The causeway over the southern end of Lake Ponchartrain, once proudly proclaimed as the longest bridge in the world, sits silent.
The 92 year old bridge has been closed for year. It was set to reopen in April of last year, according to the Times-Picayune/New Orleans Advocate.
Then it was set to reopen in July, then October, then January 2020.
Now, the span is not slated to return to service until next Summer 2020.
What began as a $28-million, four month project to renovate the bridge operator's shack at the Maestri drawbridge, and install a new roadway for the low profile double-leaf bascule span, has evolved into a nightmare for repair crews.
Charged with the renovation is American Bridge Company; a 120-year old builder of some of the nation's most well known bridges including the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge and the Verrazano Narrows Bridge in New York City.
American basically was brought in to completely renovate the bridge and replace much of the old equipment--including the open mesh roadway deck and install a new concrete roadway.
Unfortunately the marine environment proved to be much more detrimental on the drawbridge than expected.
Repair crews have encounted woodrot, disintegrating electrical equipment, structural problems and heavily worn out machinery.
Replacement of control shack and roadway have been slowed by needed fixes to existing equipment dating from the 1920's.
A lot of those parts need to be custom made and machined, which have slowed repair and rebuilding work to a crawl.
Meanwhile, commuters caught in traffic on the I-10 Twin Spans look across and wonder if, even when, US-11 will reopen.