Huey P. Long Bridge

The Huey P. Long Bridge is a road and rail bridge that spans across the Mississippi River, connecting the eastern and western sides of Baton Rouge. The structure uses a cantilever truss design and carries both highway traffic and railroad operations.

The structure was built in 1940 and served as the only river crossing in Baton Rouge until 1968. This long period as the sole crossing made the bridge a crucial piece of infrastructure for regional growth.

The bridge is named after two Louisiana governors, Huey P. Long and Oscar K. Allen, and locals simply call it the old bridge, which reflects its importance in the region's past.

The bridge is accessible from various road approaches and offers a wide view of the river during crossing. Visitors should know that the structure is in active use and traffic will be present when traveling across it.

The structure had an unusual color history, originally painted blue before becoming orange in the 1960s due to aluminum oxide dust from a nearby plant. The color was changed to gray in 2016, giving the bridge a different appearance than in earlier decades.

Location: Louisiana

Inception: 1940

Official opening: August 1940

GPS coordinates: 30.50690,-91.19750

Latest update: December 7, 2025 20:20