There’s a bridge in Louisiana that’s so long and wide-open, some drivers say it messes with their heads. It’s called the Lake Pontchartrain Causeway, and it connects the town of Mandeville to the New Orleans suburbs. At nearly 24 miles long, it holds the record for the longest bridge over water in the world.

The drive can feel endless

At one point, for about eight solid miles, you can’t see land in any direction. It’s just you, your car, and a flat stretch of concrete floating 16 feet above water. That’s where things can start to feel strange. 

Drivers have reported zoning out, losing their sense of time, or even thinking they see things that aren’t there. It’s a real thing, too. Experts call it highway hypnosis. Your brain sort of “dissociates” when the scenery never changes.

The bridge was built in the 1950s and updated with a second span in the 1960s to handle more traffic

It sits on thousands of concrete pilings and includes emergency lanes every few miles, which come in handy more often than you’d think. The Causeway sees a few thousand breakdowns and over a hundred car accidents each year, according to officials.

Weather doesn’t help

Fog can roll in out of nowhere and cut visibility down to nothing. Wind gusts can make it tough to stay in your lane. In late 2024, thick fog caused a massive pileup that injured dozens and shut the bridge down for hours. 

Some drivers have even panicked mid-crossing and called for help because they felt too disoriented to keep going.

To manage all that, the Causeway has its own police force, digital warning signs, and even wind restrictions for things like motorcycles or trucks when the weather turns rough. It’s all part of keeping traffic moving safely.

Still, it’s not a stretch of road you want to take lightly. If you’re crossing this bridge, especially for the first time, make sure you’re rested, alert, and aware of the weather. It may look like just another highway, but it’s one of the strangest drives in America.