The Crescent City Connection is a hallmark feature of the New Orleans city skyline. The twin-span cantilevered structure carries traffic between the East and West banks of the Mississippi River. First designed in the 1950s by Modjeski and Masters, the bridge was twinned in the mid-1980s, and later had a decorative lighting system installed in 1987.
The original lighting system started showing signs of age in 2010 as insulation around electrical wires began deteriorating from sunlight and weather. The vulnerability of the electrical system made gaps in the lines more and more frequent. After Hurricane Ida struck New Orleans in 2021, damage from the storm created electrical system surges that resulted in severe damage to the electrical distribution as well as the installed lights. The Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development (LADOTD) was left with only two options: reconstruct an outdated electrical grid or completely overhaul to a new technology.
Given the firm’s extensive history with the bridge and expertise in lighting design, the LADOTD tasked Modjeski and Masters with designing a replacement lighting system. In only 9 months, M&M’s electrical engineers designed a lighting system that includes controllable and programmable LED lights on the trusses of the bridges, along with lights that illuminate the piers. The system is designed for a 30-year lifespan and includes 20 programmable themes such as Mardi Gras, LSU, Saints, and various other holiday color schemes.
With the successful completion of this project in December 2024, the towering Crescent City Connection once again illuminates the New Orleans night sky and provides a durable and sustainable lighting solution for years to come.
Bridge Geometry
| Total Project Length | 13,428 feet |
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