Twin Span Bridge

I really don’t like the Twin Span, but I have my own weird reasons so I’m giving it 4 stars anyway.
Fun fact about me: I’m not a huge fan of open water. I can handle living in a city surrounded by water, but I don’t like boats and I don’t feeling like I am trapped «in» by water. In other words: you will never catch me on a cruise.
If you want to get from the Southshore to Slidell, the Twin Span is a necessary evil. I don’t know much about the «old» Twin Span, but this version is okay. The very few times I have crossed it I have done so with both hands on the wheel, white knuckling it and staying aware of my breathing so as to avoid a panic attack. Yes, I am serious– we are talking sweaty, cold palms here, people. A million things go through my head when I’m crossing: «What if my car breaks down?», «What if someone hits me?», «What if I go into the water?!» Yep, I’m a little nuts. Also, does this bridge seem super high to anyone else?
For those of you who aren’t a little weird when it comes to water, this bridge is great. It gets you where you need to go– just don’t speed.

Ah the twin span. I had driven over the old version pre-​Katrina and it did have personality. Granted, I did’t officially move here until 2011, but had visited the area for a good 15 years before.
I love the new bridge, although as previously mentioned, it doesn’t have much personality, and patrols leave something to be desired as people do fly low here. My first term at the University of New Orleans, one of my instructors lived in Slidell, and class mates on exam dates would joke about abandoning their vehicle on the twin span in order to delay the inevitable. They never did, but man, his tests were difficult.
This bridge is the best way to get to and from the north shore and south shore. The passenger in the vehicle should most definitely look around and enjoy the wonderful views of the lake. Beautiful views in the sunrise, during the day and during sunset. The overcast skies that occasionally obstruct the view can still be pleasant. Drivers, keep your eyes on the road, please and thank you very much!
This bridge is deserving of five stars as it is very sturdy and dependable, as well as being nice to drive on.

This has to be my second most hated bridge with the Causeway & Huey P tying in at #1. Please be a cautious & defensive driver as many commuters drive like a bat out of hell, so move to the far right hand lane if you prefer to drive the speed limit. The two new spans are much wider and appear safer than the original span which gives this a five star review. This is the only yet quickest way I know of to get from Slidell to New Orleans and vice versa. The only positive thing is that when I hit this bridge I am approximately 25 minutes from my parents house but other than that I despise traveling across this bridge.

Crazy that you can review a bridge, right?! I mean a bridge is a bridge. I use to think Slidell was eons away until I became old enough to drive on my own and had to frequent this route.
I will say though, the post — Katrina upgrade is such a relief and i feel a lot safer on this installation in comparison to its predecessor. It didn’t seem like construction took very long on this new stretch and once they finished, I realized how low to the water we were on the old bridge. Christ, we were ballsy, living all on the edge, driving what seemed to be five feet above the water compared to now.
Wider lanes to avoid all the multi-​functioning people who find driving the best time to scroll through Facebook, Instagram and everything else in their phone except a GPS route. It’s insane, i’ve literally seen people driving across this bridge reading books, newspapers, etc. and they’re the main ones causing traffic, driving ridiculously slow and/​or veering in and out of lanes. Sometimes I wish citizens can pull people over and issue tickets.
Drive with caution on windy days. If you’ve got a smaller car, better lower that traveling speed because the crosswinds are hella strong.
The view (coming into the city) is really cool on the nice, clear days. You can see downtown New Orleans perfectly placed at the bridge’s end. It feels like you’re embarking upon a hidden city just waiting to be discovered.
There aren’t typically cops on this stretch but i’ve heard something in recent news stating that air patrol could commence, so eyes in the sky (but preferably on the road)

Traveling on the Twin Spans usually means I’m heading out on a vacation or visiting friends living way out east. It’s not one of the usual bridges I have to cross when traveling around the metro area. But you have to use it (or another bridge) if you want to get east of the city. The design of the new bridge is a great improvement over the old one.

I have crossed this bridge 1,456 times, LOL. Actually in my lifetime it’s been a few, but the post Katrina version is much better than the previous version. Although no one seems to abide by the posted speed limits. You’ll get nasty looks if you are riding slow in the left lane. Be extra careful in the fog!!!

Craziness. Has it really been so long since I drove out of NOLA going East? Or maybe it was just so early in the morning that I didn’t remember?
LOVE the *new* twin span. The old one was narrow and one breakdown and you were doomed. The new bridges are 3 lanes each with actual real shoulders. Uh-​mazing.
The bridge does afford a lovely view of the lake, if you’re a passenger, if you’re the driver, please keep your eyes on the road.
Seriously what an improvement.

I actually like this bridge for several reasons, I’ve listed the main 2:
1. the length is quite nice. It helps to evoke a sense of serenity & calmness as you journey from the Southshore to the Northshore or vice versa. It measures about 5 ½ miles long & I enjoy every foot of it. I have the distinct pleasure of traveling at the best times, dawn & dusk… so nice; so picturesque. Any given time, you can see a sail boat or two or three… OR folks jet skiing by the shore.
Side note: As stated, this is a bridge that connects the Northshore & the Southshore, with the most recent population boom of the Northshore due to hurricane Katrina, the traffic in the A.M. coming from the Northshore going to the Southshore is horrific & don’t let there be an accident or weather restriction, sheesh… Can you say GRIDLOCK!!! I am thankful to JESUS CHRIST, I travel in the complete opposite directions during heavy traffic times. Phew!!!
2. I see this bridge, when I’m not working, as the beginning of a StayCation or a full fledged VACAY!!! Yes!!! I mean I guess this can be said for any bridge in the area, but for me, it’s particular to THIS bridge. Mississippi… Florida… Alabama… Anywhere east & here is how it starts.
So there you have it, my 2 main reasons for my love of this bridge. (the side note was a freebie. LOL.)

The Twin Span used to be a narrow bridge, although not as narrow and fear inducing as the old Huey P. Hurricane Katrina destroyed it and the new bridge features improved construction and more, wider lanes. It may sound weird, but things like that make the ride a lot less tedious and nerve-​wracking, especially when there are large trucks on the bridge.
Note: while it’s VERY unsafe to speed anywhere, especially on a bridge, people do it a lot here.

One of the things I enjoy about Unilocal is that we can write reviews of pretty much anything. The Twin Spans listing is relatively new, just like the current version of the bridges themselves. The original version was destroyed in Hurricane Katrina and this replacement is much more hurricane resistant.
The old version accomplished the same thing as the current bridge, but did so in a much less grand fashion. When it was destroyed during Katrina, I was sad. While it was only concrete and steel, the loss of these bridges cut off the main route from Eastern St. Tammany Parish to the city. Because of the importance of the bridge, the state DOTD actually worked quickly to get a temporary bridge erected, and the permanent replacement fast tracked. Such speedy construction was unheard of in Louisiana so it was very impressive when it actually happened.
The new version is fancy, but it lacks the character that the old bridge had. To me it is just a road with no personality. I realize that may seem odd, but the Causeway, CCC, Huey P, Luling Bridge, etc. all have a style or personality that this bridge doesn’t have. What it does have is smooth concrete perfect for speeding. Couple that with lax patrols and you have a recipe for hauling ass. Every time that I have driven this bridge I have seen people driving well over 100 mph.
In closing, this is the best way to get to or from Eastern St. Tammany Parish.

Better than the original for sure! Three lanes!!! Huge shoulder!!! Hopefully this one will last better if another hurricane hits!

Okay, it’s not the Lake Pontchartrain Causeway (current Guinness World record holder for longest continuous bridge in the world), but it’s still pretty dang long (~6 miles). I can only imagine the misery if your car stalls.

Ahh, the Twin Spans. Living in Slidell but traveling to Nola and Metairie and even all the way down to Houma I’ve crossed this bridge countless times.
I love crossing it at sunset. It looks like the sun is slowly sinking into and being swallowed up by Lake Pontchartrain.
I love crossing it when the tide is high and watching the pelicans swooping down into the lake to catch their lunch.
I love passing it and looking at all the beautiful sailboats on a beautiful sunny day.
I love crossing it when the water is rough and choppy and spotting a water funnel. I’ve seen a few of those and it’s a sight to behold.
August 2005. I had evacuated to my sister’s house in Lafayette. Once the images started playing on the news of the devastation that was happening I was shocked and angry. For a while nothing was being shown of Slidell… only New Orleans. It became clear why in a single image that happened to flash across the screen for a brief second.
The Twin Spans. MY Twin Spans. One side of it was in pieces. Parts of it in the lake. Completely impassable. Gone. I was devastated. I cried and cried. I still tear up when I think about it. It’s one of the many images of the damage Katrina did forever seared into my memory. I’m sure it sounds silly to be so sentimental about a bridge, but seeing it, a huge majestic bridge, reduced to piles of concrete, solidified in my head that things were never going to be the same when I came home.
The Twin Spans have been rebuilt and they are better than ever. It’s taller and wider now. The old ones where broken up and dropped into the lake to create an artificial reef.
I still love passing it at sunset, high tide, sunny days and when the lake is rough. But I mourn the old ones and will forever have a special place in my heart for them.