Do you know which bridge holds the title of being the longest bridge over water? It’s none other than Louisiana’s Lake Pontchartrain Causeway. In 1969, this impressive bridge was officially recognized by Guinness World Records. Let’s take a closer look at the fascinating story behind this record-breaking structure.

A Solution to Connect North and South

In the 1940s and 1950s, as New Orleans expanded, access to the north of the city became a challenge. Traveling east or west around Lake Pontchartrain was a time-consuming and inconvenient process. To address this issue, plans were made to create a direct connection across the center of the lake to its northern shore.

The Louisiana Bridge Company was established in 1955 to undertake this ambitious project. It took just 14 months to construct the first two-lane span of the causeway. In 1956, the bridge opened with a remarkable length of 23.86 miles. It is so long that motorists lose sight of land for an eight-mile stretch, and some drivers have experienced a peculiar fear as if they were out at sea. Police have even had to escort those who freeze up on the bridge. Interestingly, babies have been born on the causeway when their mothers couldn’t make it to the hospital on the other side. And to top it all off, an airplane once ran out of gas over the lake and safely landed on the bridge!

Expansion and Guinness Record

Within a decade of the completion of the first bridge, daily traffic had already surpassed 5,300 vehicles. To accommodate the growing demand, plans were made to build a second two-lane span parallel to the original. In 1969, the second bridge opened, adding another 84 feet to the causeway.

This extension caught the attention of the Guinness Book of World Records. The Lake Pontchartrain Causeway was officially recognized as the longest bridge over water in the world. It held this prestigious title unchallenged until 2011.

The Controversy and New Categories

In July 2011, Guinness announced that the newly completed Jiaozhou Bay Bridge in China had surpassed the length of the Lake Pontchartrain Causeway, making it the longest bridge over water. However, loyal supporters of the causeway were quick to point out that the criteria used by Guinness included land bridges at the ends of the main bridge and an undersea tunnel. These elements were distinctly not “over water.”

Guinness resolved the controversy by creating two new categories. The Lake Pontchartrain Causeway became the “longest bridge over water (continuous),” while the Jiaozhou Bay Bridge became the “longest bridge over water (aggregate).” Although the Jiaozhou Bay Bridge has now lost its title to the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macau Bridge, which opened in October 2018, the Lake Pontchartrain Causeway remains the world’s longest bridge continuously over water even after more than 60 years.

Before You Go

If you ever find yourself in southern Louisiana, make sure to visit the Lake Pontchartrain Causeway. It spans Lake Pontchartrain, with its southern terminus in the Metairie suburb of New Orleans and the northern terminus in Mandeville on the northern shores of the lake. Please note that tolls are collected on the north shore for southbound traffic only. The standard toll for cars is $5 in cash and $3 for electronic toll collection system tags. At the 16.0-mile marker on the causeway, you’ll also come across a bascule drawbridge that allows water traffic to pass underneath.

Now you know the incredible story behind the longest bridge over water, Louisiana’s Lake Pontchartrain Causeway. It’s not only a remarkable engineering feat but also a fascinating part of Louisiana’s history.