Horace Wilkinson Bridge, Cantilever road bridge in Baton Rouge, United States.
The Horace Wilkinson Bridge is a steel cantilever span crossing the Mississippi River at Baton Rouge in Louisiana. The structure links East Baton Rouge and West Baton Rouge parishes and carries Interstate 10 over the waterway.
The crossing opened on April 10, 1968, and took its name from three generations of the Wilkinson family who together served 54 years in the state legislature. Planning began in the early 1960s to handle growing traffic between both riverbanks.
Residents call this crossing the New Bridge to set it apart from the older span over the river in the area. The nickname shows how the structure serves as the modern alternative in the local road network.
Traffic often slows at the point where Interstate 10 and Interstate 110 merge and three lanes narrow into one through lane. Drivers should plan extra travel time especially during weekday peak hours.
With a clearance of 53 meters above the water, this crossing is the tallest span over the entire course of the Mississippi. The height allows large river vessels and barges to pass underneath without obstruction.
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