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It was built during
the year of the Dust Bowl and New Deal. The year when Babe Ruth hit his 714th
home run and the Parker Brothers first released the Monopoly board game. That
narrow, white-knuckle drive we call the Huey P. Long Bridge was completed in
December 1935 -- more than 73 years ago.
Rich with
historical significance, the Huey P. Long Bridge is undergoing a momentous
change. And with change comes the opportunity to preserve the past.
The bridge widening
project will widen the existing bridge from two 9-foot lanes to three 11-foot
lanes with a 2-foot inside and 8-foot outside shoulder – a widening of about 25
feet in both the eastbound and westbound directions. The project will also
improve the roadways leading up to the bridge – eliminating the West Bank traffic circle and traffic shift at Jefferson Highway
and replacing both with signalized intersections. The Jefferson Highway overpass will also be
eliminated and traffic will be diverted to ground level roadway. The exits and
approaches of the bridge are also changing to allow traffic to move more
smoothly.
The approaches have
recently affected another piece of history – the New Orleans Public
Belt Administration
Building at the East Bank
approach of the bridge. This structure served at various times as an office for
elements of the New Orleans Public Belt Railroad, Mississippi River Bridge
Authority Police (now called the Crescent City Connection Police), Causeway
Police Huey P. Long Unit, Louisiana Department of Highways Project Engineer's
office and State Police Troop B.
The Art Deco-style building
dripping with local history was recently demolished to make way for the new
bridge approaches. But before it was torn down, the New Orleans Public Belt
Railroad removed all of the historical elements of the interior of the
building. The cornerstone and unique façade of the building have been preserved
with the help of a historian. These elements will be incorporated into the
architecture of the new railroad building being constructed a few miles from
the original.
While some things
may change to make way for the innovations of the future, it’s nice to know the
past isn’t always lost.
The former New Orleans Public Belt Railroad Administration Building with the facade removed -- and waiting for demolition.