Claiborne Avenue Bridge, Vertical-lift bridge in New Orleans, Louisiana.

The Claiborne Avenue Bridge, officially the Judge William Seeber Bridge, is a vertical-lift bridge over the Industrial Canal in New Orleans' 9th Ward. It carries four lanes of North Claiborne Avenue (Louisiana Highway 39) between the Upper and Lower 9th Wards. The lift span rises to let ships pass; most marine traffic fits beneath it in the down position.

Built by the Louisiana Department of Highways and opened to traffic in 1957, the bridge carries North Claiborne Avenue over the Industrial Canal between the Upper and Lower 9th Ward. On May 28, 1993, the tugboat Chris pushed an empty barge into a support pier, collapsing a 145-foot span; two cars fell, killing one person. The bridge closed for two months, and concrete from the wreckage was reused to shield the new pier. Hurricane Katrina put it out of service for months, and it reopened in early 2006.

The bridge joins two neighborhoods that were long separated by the waterway and share deep community roots. Today it serves as an everyday passage for people moving between these distinct districts.

The crossing carries four lanes of traffic and is a main route between New Orleans and St Bernard Parish communities. Be aware that the roadway lifts to allow ships through, so expect possible delays during vessel passage.

Many locals who use the bridge daily do not know it is officially the Judge William Seeber Bridge. On May 20, 2008, officer Tommie Felix, a 17-year veteran of the New Orleans police, died when his car drove off the raised span; witnesses said the crossing gates were not working.