WBRZ FLASHBACK: John James Audubon Bridge opens to traffic in 2011

On May 5, 2011, the John James Audubon Bridge opened to traffic, connecting Pointe Coupee and West Feliciana parishes.

Drivers that were used to an hour long commute to get from one side of the river to another could save about 40 minutes each trip with the new bridge.

The project was announced in 1992 with an estimated cost of $50M but the price grew and left taxpayers on the hook for $409M, nearly a 700 percent increase. Organizers estimated the bridge would log about 4,000 travelers a day, but the bridge only averages about 2,900.

Watch more of WBRZ’s celebration of 70 years of local and community-driven coverage on YouTube at the playlist below: