Causeway Celebrates Opening Ceremony 1956

 In 1956 the Lake Pontchartrain Causeway was opened to traffic for the first time, along with a motorcade and grand opening ceremonies. Here is the program for that long-awaited event. Click on the images to make them larger. 

First Year of Causeway Report

A booklet was produced by the Greater New Orleans Expressway Commission in 1956 to describe the past year's work on the Lake Pontchartrain Causeway and its approaches. Here is that booklet. Click on the images to make them larger. 

Such a bridge between Mandeville and New Orleans had been dreamed about for decades, with all kinds of ideas thrown about to make it happen. In the early 1950's, however, came the combination of new bridge engineering techniques, substantial political will, and a cadre of residential developers seeking new customers. When, in 1956, the Lake Pontchartrain Causeway opened, some thought it was a marvelous milestone for the area, others thought it could become a worrisome millstone.

Links to other Causeway Posts:

Planning To Build The Causeway Started Early

One Early Effort To Build A Bridge Over the Lake

Causeway Underway 1956

Lake Pontchartrain Causeway

1st Ride Across Causeway Was Thrill of a Lifetime

Most Talkative Bridge In The World

New Route To Bogalusa Through Isabel

 No one today would consider taking a route through the Isabel Swamp to get to Bogalusa from Covington, but in 1961 it was considered a short cut that had just been made a little more passable. 

I went that way just a few weeks ago and was surprised to find that the two and a half miles through the swamp is still gravel. I guess the Bogue Chitto River flooding continues to be a tough challenge for road builders in that area near the river. The rest of the road is paved and serves several houses and camps.

Isabel Swamp Road - Gravel Section

Isabel Swamp Road - Paved Section 

Bridge over Bogue Chitto River

Bogue Chitto Tubing Center

Aerial photo of Bogue Chitto River and Isabel Swamp Road

See also:

The St. Tammany Superhighway

Bogue Chitto Tubing Center

New Bridge To Covington 1930's

 In the 1930's the Louisiana State Highway Department built a new concrete and wooden piling bridge over the Bogue Falaya River from Claiborne Hill to Covington. Here are several pictures of that bridge nearing the end of its construction period, as provided by the Louisiana Digital Archives. Click on the images to make them larger. 

Bridge approach from Claiborne Hill

See also:

Building the Madisonville Bridge in 1935

Bridge To Sun Improved, Widened

 In the 1960's the two lane steel overhead truss bridge on the Bogue Chitto River south of the Village of Sun was noted nationwide for its narrow passage and dangerous accidents.

Whenever the river flooded the bridge was also at risk of being damaged.

Going across it was so hazardous that in 1972 the La. Dept. of Transportation started building a new bridge to replace the old one.

Click on images to make them larger.

As the new bridge was nearing completion, an article appeared in a national magazine about the ten most dangerous bridges in America. The La. Hwy. 21 bridge over the Bogue Chitto River was among those named. The week following the nationwide article, the new wider bridge was completed and opened, and the old dilapidated one was soon torn down. Good timing.

Interstate 12 Bridge Over Tchefuncte River

 Back in 1972, some 51 years ago, a bridge was built over the Tchefuncte River near Three Rivers Road to carry the brand new Interstate 12 traffic east and west. The past couple of years, 2022 and 2023, that same bridge was widened to handle the additional traffic which had made it one of the most congested segments in southeast Louisiana. 

Photo and article from 1972, Covington Daily News

Click on the images to make them larger and more readable. 

Picture from 1973

A boat ramp was proposed for the rest area on the river, but many local residents opposed it.