You have to remember that in southern Louisiana we have a lot of swamps and wetlands so bridges are something that really comes in handy.

Laurence wouldn’t really be in a position to know this, but the Lebranche Wetlands Bridge, Bonnet Carre Spillway, and the Manchac Swamp Bridge are actually differently named parts of one continuous bridge. They have different names because they are each numbered as different interstate highways. Manchac is I-55, Bonnet Carre is I-10, and LeBranche Wetlands is I-310. Their combined length of 62,312 meters make the three bridges together the longest continuous highway span in the world. All of the longer bridges are high speed rail viaducts built primarily over land.

Being from the upper peninsula of Michigan, I have gone over the Mackinac bridge a ton of times.

I've driven across the Chesapeake Bay Brudge Tunnel a number of times. The first few times when it was only 2 lanes, they widened it to 4. One if these times it was during a storm at night and the bay was splashing over the sides as a lot of it is only feet above the bay.

Back in the day, I lived in the New Orleans, Louisiana area for several years and had driven over the Lake Pontchartrain bridge more than once with my family and it was an amazing experience each time. It was like you have to do it. It's the longest frickin' bridge in the US. Very cool!

I grew up near the Bay Bridge in Annapolis, MD and it scares a lot of people to drive over it. There are services people can use where another person will drive you across the bridge. The view of the Chesapeake Bay is so pretty though. Prior the Bay Bridge, you had to take a ferry to get to the Eastern Shore, so the bridge helped connect the two almost disconnected sides of MD.

Luisana is a state in the deep south that has a great many marshes and swamp lands, it is far easier to build a bridge to cross them than it is to create a stable winding road through them.

Louisiana has a lot of swamps and water, so it has a lot of bridges.

I am from Connecticut but crossed the Lake Pontchartrain bridge while visiting relatives. I thought it would never end!

I used to drive over the old San Mateo Bridge from Newark, CA. It was a two lane road with no guard rails and the bay lapping at the sides. Not a place you wanted to be in a storm. One of the scariest I ever drove or rode on, lol.

I lived in Louisiana all my life and I have been on all the bridges he mentioned in Louisiana in the video multiple times after a while you get use to long bridges.

I got the chance to drive over the Lake Pontchartrain bridge in Louisiana in 2020. It was really an amazing experience to be that far out from land on one bridge. The fact that the bridge is so long you can see it curving over the horizon was an awesome experience

We have the Skyway Bridge over the water in Tampa/St. Petersburg. It's not super long but it's very tall and steep. It literally feels like you're driving into the clouds. It has to be tall enough to let cruise ships pass under it. I know lots of people down here that refuse to drive over it so they go the long way around.

I was stationed at Fort Monroe, Virginia, and we had an underwater tunnel off the Chesapeake, I believe it’s so the large navy ships can get through. The combination tunnel bridge I believe also is designed for the Navy ships.

Lived in Mobile, AL for years and made countless trips across #7 and can confirm it takes a while to drive over it but it’s very beautiful

Checkout the Sunshine Skyway Bridge in Florida.

Bridge: A structure carrying a road, path, railroad, or canal across a river, ravine, road, railroad, or other obstacle. So the tunnel structure is still considered part of a bridge section, because they changed the medium of how it is done, but by definition, it is part of the complete solution of crossing an obstacle. The reason a tunnel would not be considered a bridge in a mountain, is you are not crossing it, you are going through it. Also, the tunnel in the bridge in this case isn't dug through the ground. The water was blocked, and a fabricated structure was lowered into it, resting on the bottom of the bay, and built up around it, kind of like a garden hose run along the bottom of a pool. So in this case, its a bridge that has a roof and goes underwater a ways then comes back up.

The tunnels are so the large ship can go over it and not worry about clearance. navy bases there

The bridge tunnel in Virginia had a bridge that leads into a tunnel and comes back out to a bridge. I believe the tunnel bit is to allow for ships to cross. Considering how big it is I would say trying to raise or otherwise allow them to cross wouldn't be feasible. The storms also don't help.

When I was a little kid, I occasionally travelled to a location on the other side of the biggest city near us. It was vitally important to me to count the number of bridges we drove under.

I spent the first 40 years of my life in Louisiana. I have been on every one of those Louisiana bridges - plus the one across Mobile Bay. You have to use a bridge to get just about anywhere in South Louisiana. Although I’m in Mississippi now, we still travel down that way a lot. We use the New Orleans airport and have to take the Manchac Swamp Bridge which then connects to the Bonnet Carre (we pronounce it like Bonnie Care) Spillway Bridge - so you’re on bridges for a long time. My Grandpa worked on the construction of the Manchac Bridge. It was a nice part of the world to grow up in.

At keast the beautiful Mighty Mackinac bridge got a brief mention.

1:39 From what I saw of the bridge he is describing, it’s not a bridge but an elevated road. The parts that go over the surface roads are called overpasses.

I actually had my car break down near the middle of the Lake Ponchartrain Causeway. Fortunately, there is a Bridge Patrol, so I soon had help. A large part of Louisiana consists of lakes, swamps, and other wetlands, so it needs bridges!

I drive across the Pontchatrain Bridge just about every single day on the way to and from work, it 's like my relaxing time:)

The Lake Pontchartrain Causeway is the longest continuously-over-water bridge in the world. The others listed ahead of the LPC are > not continuously < over water and are basically highways with many bridges.

The Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel is a bridge. When you are driving it you cannot get off until you go over the water and under it.

My husband and I traveled out west, and on our way back home to South Carolina, we planned our route to take in a trip across Lake Pontchartrain. Loved crossing that bridge. Kudos to the civil engineers.

The Chesapeake Bay Bridge is the gateway to the world's largest naval port. The tunnel section is a choke point for ships.

The maintainence of those bridges must be incredible.

I've been on the Lake Pontchartrain Causeway (bridge) - you see nothing but water and the thought of a flat tire or breakdown is a bit scary! LOL It is pretty amazing.

Up until 2012, the New River gorge bridge in West Virginia was the longest steel arch span in the world, and the Eiffel tower could fit under it with room to spare.

I did use the Chesapeake Bay Bridge-Tunnel. The tunnel is so tiny that you can ear the wind blow of the truck with his 53 ft trailer.

Chesapeake Bay bridge tunnel - the tunnels are there because it's crossing main shipping channels, both commercial and military. Those tunnels allow the ships to pass unheeded. It's a beautiful drive. Lake Ponchartrain Causeway - this bridge is part of the main 'land route' into New Orleans and it is massive. It's also a beautiful drive in good weather, but when there's a hurricane active in the Gulf of Mexico, it becomes quite dangerous.

In St. Petersburg Florida were I'm from we have the Skyway bridge it's 430ft high and 1,200ft long it it a beautiful bridge, the original skyway bridge collapsed in 1980 after a boat hit it killing many people even a school bus of kids it was the worst tragedy in St. Petersburg history.

There are some bridges that actually scare me. The Lake Charles bridge in Louisiana, and the I-10 bridge across the river in Charleston SC

Jim and Millie, I am very familiar with the Hayward/San Mateo Bridge. It used to be daily commute bridge at one point. I was living in Hayward and I worked in San Mateo County. I worked in Redwood City (which used to be where Oracle was headquarted) and in Palo Alto, where Stanford University is (as well at Meta). Next to Palo Alto is Atherton, which you just watched a video about! Hayward is very working class and a completely different world then Palo Alto and Atherton!

12:30 Yeah. I've been there and been on that bridge. You can't see the other side of Lake Ponchatran (sp?).

I'll be going over a few of those Louisiana bridges this weekend. I have a load going to New Orleans.

I'm a Louisiana man and bridges are a natural part of life in our swampland paradise. I've crossed them all and many, many more, even wooden bridges.

I remember when one of the big hurricanes went over the Lake Ponchartrain Bridge, the weather forecasters and others in the news made a big deal about it. Being from So Cal, I haven't experienced the bridge or a hurricane. It made a slight impression on me. But now, seeing the bridge from the middle of it and surrounded by all of that water, it makes me so queasy. Amazing.

Louisiana is mostly made out of swampland. They need all the bridges because there are a lot of areas down there, where it wouldn't really be possible to build roads otherwise.

I cross the Chesapeake Bay Tunnel on a regular basis to get to points north of DC. It’s a “shortcut” through the barrier islands “Virginia Eastern Shores,” Maryland Eastern Shores, Delaware, Philadelphia and New Jersey’s Cape May. The toll is $14 to $18, peak or non peak hours, one way but worth avoiding the crazy DC traffic

The tunnel part of The Chesapeake Bay bridge bridge/tunnel system is there for the military to prevent the bottling up of the navy dropping a main span.

The scariest bridge for me was the Mackinaw bridge in high winds, and I don't scare easily. But my oh my, I wasn't okay until I got to the other side.

Since that last big quake I would never get on the Golden Gate bridge and Lake Ponchartrain is way too long for comfort

I've been on a few of those . It gets pretty scary when you can't see land and your in a rain storm .

My favorite drive on bridges is the drive to Key West, Florida. Of course, the UK has bridges like the Tower bridge in London. It just fits that city beautifully.

I think it's wonderful that you go home for your lunch break to check on Millie and do videos ❤😊

I remember living in Louisiana when I was a kid and fishing off the Lake Ponchatrain causeway before it was opened to traffic.

I have driven across Lake Ponchetrain bridge. It was a fantastic drive.

Going on the CBBT always tickled me as a kid. The moment you whizzed into a tunnel and the light, sound, and feel of the car all changed.

I've driven across all except the Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel. And a truck driver recently died when his truck fell off and into the Chesapeake 😢 RIP.

Here in Florida we have the overseas highway bridge measuring 7 miles in the keys.

When I was stationed in Pensacola Florida I enjoyed the travel from Wisconsin to Fl. Lots to see.

I've been on the Chesapeake Bay Bridge-Tunnel many times. It is currently comprised of two parallel 2-lane bridges (one in each direction). Approaching the tunnel, they each merge into a single lane and descend into the tunnel, so the tunnel traffic is actually two-way (one lane in each direction). As you exit the tunnel your lane once again turns into a 2-lane roadway toward the 2nd tunnel, where the merge repeats itself. The descent into and ascent out of the tunnel is quite steep. Each tunnel is about a mile long, and at the deepest it is 34 meters (105 ft) below the surface of the water. There are no "breakdown" lanes in the tunnels, just two lanes of traffic traveling in opposite directions at 50+ MPH...and no median/barrier between the lanes. FYI, the current toll is $14.00 US during off-peak seasons. $18.00 during peak summer times. It is located at the mouth of the Chesapeake Bay where it meets the Atlantic Ocean, and is subject to major mid-Atlantic storms, hurricanes, etc. It is also the only entry into essential shipping north to the historic port of Baltimore.

I've been driving over the Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel for 59 years. And actually worked for the company that built it's components. This area, because of its proximity to the Atlantic Ocean, is subject to strong winds. My most horrifying moment came 20 years ago when I exited one of the tunnels in high winds. The front wheels of the large truck I was driving literally came off the ground.

I've been over the lake Pontchartrain bridge. Its massive!

When I lived in NOLA, I drove over 3 of those bridges I still occasionally drive over one of them on a fairly regular basis when I go from Houston to NOLA I’m also from Virginia & have driven over all three of the tunnel bridges. I’ve only driven the Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel a few times-you’re going from mainland Virginia to the DelMarVa peninsula when you’re on that one

The first time I traveled the Ponch bridge I actually found myself wondering if I had missed an off ramp or two.

Good Afternoon You 2, Looking Just Wonderful today🥰 First of All, I would like to say Congratulations on your little One🤗🤗🤗 One reason they may have so many bridges, is there is alot of Marshland and it is the only way for Cars to get from oneside to the Other.

Beesleys, not that I speak French, but 'la fourche' translates as 'the fork' (in the road, river, etc.). So many of these being in Louisiana actually shows how many huge swamps and other bodies of water there are in the state. Bonnet Carré Spillway Bridge = BAHN-ee CAIR-ee; (Lake) Pontchartrain = PAHN-chuh-train. It's a bridge/tunnel so that huge ships can get past this bridge and up into the extremely busy Chesapeake Bay. Poor Laurence! He assumed Manchac is pronounced as it appears. More often than not in LA, it's not. It's actually MAN-shack. When I was on vacation last summer ('22), I crossed #1, and you're correct, James--you can't see to the other side.

Family had a house on the Louisiana Gulf coast. We used to go every summer. The house had a road and another row of houses in front of it. Hurricanes took the house out years ago. The land that the house was on is now under gulf coast waters.

The reason for so many bridges in Louisiana is it is so swampy.

At least one person has been blown over the Mickinac Bridge driving a very light car (Yugo) on a very windy day.

I crossed the "Silver memorial bridge" this morning (Point Pleasant WV). The original collapsed in 1967 killing 46 people.

America is blessed in many ways geologically and physically, like our deep coastal deep ports and Long navigable rivers. Bridges need physical things that make building them possible, and America is blessed with rivers and waterways that are physically buildable.... Depth of water, solid rock under the water, winds, ect... Golden Gate Bridge is a great feat because it's in a very difficult place. But great briton has the long tunnel.. so something to be very proud of for you.

I’ve been on the hwy 1 bridge once in Louisiana and it was impressive and it felt like it would never end

Well I live in Louisiana, I'm a seafood delivery driver. Yes we have a lot of bridges in this state due to the fact that the majority of the state is at or below sea level or is swamp land. The Atchafalaya Basin dwarfs the Everglades, the "Bonnie Carry" I-10 Bridge is on the South eastern side of the Lake, the Manchac Bridge (I-55), splits Lake Maurepas and Lake Pontchartrain (the two big lakes in the southeastern part of the state). Before this area was settled and later developed over the centuries most these areas acted more as geographic deltas for the Mississippi River. The side affect of years of developing of levee's (lev-ee) have eroded most of the coast, leaving no real land barriers between the gulf and well us. But with all that said, truly great fishing, hunting, and eaten, we are the Sportsmans Paradise after all.

Louisiana has so many bridges because the ground across the southern half of the state is just at sea level. The ground is marshy bayous.

The bridge not only go above but through tunnels that are on the bridge

I grew up in Michigan (Mackinaw and Ambassador bridge from Detroit and Windsor, ON Canada), on car trips with my parents I’ve been across the Lake Pontchartrain and a couple of other of the Louisiana bridges, lived in the Bay Area so regularly drove over San Mateo/Hayward, Oakland Bay, and Golden Gate Bridges. I’ve lived in Washington State for quite a long time now and we have some long, interesting bridges here too. Interstate 90, which runs from Boston to Seattle has the I-90 floating bridge on the Seattle end. It begins in Bellevue, crosses Lake Washington to Mercer Island, where it goes through a tunnel, continues across the lake, enters another tunnel on the Seattle side where it ends in downtown. There’s also the 520 bridge, name after the highway it’s part of, it’s another floating bridge that crosses Lake Washington, but in the north end of Seattle by the University of Washington. We also have the Hood Canal bridge and the infamous Tacoma Narrows bridges. The original Narrows bridge wasn’t designed properly and one day during a wind storm it started undulating and eventually broke apart and fell into the Narrows. No one was on it because they closed it as soon as they realized it was probably going to break apart.

I have not read other comments on this reaction video but the Lake Ponchartrain Causeway croses the widest part of the Lake and is considered to be a three beer bridge. At the end of the work day commuters are compelled to check the gas gauge prior to start across the bride to arrive at their chosen bedroom community to New Orleans. The most common items purchased from the gas (petrol) station at or around 5:00pm (the evening commute hour) is " petrol" and three beers.

Locals pronounce it like 'By-U Le-Foosh', 'Bonney-Cary', 'PontchAtrain' (Laurence did well). 'Atchafalaya' (again, Laurence did well)

The flip side is I as an American think that the old stone arched bridges are awesome. The old history of the UK is amazing.

THe Lake Pontchartrain causeway is uncomfortable to cross. When you are in the middle there is a substantial time you cannot see land and it is fairly low to the water. We have relatives in New Orleans and my mom would drive out of the way to not cross that guy.

Louisiana is also the home of the Mississippi River delta.

Louisiana is an incredibly swampy state...hence the lengthy bridges.

While stationed Miramar Naval Air Station (about 15 miles outside San Diego California), I went to visit a friend at North Island Naval Station (yes it is on an island in San Diego Bay). To get there you have to cross the bridge that that is 330 feet (around 100 meters) above the water. When I was about mid-span, a 6.5 magnitude earthquake hit. My car was literally skipping back and forth across the lanes of traffic and very worried about getting tossed over the edge. Thankfully, I didn't e even touch another car, let alone go over the edge, but it was definitely scary. Even more so as 2 days prior, a woman had committed suicide by jumping off so I was well aware of what was possible

This bridge is close to me n it has 3 or 4 high bridges (meaning if you jump from this part…😔), 4 tunnels that go for many miles n miles with turns etc). and an island w restaurant etc. 17 miles long

Google Mackinac Bridge in MI. My favorite. It's beautiful!

It's important to point out that Laurence said he's going to "look at 8 bridges that dwarf...", not that there are ONLY 8...

I believe there's distinctions in geography/engineering between "single span" bridges - things with just span - like the Golden Gate, Brooklyn, Manhattan, etc. versus multi-span bridges that may have multiple spans (lol) - so while it's not a bridge in the sense we often think about with normal single spans, they're still considered bridges because of their design and the fact that they span these distances without any stretches of road surface on flat ground.

You may remember the Macinac Island bridge from the Chicago to Macinac boat race video, where Millie even commented on it about a month ago.

Watching your videos, i thank you for showing me the difference between America and the UK. I did not know how good I got it here. But that is not stopping me from wanting to go to England. I have English in me also, so I want to go back to my mother country, also France and Germany and Poland. Europe is my family heritage. The last of my family, on the Polish side, came to America in 1905. I remember you watching the video of the history of the Star Spangled Banner. I think James felt a little guilty of how the British fleet bombed us unmercifully. Just know, its ok, James, i have so much respect for Britain. The past is the past. God bless America, and God Save the Queen!!!

Lots of people are scared of driving over Charleston, SC's Ravenel/Cooper River Bridge, for it's height, not its length..... it's beautiful, though. But OMG, the Lake Ponchartrain causeway bridge is *terrifying!*

I drove across the Chesapekeake Bay bridge when I was 18 and going to visit relatives on the Eastern Shore. It scared the crap out of me, and is very taxing on your driving endurance as you have to be on high alert and attentive every second. It has two high arches and two deep tunnels which allow for shipping lanes for different types of ships. In between those are long stretches near the water surface.

Louisiana is basically just one big swamp, lake, creek and low land interconnected with big hills\flat lands that rise from various waters. Basically. So to get anywhere especially more than just a few miles yeahhhhh its bridge time.

Louisiana remains the backbone of USA international trade. The port is protected by the Gulf of Mexico from the Atlantic Ocean. It is the end of the Mississippi River and a massive amount of rail. It has direct highway routes to Route 10 and 95. It is filled with water and swamps. Panama Canal is a day trip by Cargo ships. How many vines and arteries are close the human heart. Louisiana is the heart of US commerce and infrastructure.

I live in Mississippi and getting to New Orleans the lake Ponchatrane is the way there. One new year's eve my friend got taken to jail in new Orleans. The next 26 hours i went across that bridge and back 3 times each way in order to get him out. The last time i did it the song highway to hell came on the radio. That made me laugh.🙄😉

Pittsburgh Pa. has over 400 brides. Have a look at this video if you would like to see our yellow bridges. Pittsburgh Travel Guide City of Bridges.

I’m from and live in southeast Louisiana. I drive all those bridges in Louisiana pretty regularly.

Not sure if I was thing of floating swamp bridges or, as in GB freeway overpasses. Guess I too was thinking about beautiful bridges like the Golden Gate Bridge or really old with the London Bridge.

The US - and Louisiana again - also has the longest railway bridge in the world, the huey p long rail road bridge which spans the Mississippi River er outside New Orleans.

There's a small restaurant on the eastern side of the Chesapeake-Bay Bridge Tunnel. Yes, on the bridge itself. They have the freshest fish sandwiches, they catch the fish right off the bridge.

The cbbt goes under the shipping channel

As a former interstate truck driver I have driven ( I think ) over all but the Chesapeake bridge. They are all brilliant examples of engineering.

Some serious bridges going on here!!! 🍁

I’m just curious why the 7 mile bridge in the Florida Keys wasn’t even mentioned?

I think I was the one who suggested it. No worries. Was just throwing it out there since I know James has mentioned before he's an architect. As for the video, l grew up in Virginia Beach where I'd go across the CBBT fairly frequently. It is a true marvel of engineeting. Created that way, if memory serves so that navy ships can get through easily, if there's an emergency they have to respond to quickly. Hampton Roads(the name for the metro that is basically the entire southeastern corner of Virginia and parts of the northeast NC) has a huge military presense with many bases, including Norfolk, the largest navy base on the planet and is also home to Newport News, where many navy ships are built.