Horace Wilkinson Bridge

The Horace Wilkinson Bridge was built from 1963 to 1968 and carries I-10 over the Mississippi River. The bridge is often referred to as the New Bridge, because it is the newer of the two Mississippi River bridges in the area, with the Huey P. Long Bridge being the Old Bridge. The main section of this bridge features a three-span continuous and cantilevered Warren through truss. When the bridge was completed, it was the third longest cantilever span in the United States. This bridge is 175 feet above the water, which makes it the highest of all the bridges over the navigation channel in the Mississippi River.

This bridge is named after three separate people, all named Horace Wilkinson. The first Horace Wilkinson, along with his son and grandson, served a total of 54 years in the Louisiana legislature. The bridge was named in their honor upon its completion. However, there was some dispute over the Louisiana legislature’s authority to officially name a federally funded bridge, so the official bridge name is not posted and is not widely known.

There is currently a plan to build a new bridge in the greater Baton Rouge area. The project is still in the preliminary stages, with the enhanced planning study being finished in 2022 and the environmental evaluation underway. There are three proposed locations for the bridge, and the new bridge will likely be a toll bridge to help with funding the project. It is anticipated the construction will be completed in 2031, but it is also noted the project is behind schedule.