Fascinating Facts About The I-10 Bridge in Lake Charles

Lake Charles, LA [KNGT-FM] - Over the past year, the I-10 Bridge in Lake Charles has been at the center of headlines across Southwest Louisiana. From ongoing debates about when construction on a new bridge will begin to the steady stream of accidents, it has remained one of the region’s most talked-about topics.

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In the last three weeks, we have had two major wrecks on the old bridge that have snarled traffic, caused major damage to the bridge, and even closed the bridge down for periods of time.

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Three weeks ago, an 18 Wheeler jackknifed on the top of the bridge going Westbound and burst into flames. The bridge was closed for cleanup and guardrail repairs. Then over the weekend, we had another major crash on the Westbound side of the bridge.

Wreck on I-10 Bridge (Provided by Chief at Westlake PD)

This accident sent a bucket truck over the side of the bridge, landing in the water below. Traffic was stopped for hours, and the bridge is currently down to one lane for repairs.

The I-10 Bridge is old and is in desperate need of replacement. Construction has begun on a new bridge, but it will take some time.

Interesting facts about the I-10 bridge in Lake Charles

The actual name of the I-10 bridge is the Louisiana Memorial World War II Bridge, which was named in June of 1951.

The bridge opened in 1952 for traffic

The ironwork with crossed guns on the railings is believed to be a reference to Jean Lafitte and the pirates who came to Lake Charles at one time.

Approximately 90,000 vehicles cross the I-10 Calcasieu River Bridge daily in Lake Charles, according to recent estimates.

Before the I-10 bridge was built, people who were traveling through the area traveled down Highway 90, and if you wanted to get into Lake Charles, you had to cross the Calcasieu River over a draw bridge located by the Port of Lake Charles on Shell Beach Drive in Lake Charles.