?

Wow, awesome find! There was also a swing bridge that crossed the Sabine River built in the 20s and removed in the 60s with the completion of I-10. I'll add it later tonight.

I just found out an old friend of mine from middle and high school is involved in the construction of this bridge..... I am impressed and jealous!!

There is another bridge across Bayou Grosse Tete located just south of Interstate 10 and the Village of Grosse Tete that is a railroad bridge. It dates back to the 1800s. Just fyi.

This is a really nice find with great photos. Good hunting.

I almost added this bridge when I saw it was closed. I still haven't made an afternoon of US 71 to grab photos of all the old bridges

I visited this bridge on 11-22-2010 only to find it was closed to all traffic. It acts as a short spur between US 71 and LA 8, so I do not know what its future prospects are.

An engineering description of the project:

http://www.modernsteel.com/Uploads/Issues/September_2010/092010_Sep10_SBN_Huey_web.pdf

Mainly a railroad bridge, the auto lanes were 1930s 18 foot with pipe railing. It was a pretty exciting motorcycle ride: massive steel and perhaps a train along one side and barely anything between you and the river far below on the other side.

It might be an oversight, or it might just be that it was fate that you would have the honor to "Add This Bridge".

Why is the CSX (former L&N) bridge over Rigolets Pass missing from this list? It is also arguably the longest through truss railroad bridge in North America, being over 4,500 feet in length.

How high is this bridge from the water to the deck? I am not fond of extremely elevated bridges. Could you tell me how long it will take to cross this bridge.