Citation

Am. City Cty. 2000; 115(1): 52.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2000, Penton Media)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

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Abstract

The world's longest uninterrupted bridge is getting one of the world's largest facelifts. The 24-mi (39-km) Lake Pontchartrain Causeway Bridge between New Orleans and Louisiana's North Shore is in the midst of a 10-year, $70 million rehabilitation that includes road surface texturing, piling repair, and installation of new call boxes. Since the causeway is not part of the federal or state highway system and receives no federal money, the commission raised the toll for the bridge from $1.00 to $1.50 to cover capital improvement costs. During 1999, causeway work included restoring the skid resistance on the bridge decks. Current work focuses on replacing the variable message signs, call boxes, and high-intensity lights. That will be followed by the replacement of high-voltage cable on the bridge and the second fender system, which protects the bridge from marine traffic. The pilings will also be restored.