You’ve seen the shots. Maybe it’s that haunting 2005 bird’s-eye view of concrete slabs tossed into Lake Pontchartrain like a child’s discarded blocks. Or perhaps it’s a long-exposure sunset flick where the new pylons glow against the purple Louisiana sky. People search for i 10 twin span bridge photos because this stretch of road—officially the Frank Davis “Naturally N’Awlins” Memorial Bridge—isn’t just a highway. It is a scar that healed into a landmark.
Most folks honestly confuse the Twin Spans with the Lake Pontchartrain Causeway. Easy mistake. But while the Causeway is that terrifyingly long 24-mile straight shot, the Twin Spans is the 5.5-mile gateway connecting New Orleans East to Slidell. If you’re hunting for the best shots or trying to understand why this bridge looks the way it does, you have to look at the "then" and the "now."
The Ghost Bridge in i 10 twin span bridge photos
When you look at older i 10 twin span bridge photos taken right after August 29, 2005, the scale of destruction feels impossible. Hurricane Katrina didn't just blow the bridge over. The storm surge actually lifted the massive concrete spans off their "low-profile" moorings. Basically, the water got underneath the road, trapped air in the girders, and floated them away.
I remember seeing a photo where a single span was just... gone. Just a gap. In total, 64 spans fell into the lake. Another 473 were shifted so badly they looked like a crooked spine. Engineers from the Louisiana DOTD and firms like Boh Brothers had to scramble. They actually scavenged pieces from the westbound side to patch up the eastbound side just to get one lane open. It was a Frankenstein bridge for a while.
Kinda incredible, right? They had the first span open just 47 days after the storm. If you find photos from late 2005, you’ll see those weird temporary steel panels. They weren't pretty, but they were a lifeline.
Where to Capture the Best Angles Today
If you’re a photographer or just a traveler with a decent iPhone, you aren't going to get a good shot from the car. Don't be that person. Stopping on the bridge is illegal and, frankly, terrifying with the way people drive between Slidell and the city.
The North Shore Perspective
The absolute best spot for i 10 twin span bridge photos is on the Slidell side. Specifically, head to the Twin Spans Fishing Pier. This is actually a 4,500-foot remnant of the old bridge that wasn't demolished.
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- The Vibe: You get to stand on the historic concrete that survived Katrina.
- The Shot: Use a wide-angle lens to capture the new, much taller "high-rise" section as it arches toward the horizon.
- Pro Tip: Go at "Golden Hour." The sun sets to the west, casting a long, golden glow across the water that reflects off the white concrete pylons.
The South Shore (New Orleans East)
This side is a bit grittier and harder to access, but if you can get near the levee systems in New Orleans East, you get a "leading line" shot that feels infinite. You see the bridge rising up to 80 feet at its peak to let the barges through. It looks like a giant concrete ribbon.
Why the New Bridge Looks "Off" in Photos
Ever notice how the new bridge looks significantly "beefier" in modern i 10 twin span bridge photos? That’s not just your imagination. The new version, completed in 2011, was a $803 million over-correction—in a good way.
The old bridge sat only 8.5 feet above the water. The new one? It sits 30 feet high for the majority of the span. That extra height is there specifically so storm surges can pass under the road instead of lifting it up. Also, look closely at the pier caps in high-res photos. They have these "restrainer" walls. If a surge does hit the spans, those walls act like a cage to keep the concrete from sliding off.
It’s a 100-year bridge. It's built with 36-inch square concrete piles driven deep into the lake muck. When you compare a photo of the 1965 original to the 2011 replacement, the difference in "heft" is staggering. The new one has six lanes and massive shoulders. The old one felt like driving on a narrow tightrope.
The Underwater Secret You Can't Photo
Here is something most people get wrong about the old bridge: they think it was just hauled away to a landfill. Not even close.
If you were to take a photo under the water near the bridge today, you’d see a massive artificial reef. Most of the debris from the old spans was crushed and dropped into the lake. It created about 4 acres of habitat for fish. So, while the "ghost" of the old bridge is gone from the skyline, it’s still down there, covered in barnacles and surrounded by redfish.
Actionable Tips for Your Bridge Trip
If you're planning to document this trek or just want to see it for yourself, keep these nuances in mind:
- Check the Wind: Lake Pontchartrain gets "choppy." If winds are over 15-20 mph, the bridge often has "Travel Advisories." Your car will shake, and your photos will be blurry.
- The Name Game: If you're searching for official records, search for the Frank Davis Memorial Bridge. Most locals still just call it the "Twin Spans," but the signs say Frank Davis. He was a legendary local journalist who loved the outdoors.
- Lens Choice: If you’re shooting from the Slidell pier, bring a telephoto (70-200mm). It compresses the distance and makes the "hump" of the high-rise section look massive and dramatic.
- Drone Users: Be careful. This is a major transit corridor. Always check your FAA maps (like B4UFLY) because there is low-flying helicopter traffic and nearby private airstrips that can make drone flight tricky.
The I-10 Twin Span isn't just a way to get to the North Shore. It’s a testament to engineering that finally learned to respect the Gulf's power. Next time you see those i 10 twin span bridge photos of the old wreckage, look at the new pillars and realize they were built to never let that happen again.
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To get the most out of your visit, start at the Twin Spans Fishing Pier in Slidell around 5:00 PM. It’s the only place where you can physically touch the history of the old bridge while getting a clear, unobstructed view of the new one's massive engineering.