The Lake Pontchartrain Causeway, a marvel in engineering, stretches nearly 24 miles, providing a direct link across Lake Pontchartrain in New Orleans. Built in 1956, the causeway was a response to the city’s expansion, offering a more efficient route north and south.

The causeway’s unique features include a stretch where motorists lose sight of land for eight miles, inducing a peculiar seaborne fear. Extraordinary events, such as police escorting frozen drivers and babies born en route, contribute to its storied history. Notably, an airplane once landed safely on the bridge after running out of gas over the lake.

With the daily traffic surpassing 5,300 vehicles, plans emerged to expand the causeway. In 1969, a parallel two-lane span was added, officially making it the longest bridge over water globally. This record remained unchallenged until 2011.

In 2011, a rival claim emerged from China’s Jiaozhou Bay Bridge, causing a brief controversy over measurement criteria. Guinness clarified by creating two categories, designating Lake Pontchartrain Causeway as the “longest bridge over water (continuous).” Despite subsequent challenges, it retains this title, solidifying its status as a timeless engineering marvel over six decades since its inception.