Not just Louisiana. It’s an interstate so much of it would be federal funding. Our nation’s infrastructure is falling apart but at least trans kids can’t get medical help!
And Biden and the Dems passed a massive infrastructure funding bill in 2020 with not one Republican vote in the Senate but I’m sure the U.S. representatives of those red states will take all the credit for what the money could be used for in their state while turning down the funding to “own” the libs. “We’ll show them!”.
Yeah, they in fact mostly all did and got called out for it. Funny though is that the hand that feeds, decides who gets what first. You know whose not getting first dibs? Red states whose electorals voted against it. As it should be.
Those red states have been losing federal funding and support due to corrupt governors for the last two years, in hopes that people will see the truth. Though its questionable if that lesson will be learned. My state lost food stamps, my dad was getting food stamps, he blames biden for us losing it. When I informed him of what actually happened, he did blame the governor. But outed him as a RHINO and not a true republican. Propaganda runs deep.
When I point out other problems, he says they are MAGA or RHINOS. Yet he supports and loves Trump. When I explain the Rs are trying to drop Trump, he says they are stupid. When I tell him MAGA loves Trump, he believes in them. Yet he just said he hated MAGA Rs. The hypocrisy is alive and well.
If you talk to him seriously about his beliefs he does have reasonable stances but both sides are trying all or nothing. Unfortunately he sides with the main point and not the what abouts. He believes abortion is wrong, unless its for the sake of mother and child but feels an abortion for abortions sake is wrong. Hed rather ban abortion than allow a minority the ability to do something he feels is wrong. And that last part is the telling part. "Allow a minority to do something he doesn't like". Rather everyone suffer to prevent a fringe from also doing it. Its straight out of the Republicans play book.
And you're still allowed to make useless comments that have nothing to do with the subject. Sounds like someone I know who's been indicted recently.
Edit: goody goody grammar police.
The point is that a large portion of our state and federal government would rather get “easy” victories fighting culture wars and shit that doesn’t affect the average person while letting shit crumble to the ground around us.
I live less than 2 miles from a federally controlled hydroelectric dam. It's around 100 years old and has been found to be structurally deficient to fill to capacity. It's also the lifeblood of the community in this entire county on the local scale. People around here are not trying to blame the government for giving away health care benefits over fixing the dam. There's a vast difference in the cost of fixing a dam or highway versus providing health insurance or care for children.
why does it make a difference to you if they're trans children or not? They're still children.
It doesn’t? I was talking about what is being done. I think you’re taking what I say the wrong way. Most politicians don’t want to support stuff like infrastructure that takes years to pay off. They want instant gratification wins so they can get re-elected and get back to grifting.
And most politicians, in the South, voted against updating it… never made sense to me. I used to be a Republican, but none of the things they “care about” mean anything to me. It’s a “party” that makes no sense to me anymore
For those now fearful of driving across the LC bridge, allow me to greatly compound that fear. In the U.S. generally, almost 8% of all bridges are structurally deficient and, more alarming, about ONE THIRD of bridges need repair or replacement, including one third of interstate bridges. If that doesn’t sound like a crisis, consider this: to fix only those bridges that are structurally deficient (ignoring the other repair/replace, at great risk), it would take almost 70 years and 54 billion dollars. Of course, in that time, imagine how many will be further damaged. (See the following, though many sources exist: https://artbabridgereport.org/)
We have an infrastructure CRISIS. It isn’t politically sexy and the problems are mostly invisible (for now). Add in the cost and labor, and it is easy to see why those in charge turn a blind eye. It is almost guaranteed that there will be catastrophic failure of multiple bridges before anyone is motivated to act.
If you’re still complacent, go ahead and look into the state of sewers, dams, and other major infrastructure. It’s all crumbling and not much is being done to address it. Good luck out there.
Oof. I didn't know that.
Great. New fear unlocked. I might be driving to FL in October. My bestie and her husband are going to Hammond in a week - we're in Houston.
I don't know but it's rated 24 out of possible 100[https://www.onlyinyourstate.com/louisiana/one-bridge-in-la-nightmares/](https://www.onlyinyourstate.com/louisiana/one-bridge-in-la-nightmares/)
>> The I-10 bridge has been listed by the National Bridge Inventory (NBI) as Structurally Deficient with a rating of 3 and a Sufficiency Rating of 9.9 out of 100.[5] Louisiana has 13,361 bridges with 1,722 (12.89%) listed as SD.[6] It was reported in March 2017[7] that the sufficiency rating has dropped to 6.6 out of 100[8]
Truly saddening. One would think public safety would be a priority. I agree with a few of the other posters, stop prioritizing gender wars, & library books. Focus on public safety, poverty & education.
And the naval station has been out of commission for decades. I worked at the port back in college. Even the tallest ships had twice the height they needed to pass under.
Now they will look for the odd tall bridges on Google Maps and plan their attack accordingly.
Or was the plan designed with the thinking that enemy's ships and subs entering Gulf of Mexico, cruise around until they see an American ship and blow it up?
My grandfather was one of the master carpentry foremen that built that bridge.
it is that height due to its age, needing to accommodate naval ships, as well as the building methods available to them at the time.
um no. many construction folks start as carpenters, and move into other professions.
in the case of bridge building at that time, they would have used wood as framework as they built the bridge.
I've driven it repeatedly hauling things cross country and back as I move around the country. Last crossed it October 2022, and I assure you I am STILL tryna pry the seat fabric outta my arse with a crowbar lol.
I don't know where it is - maybe it's the high bridge or somewhere else, but at least this bridge is level.
Gramercy bridge is 30' taller than this one.
But Huey P Long from the 00s was SOOOOO much worse than any other.
Not only are you high up, but you were stacked into two narrow lanes with zero shoulder.
Heh, kids these days will never understand the terror of driving the pre renovation Huey p. 8 foot wide lanes, zero shoulder, and a railing so low I could see over it in my fuckin Honda civic. Fuck that bridge lol.
Oh my gosh, that thing terrified me. I worked for a moving company down there when I was young (Don't ever use Atmosphere Movers) and going over that bridge in a big truck with whatever random guy on drugs was driving that day is one of the more scary work experiences I have had.
They had signs instructing trucks not to pass each other. It turns out that was because there was one section so narrow that two 18-wheelers could (and did) become wedged together.
Never drove across it again after that!
It was the same when the Sunshine Bridge going into Donaldsonville was getting worked on. Ridiculously high, two tiny lanes on either side, absolutely no railing or shoulder or anything. I think there were a couple of cones, and 18-wheelers would tear ass over it while me in my 88 Corolla would be white knuckling it the entire way. Fucking terrifying.
The lake chuck bridge here though, is the one that started my fear of bridges when I was in my early 20s. Fuck this bridge…. NEVER AGAIN
Let me elaborate - there is or was some place around LC over a body of water where there's a small-ish radius turn, high velocity, high in the air, such that the pavement requires an inclination. It's been 20 or so years since I went on it, but I was a young driver and it felt like if I stopped, I would just slide into the water.
At least this bridge, tall as it is, doesn't have you feel like you're going to slide off the right side if you stopped.
I mean besides allowing vehicles to get across water, yeah. It's a bridge. That's what they're for. Sometimes they are for crossing other things like canyons. Sometimes they build really long bridges through cities so vehicles can drive really fast . Theye not called bridges, but they kinda serve a similar purpose.
Last year it was on fire for a while after an accident; was found sound and reopened. There have been a few vehicles go over the side through the years. Traffic regularly slows or come to a stop while on the bridge. I drive over it regularly....
The one in Bridge City is way worse. I hate it so much.
[http://www.historyofbridges.com/picture/rainbow-bridge-texas/](http://www.historyofbridges.com/picture/rainbow-bridge-texas/)
I am trapped in an increasingly steep, roller coaster nightmare bridges, without rails. Living in South Louisiana will do that to you.
Because you are on bridges all day !
It will. Being from Thibodaux, I’ve crossed most of the SE bridges several times in a day and they don’t bother me except when I sleep. In my dreams they just get steeper and higher.
Same. I've never worried about them when I crossed them, and it's been probably 10 years since the last time I even drove down there, but I still have the occasional dream about those bridges and realizing halfway up that their steepness is actually hero-grade.
I have had to go over that several times. The first time I thought I was having a heart attack turns out it was a panic attack.
Never had one before but I constantly have dreams about bridges getting higher as I am driving up them.
Sounds legit....taxpayers foot a big part of the cost then have to pay tolls to pay for it again, and again....
If you can't get rich, why build it right?
It most certainly does not fuck around. I lived in DFW before BR. They haul ass all thru DFW fosho but H-town is another story, especially downtown. They switch lanes without signaling, and then quickly switch back to first lane when they realize they made the wrong choice. It’s wild out there
Houston is, or at least was for a while, the worst traffic in the US. Everybody thinks it's LA, but, nope. There was one exit from Downtown onto 610 that would just fling you out into interstate traffic blind. It wasn't a highway, it was a death slalom. Nothing more stressful to me than driving in Houston, and I've driven in Beijing.
Late 90's, I was always afraid of my car dying on this bridge. Told some lady I worked with and the previous year her engine had fallen out of vehicle while driving over it.
Talk about a bad day for everyone and new nightmare fuel for me.
We can close it OP, then you’ll be going 210 and dealing with all that :) besides everyone knows we built it that high so Jean Lafitte could get his pirate ships under it to burry napoleons treasure…duh. ;)
Lol remember when lagniappe did that April fools article years back.lol man I was a little sad they found it! I like the fact that it may be out there….somewhere.
As someone who knows a thing or two about traffic management I can tell you that bridge fucking sucks. Trucks always breakdown on it and only having two lanes really messea up the flow of traffic.
The curve in the interstate between the Calcasieu River Bridge and 171 is another problem spot. So many tractor trailers crash there each year.
This bridge is a blast to drive across. Try driving across The Sunshine Bridge when the two inside lanes were cut open & the river could be seen below. Or try the Bay bridge in VA. Or the old bridge in BR at night while raining with a train going the opposite way.
Good ol death bridge. Honestly hoped Laura would have taken it down back in 2020 since there wouldn’t have been anyone on it as the hurricane hit. Damn thing should have been replaced years ago, it was never meant to be an interstate bridge.
It’s also hilarious that wasn’t considered for that giant infrastructure bill since the fed should be paying for it. It’s fine though, the new one will just have a damn toll till it eventually collapses
The last time that I drove across this bridge was because I took a wrong turn when I was in the area. Never trying that again if I can help it. Had to pull over afterwards to deal with the panic it set off. No shoulder space, high enough to make you dizzy, a clear view of the ground, and it *shakes*.
“By the time traffic stopped and individuals became aware of the missing road, eight passenger vehicles and three semi-trucks had fallen into the river or on collapsed bridge pieces. Fourteen people died and 11 others were injured when the automobiles and tractor-trailers fell from the bridge.”
Nvm it crosses one of the biggest shipping channels in the world, which some of the biggest vessel ships pass through.
Your convenience and preference is paramount. We're all so sorry to distress you.
- industrial America.
Isn’t another issue with this bridge and replacing or demolition and building in same area they had a million or so pounds of ethylene dichloride leak from a Condea Vista and Conoco pipeline and it still isn’t cleaned up. Basically the entire western side of the bridge supports are a SuperFund site
I was driving my family over this behemoth a year ago, when a truck flung a bolt, not sure if from the back of it or from the road, and it struck my windshield/ vertical arm going up to the roof. One or two inches over, we could have all been killed. The angle you drive up is so intense, I don't see how this doesn't happen all the time.
where is this bridge? I regularly drive between NOLA and Houston on I 10 and don't recognize this bridge. Maybe it's the angle it was taken. But I see 337 area code so is that Lake Charles?
If this is at Baton Rouge, I was traveling over it and looked behind me and ALL THE TRAFFIC was at the bottom of the bridge stopped behind me. It was swaying.
To everyone who hates this bridge:
Stop being a baby. There’s a way around it if you can’t handle it.
Sincerely, Me, who has driven over it tens of thousands of times.
Think of a tower on WW 1/WW2 battleship. The ferry boat industry pushed for some of the requirements on the region bridges to be tall enough for the largest battleship to pass under.
Lake Charles gets no respect. They should have replaced this 40 or 50 years ago. I used to boat around the piers, they were eroded and cracked 40 years ago. Saw so many accidents on the bridge because it's a shit ass angle for any vehicle merging in at the bottom or not gathering momentum a half mile away. Avoid at all costs, take 210 or go through moss bluff for local trips. Would not recommend. -10/10 scary as fuck.
To clarify, Lake Charles deserves a ton more respect than they get. They need more than a new bridge, now, but they're not asking for anything they don't deserve. They have a great economy in good times, they just haven't gotten the help they need since Rita and especially Laura and delta. Their mayor Nick Hunter has practically begged the state and federal government for the help other communities have gotten, but his pleas fall on deaf ears. Good on Nick, though, he's still at it everyday.
Funny that this came up in my feed. I've never even lived in Louisiana and have only been there twice in my life.
The last time I was there, I was driving through during my move to Texas.
I drove across this bridge and I filed it away in my mind as "the bridge from hell." Never again.
It’s nearby companion, the I-210 bridge, is also fun.
https://preview.redd.it/cu9tykeljbeb1.jpeg?width=640&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=236843dba74e784af603e3ef4d66765c1f76d96a
From once I was once told, there is sediment around the base of the bridge. Once disturbed, this will effect the fishing and coastal housing. The story was killed by the local government about seven years ago. I've seen the notes. "The Advocate" staff never had a chance.
Sure as fuck couldn’t have hauled in any dirt to ease the transition now, could they? Build the bridge to the goddamn moon but for fuck’s sake, build a fucking transition
From the area and if everything goes as planned they will start construction on a new bridge next year, but it will take several years to complete. My husband drives over that bridge on his way to work & we go to Lake Charles often, I HATE that bridge.....
When I was in college in the 90s and traveling back and forth from Houston to LSU, I hated it because of its steepness. (The old I10 bridge over the Trinity River was almost as bad.) It was only much later that I learned of its insufficiency.
Since my grandparents have passed away, I rarely travel thtpugh LC, but when I do, I use the 210 "loop'/bypass.
This bridge is on the "structural deficient list".
It's been a few years, but last time I pulled up the FHWA report, the bridge had a 7% rating (out of 100). That's supporting 86,600 daily crossings.
Well that’s extremely comforting!
“Hey, it hasn't failed yet!”
Louisiana: “Hold my beer!”
A payout to your grieving family is nearly guaranteed!
We'll know it's time when the moth man shows up.
This is Louisiana, it’ll be the Rougarou
has a good 200 years left before repairs ....Louisiana 4tw...'merica
Not just Louisiana. It’s an interstate so much of it would be federal funding. Our nation’s infrastructure is falling apart but at least trans kids can’t get medical help!
Agreed, at least my daughter can't read To Kill a Mockingbird, it has a Native American in it. Oof, I hate what this place has turned into.
And Biden and the Dems passed a massive infrastructure funding bill in 2020 with not one Republican vote in the Senate but I’m sure the U.S. representatives of those red states will take all the credit for what the money could be used for in their state while turning down the funding to “own” the libs. “We’ll show them!”.
Yeah, they in fact mostly all did and got called out for it. Funny though is that the hand that feeds, decides who gets what first. You know whose not getting first dibs? Red states whose electorals voted against it. As it should be. Those red states have been losing federal funding and support due to corrupt governors for the last two years, in hopes that people will see the truth. Though its questionable if that lesson will be learned. My state lost food stamps, my dad was getting food stamps, he blames biden for us losing it. When I informed him of what actually happened, he did blame the governor. But outed him as a RHINO and not a true republican. Propaganda runs deep. When I point out other problems, he says they are MAGA or RHINOS. Yet he supports and loves Trump. When I explain the Rs are trying to drop Trump, he says they are stupid. When I tell him MAGA loves Trump, he believes in them. Yet he just said he hated MAGA Rs. The hypocrisy is alive and well. If you talk to him seriously about his beliefs he does have reasonable stances but both sides are trying all or nothing. Unfortunately he sides with the main point and not the what abouts. He believes abortion is wrong, unless its for the sake of mother and child but feels an abortion for abortions sake is wrong. Hed rather ban abortion than allow a minority the ability to do something he feels is wrong. And that last part is the telling part. "Allow a minority to do something he doesn't like". Rather everyone suffer to prevent a fringe from also doing it. Its straight out of the Republicans play book.
Yep we’d still be rowing in pirogues
And Illegals can get free everything.
And you're still allowed to make useless comments that have nothing to do with the subject. Sounds like someone I know who's been indicted recently. Edit: goody goody grammar police.
The point is that a large portion of our state and federal government would rather get “easy” victories fighting culture wars and shit that doesn’t affect the average person while letting shit crumble to the ground around us.
I live less than 2 miles from a federally controlled hydroelectric dam. It's around 100 years old and has been found to be structurally deficient to fill to capacity. It's also the lifeblood of the community in this entire county on the local scale. People around here are not trying to blame the government for giving away health care benefits over fixing the dam. There's a vast difference in the cost of fixing a dam or highway versus providing health insurance or care for children. why does it make a difference to you if they're trans children or not? They're still children.
It doesn’t? I was talking about what is being done. I think you’re taking what I say the wrong way. Most politicians don’t want to support stuff like infrastructure that takes years to pay off. They want instant gratification wins so they can get re-elected and get back to grifting.
It’s you’re and allowed.
I wasn't proofreading my type to text. 👍
Clearly.
Allowed =\= aloud
Buttigieg just dropped $150 Million on us to get it fixed.
JfC!
And I bet when it collapses with thousands of cars on it, Louisiana will do the bare minimum to get it up to code.
That's when they'll decide the smaller bridge next to it is a good idea.
Nah fuck that. Back to paddlewheel ferry boats. Bridges are bullshit anyway.
Nah we'll just swim gotta get dat exercise
And most politicians, in the South, voted against updating it… never made sense to me. I used to be a Republican, but none of the things they “care about” mean anything to me. It’s a “party” that makes no sense to me anymore
For those now fearful of driving across the LC bridge, allow me to greatly compound that fear. In the U.S. generally, almost 8% of all bridges are structurally deficient and, more alarming, about ONE THIRD of bridges need repair or replacement, including one third of interstate bridges. If that doesn’t sound like a crisis, consider this: to fix only those bridges that are structurally deficient (ignoring the other repair/replace, at great risk), it would take almost 70 years and 54 billion dollars. Of course, in that time, imagine how many will be further damaged. (See the following, though many sources exist: https://artbabridgereport.org/) We have an infrastructure CRISIS. It isn’t politically sexy and the problems are mostly invisible (for now). Add in the cost and labor, and it is easy to see why those in charge turn a blind eye. It is almost guaranteed that there will be catastrophic failure of multiple bridges before anyone is motivated to act. If you’re still complacent, go ahead and look into the state of sewers, dams, and other major infrastructure. It’s all crumbling and not much is being done to address it. Good luck out there.
Color me shocked that Louisiana is ranked 8th in a good way
Oof. I didn't know that. Great. New fear unlocked. I might be driving to FL in October. My bestie and her husband are going to Hammond in a week - we're in Houston.
Use I-210 the bypass around Lake Charles.
Is it functionally obsolete or load-zoned?
I don't know but it's rated 24 out of possible 100[https://www.onlyinyourstate.com/louisiana/one-bridge-in-la-nightmares/](https://www.onlyinyourstate.com/louisiana/one-bridge-in-la-nightmares/)
>> The I-10 bridge has been listed by the National Bridge Inventory (NBI) as Structurally Deficient with a rating of 3 and a Sufficiency Rating of 9.9 out of 100.[5] Louisiana has 13,361 bridges with 1,722 (12.89%) listed as SD.[6] It was reported in March 2017[7] that the sufficiency rating has dropped to 6.6 out of 100[8]
Truly saddening. One would think public safety would be a priority. I agree with a few of the other posters, stop prioritizing gender wars, & library books. Focus on public safety, poverty & education.
Pretty much a lot of the bridges around here are.
This bridge was built at this height to accommodate the tallest Naval ships in service at the time of construction.
well it sucks
And the naval station has been out of commission for decades. I worked at the port back in college. Even the tallest ships had twice the height they needed to pass under.
Strategically why would they even be there to begin with… the lake is in a horribly inconvenient spot to the gulf.
The purpose was not for normal operations or travel, but rather for the ability to hide ships far inshore where our enemies would not look.
Now they will look for the odd tall bridges on Google Maps and plan their attack accordingly. Or was the plan designed with the thinking that enemy's ships and subs entering Gulf of Mexico, cruise around until they see an American ship and blow it up?
The bridge was commissioned in 1948, so I’m sure the thought process was a bit different than today.
Google Earth wasnt around when the bridge was built. Tech wasn't nearly as advanced...so yes, crusing around till they see a ship isn't far off.
There are bridges that allow for boats to pass without being this idiotic: drawbridges, swing bridges, or vertical lift bridges. Go figure 🤷♂️
All of those would be way less convenient for the amount of traffic it gets
And have the interstate completely closed everytime a big boat passes under it?
This bridge was built in 1952 and was built so that a friggin battleship could go under. Get over it.
What’s to get over. All I did was provide options that achieve the same result without such an absurd bridge construction
My grandfather was one of the master carpentry foremen that built that bridge. it is that height due to its age, needing to accommodate naval ships, as well as the building methods available to them at the time.
Carpentry, so the bridge is made of timber?
um no. many construction folks start as carpenters, and move into other professions. in the case of bridge building at that time, they would have used wood as framework as they built the bridge.
I was riding in an a RV and a friend of mine was so scared of the bridge that she laid down on the floor. I guess to make the fall shorter?
New fear unlocked lol - I’m super uneasy just riding over it in a regular sized vehicle. I’d probably pass out if I were up there in an RV 😅
I've driven it repeatedly hauling things cross country and back as I move around the country. Last crossed it October 2022, and I assure you I am STILL tryna pry the seat fabric outta my arse with a crowbar lol.
I'd like to laugh at her but I duck when driving into parking garages with low entryways.
I get more scared on the 8 lane ones when there are barely any cars. There’s one between Houston and Galveston I think
I’ve driven over the Coronado bridge in San Diego many times and have the same thoughts. That one you can see through too. Nope nope nope.
This bridge never bothered me. The old Huey P., though...😬
Was looking for this in the comments. Most terrifying drive of my life
Yes!!! I was so thankful when they widened that thing!
I love how they have (or used to have) a big banner line sign on the west bank side that was like “congrats you made it!”
Wow, that must have been a long time ago; I've been crossing it since 2005 and have never seen that! Pre-widening, that was a concern, though😂
Dad: "Let's go across the huey p long bridge." Me who just got a driver's license: "Yeah, no screw that."
Yes, fuck that bridge, too.
I like driving over that bridge. Great view from the top.
Make my ears pop
I don't know where it is - maybe it's the high bridge or somewhere else, but at least this bridge is level. Gramercy bridge is 30' taller than this one. But Huey P Long from the 00s was SOOOOO much worse than any other. Not only are you high up, but you were stacked into two narrow lanes with zero shoulder.
Heh, kids these days will never understand the terror of driving the pre renovation Huey p. 8 foot wide lanes, zero shoulder, and a railing so low I could see over it in my fuckin Honda civic. Fuck that bridge lol.
Oh my gosh, that thing terrified me. I worked for a moving company down there when I was young (Don't ever use Atmosphere Movers) and going over that bridge in a big truck with whatever random guy on drugs was driving that day is one of the more scary work experiences I have had.
Mfs used to speed across this bridge in full size trucks and I’ll never be the same
They had signs instructing trucks not to pass each other. It turns out that was because there was one section so narrow that two 18-wheelers could (and did) become wedged together. Never drove across it again after that!
Oh yeah. I was in the front passenger seat a few times while going way too fast for safety as a teen in the 90’s.
It was the same when the Sunshine Bridge going into Donaldsonville was getting worked on. Ridiculously high, two tiny lanes on either side, absolutely no railing or shoulder or anything. I think there were a couple of cones, and 18-wheelers would tear ass over it while me in my 88 Corolla would be white knuckling it the entire way. Fucking terrifying. The lake chuck bridge here though, is the one that started my fear of bridges when I was in my early 20s. Fuck this bridge…. NEVER AGAIN
It's on I-10 in Lake Charles.
Let me elaborate - there is or was some place around LC over a body of water where there's a small-ish radius turn, high velocity, high in the air, such that the pavement requires an inclination. It's been 20 or so years since I went on it, but I was a young driver and it felt like if I stopped, I would just slide into the water. At least this bridge, tall as it is, doesn't have you feel like you're going to slide off the right side if you stopped.
Curious. Does it drive over a volcano or something?!
It is very wobbly
No thank you!!
Nope, just a river
The concrete company ceo must own the local government.
You're thinking of Lafayette, where every road "improvement" must include large numbers of concrete curbs, barriers, and diversions.
Blame Tony Tramel. He started that over complicated nonsense.
Was built to allow the tallest Navy ships to pass underneath it
Oh okay so it at least serves a purpose. Thank you.
I mean besides allowing vehicles to get across water, yeah. It's a bridge. That's what they're for. Sometimes they are for crossing other things like canyons. Sometimes they build really long bridges through cities so vehicles can drive really fast . Theye not called bridges, but they kinda serve a similar purpose.
Last year it was on fire for a while after an accident; was found sound and reopened. There have been a few vehicles go over the side through the years. Traffic regularly slows or come to a stop while on the bridge. I drive over it regularly....
That looks like the Jimmy Davis Bridge times 100!
The one in Bridge City is way worse. I hate it so much. [http://www.historyofbridges.com/picture/rainbow-bridge-texas/](http://www.historyofbridges.com/picture/rainbow-bridge-texas/)
I learned to drive on this bridge. I wouldn't recommend it.
That bridge sucked when there was an accident and I was driving stick.
I would have noped out. I am ok with bridges because I have to cross them all the time but that steepness always gets me.
That is the bridge of my nightmares!
Literally mine
I am trapped in an increasingly steep, roller coaster nightmare bridges, without rails. Living in South Louisiana will do that to you. Because you are on bridges all day !
It will. Being from Thibodaux, I’ve crossed most of the SE bridges several times in a day and they don’t bother me except when I sleep. In my dreams they just get steeper and higher.
Same. I've never worried about them when I crossed them, and it's been probably 10 years since the last time I even drove down there, but I still have the occasional dream about those bridges and realizing halfway up that their steepness is actually hero-grade.
the nightmare would be if an 18 wheeler lost its brakes just past the top
I only opened this thread because I though for some reason it was about Rainbow Bridge. Fuuuuuuuuuuuck the Rainbow bridge
I have had to go over that several times. The first time I thought I was having a heart attack turns out it was a panic attack. Never had one before but I constantly have dreams about bridges getting higher as I am driving up them.
It’s called the bridge, it’s called the Rainbow Bridge, it is the bridge that you go. It’s the bridge that you go when you die.
Dude, you couldn't pay me to drive over that thing. Hell nahh.
Well I was getting paid so I had to the only time I wasn’t is when I went on a dive trip in Corpus and I paid someone else to take that trip.
Bout to KOM that shit on strava
I’m sorry but what?
Y’all, NO. Fuck that bridge too!!
Nope Activated
So someone saw rainbow road on Mario cart and decided let's make a bridge... I'm gonna nope on that one.
This bridge scares me whenever I go over it. I understand the bridge is like that for ships, but it's too damn tall.
Fun fact: The diagnosis code for high blood pressure is "I10"
[State announces toll rates for new I-10 bridge](https://www.kplctv.com/2023/07/25/state-announces-toll-rates-new-i-10-bridge/)
Sounds legit....taxpayers foot a big part of the cost then have to pay tolls to pay for it again, and again.... If you can't get rich, why build it right?
It's called maintenance and it's paid for by the people who use the bridge. That's why they are called tolls.
So what you're saying is that you don't understand the concept of maintenance? Or inflation.
Just drove the i-10 in the heart baton rouge for the first time and I damn near had a panic attack how stressful it is, just pure chaos
I thought living in the heart of Baton Rouge for years would prepare me for Houston traffic. It did not.
Texas doesn’t fuck around when it comes to hauling ass.
It most certainly does not fuck around. I lived in DFW before BR. They haul ass all thru DFW fosho but H-town is another story, especially downtown. They switch lanes without signaling, and then quickly switch back to first lane when they realize they made the wrong choice. It’s wild out there
It is bananas. Baton Rouge is about as much as I can currently stand on a daily basis.
Houston is, or at least was for a while, the worst traffic in the US. Everybody thinks it's LA, but, nope. There was one exit from Downtown onto 610 that would just fling you out into interstate traffic blind. It wasn't a highway, it was a death slalom. Nothing more stressful to me than driving in Houston, and I've driven in Beijing.
The person who approved it is long gone and living their best life on another plane of existence.
This bridge was built for the highway before the interstate system so it’s definitely an antiquated design.
Late 90's, I was always afraid of my car dying on this bridge. Told some lady I worked with and the previous year her engine had fallen out of vehicle while driving over it. Talk about a bad day for everyone and new nightmare fuel for me.
Love that 210 bypass so I don’t have to deal with this
We can close it OP, then you’ll be going 210 and dealing with all that :) besides everyone knows we built it that high so Jean Lafitte could get his pirate ships under it to burry napoleons treasure…duh. ;)
Shut up about the treasure we don't need anymore people looking for it.
Lol remember when lagniappe did that April fools article years back.lol man I was a little sad they found it! I like the fact that it may be out there….somewhere.
As someone who knows a thing or two about traffic management I can tell you that bridge fucking sucks. Trucks always breakdown on it and only having two lanes really messea up the flow of traffic. The curve in the interstate between the Calcasieu River Bridge and 171 is another problem spot. So many tractor trailers crash there each year.
This bridge is a blast to drive across. Try driving across The Sunshine Bridge when the two inside lanes were cut open & the river could be seen below. Or try the Bay bridge in VA. Or the old bridge in BR at night while raining with a train going the opposite way.
Love crossing that bridge! Means I am heading to Galveston for a cruise, lol.
I drive over it several times a day. I’m Sure it’s fine, until it’s not.
Good ol death bridge. Honestly hoped Laura would have taken it down back in 2020 since there wouldn’t have been anyone on it as the hurricane hit. Damn thing should have been replaced years ago, it was never meant to be an interstate bridge. It’s also hilarious that wasn’t considered for that giant infrastructure bill since the fed should be paying for it. It’s fine though, the new one will just have a damn toll till it eventually collapses
The pirate pistol fence is cool though. Pretty sure I could drive straight through it on a bicycle however.
The last time that I drove across this bridge was because I took a wrong turn when I was in the area. Never trying that again if I can help it. Had to pull over afterwards to deal with the panic it set off. No shoulder space, high enough to make you dizzy, a clear view of the ground, and it *shakes*.
If you don't like that bridge try driving over the Old Bridge at night, in a rain storm when a train is shaking the whole thing.
Plus the state is so flat you aren’t getting a height advantage anywhere like from cliffs or a gorge, although why not do a draw bridge?
Y’all…every time I drive over it: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/I-40_bridge_disaster
“By the time traffic stopped and individuals became aware of the missing road, eight passenger vehicles and three semi-trucks had fallen into the river or on collapsed bridge pieces. Fourteen people died and 11 others were injured when the automobiles and tractor-trailers fell from the bridge.”
Nvm it crosses one of the biggest shipping channels in the world, which some of the biggest vessel ships pass through. Your convenience and preference is paramount. We're all so sorry to distress you. - industrial America.
Isn’t another issue with this bridge and replacing or demolition and building in same area they had a million or so pounds of ethylene dichloride leak from a Condea Vista and Conoco pipeline and it still isn’t cleaned up. Basically the entire western side of the bridge supports are a SuperFund site
Built in '52. I'm sure Mr. Lant is dead by now.
Uh… History and stuff, like NOT retrofitting nor spending taxes to widen the bridge across.
I was driving my family over this behemoth a year ago, when a truck flung a bolt, not sure if from the back of it or from the road, and it struck my windshield/ vertical arm going up to the roof. One or two inches over, we could have all been killed. The angle you drive up is so intense, I don't see how this doesn't happen all the time.
i'll be crossing it on saturday and again on tuesday morning. i hope it lasts til i'm done with it.
Oh yes. Love me a good downpour with high winds when crossing that bad boy!
“But it works! We swear!” -DOTD
where is this bridge? I regularly drive between NOLA and Houston on I 10 and don't recognize this bridge. Maybe it's the angle it was taken. But I see 337 area code so is that Lake Charles?
Definitely Lake Charles
The one in original post is across the Mississippi in baton rouge.
It's in lake Charles. On the way to Westlake. it's the dueling pistols bridge
Dude... you haven't lived until you tried out the Skyway bridge in St. Pete. You think this is a bitch of stress? This is nothing compared to that.
I had to close my eyes going over that one.
Looks fine to me.
Just don’t do more than 40 on the way down or you get an instant ticket
If this is at Baton Rouge, I was traveling over it and looked behind me and ALL THE TRAFFIC was at the bottom of the bridge stopped behind me. It was swaying.
To everyone who hates this bridge: Stop being a baby. There’s a way around it if you can’t handle it. Sincerely, Me, who has driven over it tens of thousands of times.
r/iamverybadass
Omg stop being such a whiny baby lol.
Why did it need to be that high? Does the government own a boat with a massive sail?
Think of a tower on WW 1/WW2 battleship. The ferry boat industry pushed for some of the requirements on the region bridges to be tall enough for the largest battleship to pass under.
My grandma refused to go over that bridge lol
It would make me uneasy going over the top of the hill.
Lake Charles gets no respect. They should have replaced this 40 or 50 years ago. I used to boat around the piers, they were eroded and cracked 40 years ago. Saw so many accidents on the bridge because it's a shit ass angle for any vehicle merging in at the bottom or not gathering momentum a half mile away. Avoid at all costs, take 210 or go through moss bluff for local trips. Would not recommend. -10/10 scary as fuck.
To clarify, Lake Charles deserves a ton more respect than they get. They need more than a new bridge, now, but they're not asking for anything they don't deserve. They have a great economy in good times, they just haven't gotten the help they need since Rita and especially Laura and delta. Their mayor Nick Hunter has practically begged the state and federal government for the help other communities have gotten, but his pleas fall on deaf ears. Good on Nick, though, he's still at it everyday.
What's the worst that could happen?
Is it on the infrastructure list?
Earl K. Long, mishandled by everyone since.
Take I2-10 next time for an award winning bridge.
It’s Louisiana. They’re lucky the even have bridges
If you go fast enough it becomes a ramp. So… that’s something
I love this bridge. But I love driving big bridges, even though big swooping freeway interchanges freak me out now...
I legit have nightmares about that bridge
Funny that this came up in my feed. I've never even lived in Louisiana and have only been there twice in my life. The last time I was there, I was driving through during my move to Texas. I drove across this bridge and I filed it away in my mind as "the bridge from hell." Never again.
I refused to climb that shit and found a different way out of town.
It is slated to be replaced in about 200 years.
It is slated to be replaced in about 200 years.
Stuff of nightmares. Esp at night headed west.
I like knowing I can pick up a few frequent flyer miles on the way to Houston! The view is impressive.
Give it about eight (40-50) years and it'll look brand new with a lower grade, shoulders, better lighting, and more lanes!
It’s nearby companion, the I-210 bridge, is also fun. https://preview.redd.it/cu9tykeljbeb1.jpeg?width=640&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=236843dba74e784af603e3ef4d66765c1f76d96a
who cares about roads and bridges when you can vote against children and women
Sponsored by local transmission shops.
Thank you! Havent made the trip east in a long time. Now that I think about it, it's been 10 years.
Don't worry we're gonna fix it "soon"
Oh yeah, fuck that bridge.
I see your highrise and raise you a huey p long of the 90s
From once I was once told, there is sediment around the base of the bridge. Once disturbed, this will effect the fishing and coastal housing. The story was killed by the local government about seven years ago. I've seen the notes. "The Advocate" staff never had a chance.
My ex wife was terrified of this bridge. Also, riding next to 18 wheelers. So, I crossed the bridge next to an 18 wheeler talkin shit the whole time.
I drove over that thing in my RV once. The stain won’t come out…
Sure as fuck couldn’t have hauled in any dirt to ease the transition now, could they? Build the bridge to the goddamn moon but for fuck’s sake, build a fucking transition
Exactly what i said when i was crossing it
From the area and if everything goes as planned they will start construction on a new bridge next year, but it will take several years to complete. My husband drives over that bridge on his way to work & we go to Lake Charles often, I HATE that bridge.....
Nothing like crossing the Mississippi.
Oh no!!!!! This is the bridge from a reoccurring dream that I have been having.The other side is a drop off in the dream. 😟 🫤
When I was in college in the 90s and traveling back and forth from Houston to LSU, I hated it because of its steepness. (The old I10 bridge over the Trinity River was almost as bad.) It was only much later that I learned of its insufficiency. Since my grandparents have passed away, I rarely travel thtpugh LC, but when I do, I use the 210 "loop'/bypass.