Skip to main content

The Bridges, Crossings, and Structures of the Lower Mississippi River: An Introduction

Image
By

Welcome to home page for Gribblenation's series on the bridges, crossings, and structures of the lower Mississippi River! Here you will find links to information about the many bridges, ferries, and flood control structures located along the river between the Mississippi & Ohio Rivers confluence near Cairo, IL and the mouth of the Mississippi River at the Head of Passes Light near Venice, LA.

The bridges of the lower Mississippi River are a diverse collection of impressive engineering achievements. Many of these bridges were modern marvels at the time of their construction and most of them are still among the largest bridges of their respective types in the United States. In addition to the numerous monumental bridges in this region, there are multiple large-scale flood control structures and spillways that supplement the river's extensive levee system. These structures are strategically placed and help regulate the flow rate and level of the river during periods of high water and flooding. Each crossing or structure in this series has a unique story to tell and they all play a vital part in the transportation and flood control systems of the Mississippi Delta.

The directory below provides a full list of these points of interest along the river. They are listed here in order from north to south, or from upriver to downriver. Click on any of the listed landmarks below to view the full article. (Click on any of the photos on this home page to view a larger version.) In each article, you will find links at the bottom of the respective pages to further sources on each landmark, plus links back to this home page, as well as links to the adjacent landmarks along the river. These links have been included for your navigation purposes on this site and we hope you find them useful!

Cover Photo: The Crescent City Connection twin span bridges connect downtown New Orleans, LA with the Westbank suburbs and the historic Algiers Point neighborhood of the city. It currently is the furthest downriver bridge on the Mississippi River.

Bridges, Crossings, and Structures of the Lower Mississippi River

Dorena-Hickman Ferry (Hickman, KY)

Caruthersville Bridge (Caruthersville, MO)


Caruthersville Bridge (Caruthersville, MO)

The Mississippi River Bridges of Memphis, TN: An Introduction


The Mississippi River Bridges of Memphis, TN

Hernando de Soto Bridge (Memphis, TN)


Hernando de Soto Bridge (Memphis, TN)

Harahan Bridge/"Big River Crossing" (Memphis, TN)


Harahan Bridge/"Big River Crossing" (Memphis, TN)

Frisco Bridge (Memphis, TN)


Frisco Bridge (Memphis, TN)

Memphis & Arkansas Bridge (Memphis, TN)


Memphis & Arkansas Bridge (Memphis, TN)

Helena Bridge (Helena-West Helena, AR)


Helena Bridge (Helena-West Helena, AR)

Greenville Bridge (Greenville, MS)


Greenville Bridge (Greenville, MS)

The Mississippi River Bridges of Vicksburg, MS: An Introduction


The Mississippi River Bridges of Vicksburg, MS

Old Vicksburg Bridge (Vicksburg, MS)


Old Vicksburg Bridge (Vicksburg, MS)

Vicksburg Bridge (Vicksburg, MS)


Vicksburg Bridge (Vicksburg, MS)

Natchez-Vidalia Bridge (Natchez, MS)


Natchez-Vidalia Bridge (Natchez, MS)

Old River Lock & Control Structure (Lettsworth, LA)


Old River Control Structure (Lettsworth, LA)

Morganza Control Structure & Spillway (Morganza, LA)


Morganza Control Structure & Spillway (Morganza, LA)

John James Audubon Bridge (New Roads, LA)


John James Audubon Bridge (New Roads, LA)

Huey P. Long Bridge (Baton Rouge, LA)


Huey P. Long Bridge (Baton Rouge, LA)

Horace Wilkinson Bridge (Baton Rouge, LA)


Horace Wilkinson Bridge (Baton Rouge, LA)

Plaquemine Ferry (Plaquemine, LA)

Sunshine Bridge (Donaldsonville, LA)


Sunshine Bridge (Donaldsonville, LA)

Veterans Memorial Bridge (Gramercy, LA)


Veterans Memorial Bridge (Gramercy, LA)

Bonnet Carre Control Structure & Spillway (Norco, LA)


Bonnet Carré Control Structure & Spillway (Norco, LA)

Hale Boggs Memorial Bridge (Luling, LA)


Hale Boggs Memorial Bridge (Luling, LA)

Paper Highways: The Unbuilt New Orleans Bypass (Proposed I-410)


The Unbuilt New Orleans Bypass (Proposed I-410)

Huey P. Long Bridge (New Orleans, LA)


Huey P. Long Bridge (New Orleans, LA)

Crescent City Connection (New Orleans, LA)


Crescent City Connection (New Orleans, LA)

Canal Street-Algiers Point Ferry (New Orleans, LA)


Canal Street-Algiers Point Ferry (New Orleans, LA)

Chalmette-Lower Algiers Ferry (Chalmette, LA)


Chalmette-Lower Algiers Ferry (Chalmette, LA)

Belle Chasse-Scarsdale Ferry (Belle Chasse, LA)


Belle Chasse-Scarsdale Ferry (Belle Chasse, LA)

Pointe a la Hache Ferry (Pointe a la Hache, LA)


Pointe à la Hache Ferry (Pointe à la Hache, LA)

The "Bridges of the Mississippi River" webinar was presented on the "roadwaywiz" YouTube channel in May 2023 and features discussion on all of the bridges included in this series. It can be viewed at the link below:


The "Bridges of the Mississippi River" podcast episode was presented on the "Gribblenation Roadcast" on Spotify in April 2024 and features discussion on all of the bridges included in this series. It can be viewed and listened to at the link below:

[Insert Podcast Link Here]

Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Old US Route 60/70 through Hell (Chuckwall Valley Road and Ragsdale Road)

By
Back in 2016 I explored some of the derelict roadways of the Sonoran Desert of Riverside County which were part of US Route 60/70; Chuckwalla Valley Road and Ragsdale Road. US 60 and US 70 were not part of the original run of US Routes in California.  According to USends.com US 60 was extended into California by 1932.  US 60 doesn't appear on the California State Highway Map until the 1934 edition. USends.com on US 60 endpoints 1934 State Highway Map Conversely US 70 was extended into California by 1934, it first appears on the 1936 State Highway Map. USends.com on US 70 endpoints 1936 State Highway Map When US 60 and US 70 were extended into California they both utilized what was Legislative Route Number 64 from the Arizona State Line west to Coachella Valley.  LRN 64 was part of the 1919 Third State Highway Bond Act routes.  The original definition of LRN 64 routed between Mecca in Blythe and wasn't extended to the Arizona State Line until 1931 acc...
3 comments
Read more

The last 1956-63 era California Sign State Route Spade?

By
Along southbound California State Route 170 (the Hollywood Freeway Extension) approaching the Hollywood Freeway/Ventura Freeway interchange a white California State Route 134 Sign State Route Spade can be observed on guide sign.  These white spades were specifically used during the 1956-63 era and have become increasingly rare.  This blog is intended to serve as a brief history of the Sign State Route Spade.  We also ask you as the reader, is this last 1956-63 era Sign State Route Spade or do you know of others?  Part 1; the history of the California Sign State Route Spade Prior to the Sign State Route System, the US Route System and the Auto Trails were the only highways in California signed with reassurance markers.  The creation of the US Route System by the American Association of State Highway Officials during November 1926 brought a system of standardized reassurance shields to major highways in California.  Early efforts to create a Sign State Route ...
Post a Comment
Read more

Paper Highways; Interstate H-4 through downtown Honolulu

By
The Hawaiian Island of O'ahu is home to four Interstate Highways; H-1, H-2, H-3 and H-201.  Had history gone slightly differently during the 1960s a fifth Interstate corridor on O'ahu could have been constructed through downtown Honolulu and the neighborhood of Waikiki.  The proposed corridor of Interstate H-4 can be seen above as it was presented by the Hawaii Department of Transportation during October 1968 .   This page is part of the Gribblenation O'ahu Highways page.  All Gribblenation and Roadwaywiz media related to the highway system of O'ahu can be found at the link below: https://www.gribblenation.org/p/gribblenation-oahu-highways-page.html The history of proposed Interstate H-4 The corridor of Interstate H-4 was conceived as largely following what is now Hawaii Route 92 on Nimitz Highway and Ala Moana Boulevard.   Prior to the Statehood the first signed highways within Hawaii Territory came into existence during World War II.    Dur...
Post a Comment
Read more