Stretching before us, the Rigolets Bridge stands as a testament to connection. The Rigolets is a deepwater strait in Louisiana. It is 12.9 kilometers long.
The name “Rigolets” comes from the French word ‘rigole’. Rigole means trench or gutter. Locals pronounce it “RIG-uh-leez”.
The Rigolets connects Lake Pontchartrain and Lake St. Catherine to Lake Borgne. It also connects to the Gulf of Mexico. The bridge forms a boundary between New Orleans and St. Tammany Parish.
The Rigolets Bridge opened on June 9, 1930. It was one of the first public bridges across Lake Pontchartrain. The bridge spanned almost 3,900 feet. It carried U.S. Highway 90 connecting New Orleans to Slidell.
Before the Rigolets Bridge, the Watson-Williams Toll Bridge was the only way across. Ferries also carried cars across. Huey Long, then governor, opposed toll bridges. He wanted to purchase the Watson-Williams Bridge and make it free. His offer was rejected. Long then called for new bridges at the Rigolets and Chef Menteur passes. The opening of the Rigolets Bridge ensured the failure of the Watson-Williams toll bridge.
The bridge is near Fort Pike. Fort Pike protected passage on the Rigolets after the War of 1812. Some people call the Rigolets Bridge the “Fort Pike Bridge.”
By 2009, the original Rigolets Bridge was showing its age. U.S. Highway 90 is a federal evacuation route. The Department of Transportation and Development decided a new bridge was needed for hurricane evacuation.
The new Rigolets Bridge opened in 2009. It is slightly over one mile long. It has two 12-foot lanes and 8-foot shoulders for emergencies. The bridge reaches 72 feet at its highest point. This replaced the original bridge’s mechanical swing for ships.
Concrete from the original bridge was used to rebuild Fort Pike’s seawall. Hurricane Katrina had heavily damaged it. The replacement bridge cost about $50 million. It was the only accessible route from New Orleans to the Gulf Coast until I-10 opened in 2011.
Sadly, the Rigolets Bridge is also known for a tragic event. In 1967, actress Jayne Mansfield died in a car accident here. Her vehicle crashed into a tractor-trailer. The truck had slowed due to mosquito insecticide.
The Rigolets is a deepwater tidal pass. It helps bring salt water from the Gulf to Lake Pontchartrain. The Rigolets Bridge stands strong. It connects communities and carries history within its structure.