Maestri Bridge

The Maestri Bridge (originally known as the Pontchartrain Bridge and later as the Watson-Williams Pontchartrain Bridge and the Five Mile Bridge) carries U.S. Route 11 (US 11) across Lake Pontchartrain between New Orleans and Slidell, Louisiana, in the United States.

Maestri Bridge
Coordinates30°11′14″N 89°50′35″W
Carries2 lanes of US 11
CrossesLake Pontchartrain
LocaleNew Orleans and Slidell, Louisiana, U.S.A.
Maintained byLA DOTD
Characteristics
Total length4.78 miles (8 km)
Width35 feet (11 m)
History
OpenedFebruary 18, 1928 (1928-02-18)

History

The bridge opened on February 18, 1928, as the first permanent crossing of Lake Pontchartrain. The 4.78-mile (7.69 km) bridge was the longest concrete bridge in the world upon completion. The bridge is 35 feet (11 m) wide and has two bascule-type draw spans for passing vessels and barges. The bridge was originally a toll structure, costing $1.25 for a motor vehicle with one driver plus ten cents for each additional passenger.

In February 1928, the New Orleans Stock Exchange was closed on a Saturday so members could attend the opening of Pontchartrain Bridge.[1]

Louisiana Governor Huey Long was opposed to toll bridges and offered to have the state purchase the bridge from its private owners. The offer was rejected, so Governor Long constructed two free bridges to the east along U.S. Route 90 across Chef Menteur Pass and the Rigolets Pass. With a free alternative, the toll bridge faced financial ruin and was sold to the state in 1938 for $940,000. Following the purchase, the bridge's name was changed to the Maestri Bridge, named after Robert Maestri, the mayor of New Orleans. U.S. Route 11, formerly co-signed with U.S. Route 90 across the Chef Menteur and Rigolets Bridges, was re-routed onto the Maestri Bridge around 1941.

In 2005, Hurricane Katrina virtually destroyed the I-10 Twin Span Bridge to the east. However, due to its sturdy construction, the Maestri Bridge was largely undamaged and was the only route to New Orleans from the East until the Twin Spans could be temporarily fixed (US-90 was also closed due to damage to the Fort Pike Bridge).

The bridge was closed in January 2012 for repairs. LA DOTD awarded a $5.7 million contract to rehabilitate the bridge's railings. It reopened on May 21.[2][3] It was closed once more in January 2019 as part of a $28.6 million overhaul to the bridge.

The Maestri Bridge viewed from Interstate 10
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See also

References
  1. "New Orleans Exchange Holiday". The New York Times. New York City, New York, United States. February 16, 1928. Retrieved January 14, 2018. The New Orleans Stock Exchange will close Saturday in order that members may attend the opening of the Pontchartrain Bridge.
  2. "District 2 Projects Under Construction". LA DOTD. Retrieved May 21, 2012.
  3. Associated Press (May 21, 2012). "Lake Pontchartrain bridge set to reopen". The Advocate. Retrieved May 21, 2012.


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