The Longest Underwater Tunnel in Louisiana Permanently Closed

Louisiana's first and longest underwater tunnel opened nearly 70 years ago, but now has been permanently closed as a new toll bridge has been built.

 The Longest Underwater Tunnel in Louisiana

Opened in February of 1957, Belle Chasse Tunnel was a twin-tube tunnel that passed beneath the Intracoastal Waterway in Plaquemines Parish, Louisiana.

The tunnel was heavily used by commuters driving into and out of New Orleans.

The Belle Chase Tunnel was part of Louisiana Highway 23 and connects the communities of Belle Chasse and Algiers.

At approximately 1,938 feet long, until a few weeks ago, it was the longest underground tunnel in Louisiana.

From wikipedia.com -

"After nearly two years of construction, the $2,436,000 structure opened in February 1956 with the Canal beginning operations later that year.

The politicians in Plaquemines Parish chose to construct a tunnel as opposed to a drawbridge as to enable continuous flow of traffic.

According to engineers and various 1956 issues of the Plaquemines Gazette, the tunnel was the first fully automatic underwater tunnel in the world."

Belle Chasse Tunnel Closed

On Wednesday, December 20 of 2023, the Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development announced the permanent closure of The Belle Chasse Tunnel, for years affectionately referred to as the "Belle Chasse Car Wash" due to it's constant leaking.

Commuters will now use the newly constructed Belle Chasse Bridge which will eventually become a toll bridge later in 2024.