Lake Pontchartrain Causeway Size report

Lake Pontchartrain is the second largest saltwater lake in the United States, located in southern Louisiana. A bridge on the lake connects the lake's north and south ends, the Lake Pontchartrain Causeway. It is one of the world's longest sea (lake) bridges, and it takes about half an hour to drive across the entire bridge.

Lake Pontchartrain is 64 kilometers (40 miles) long, 40 kilometers (25 miles) at its widest point, covers an area of 1,631 square kilometers (630 square miles), and has an average depth of 3 to 5 meters (10 to 16 feet). The lake is slightly salty due to a narrow channel that runs eastward through Lake Borgne to the Gulf of Mexico. The lake is plentiful with fish and waterfowl such as pelicans.

The lake area has beautiful scenery, with parks and many small holiday centers along the lakeshore, and the tourism industry here benefits from the longest bridge in the world. Let's learn more about the incredible size of the Lake Pontchartrain Causeway in the following post.

Description of Lake Pontchartrain Causeway Size

The Lake Pontchartrain Causeway consists of two parallel bridges. A total of 9,500 concrete pilings are used to support these twin-span bridges. Bridge 1 was completed and opened to traffic in 1956, and Bridge 2 was completed and opened to traffic in 1969. Bridge 2 is about 16 meters (0.01 miles) longer than Bridge 1, which is 38.42 kilometers. The bridge goes right across Lake Pontchartrain and is one of the longest bridges in the world; it is so long that at any point during the drive, it is impossible to see land in any direction.

In August 2005, after Hurricane Katrina, the bridge was also damaged, but almost all of the damage was on the older Bridge 1, and the bridge's foundation was still intact. As the hurricane devastated the I-10 highway, the Pontchartrain Lake Bridge became the main route for rescue teams into New Orleans. It is a toll bridge governed by the bridge police. Every year, more than 12 million vehicles pass this causeway.

Length of the Lake Pontchartrain Causeway

This epic 24-mile structure spans one of America's most famous bodies of water, a lake that has inspired literature, music, and film. The Lake Pontchartrain Causeway is composed of two causeways. The first part is 23.86 miles long; the second runs parallel to the first with a total length of 23.875 (38.42 kilometers) and spans Lake Pontchartrain. There are 8 miles of which you will only see the water; the bridge is in the middle of the lake.

Final Words

The Lake Pontchartrain Causeway is a monumental achievement for all civil engineers, not only because of its incredible length but also because of the innovative construction techniques used in its construction. The bridge components were constructed at a state-of-the-art concrete pouring plant on the shores of Lake Mandeville before being transported by barge to the construction site. Before that, most bridge components were cast in place. This legendary bridge attracts countless tourists annually and is especially famous for its sunset views.