15-07 New Orleans: Twice across the river

This is the first of many videos from my recently completed trip out west. This video follows I-10 and US-90 Business through New Orleans to the West Bank and back across the Huey P. Long Bridge on US-90.

[@tammyhodges1416]

Hey Jim. I just found your videos and find them very well done. Love how you incorporated the local music into them. Please keep them coming. Thanks for taking us on the road with you !

[@Freewayjim]

Welcome to the channel Tammy and thanks for riding along, glad you enjoy the videos.

[@FreewayBrent]

Fantastic start to your 2015 road trip series. Liked that rain effect in the beginning, lol. Nice song choice, too. Looking forward to all your other videos from the trip!

[@Freewayjim]

FreewayBrent Thank you sir!

[@beepbeepme50]

Great video, Jim. The Huey P. Long bridge looks much better. Cant wait for more videos!!!

[@Freewayjim]

beepbeepme50 Thank you, it really does.

[@rsdaddy141]

Nicely done,as usual.can't wait for the rest!!! :) -Jason

[@writer125]

Always great to see a video of New Orleans. I live down here. Excellent looking video and a fun ride. The music should have been a New Orleans artist or band though. There is so much music down here. Thanx for posting this.

[@asteyhighways]

Happy to travel (again) to west along your videos! A lot of interesting bridges into this one. Liked the flyover ramp at 2:13, and the railway-bridge in the second part!

[@Freewayjim]

astey highways Thank you, New Orleans does have some neat bridge and Highway features.

[@HHoef]

The flyovers and ramps are pretty cool right there! New Orleans seems to be a great city, thnx for covering!

[@damonhynes]

Oh, I love me some NOLA! Hot and humid, like God intended :-) (And that poor old Thunderbird...)

[@Tchno.]

I know all of those highways you went over somehow. Its literally been so long since I have been to New Orleans. My favorite bridge is The Crescent City Connection on I-90.

[@VaFreeways]

Great job as usual Jim with the video. Would expect nothing less from the flagship youtube road channel. Can't wait to see the rest of the videos from your trip.

[@Freewayjim]

VaFreeways Thank you very much!

[@cjs121675]

Nice ride through New Orleans! Always nice to see the city of New Orleans and the bridges there! Nice ride! Looking forward to seeing your trip westward and back! Nice ride!

[@Freewayjim]

cjs121675 Thank you!

[@PelicanGuy]

As usual, nice video. Looks like the rain held off.

[@Freewayjim]

PelicanGuy Thank you and yes, it hit on I-10 before we left the area.

[@dfemom]

Enjoyed this video very much! Thank you for sharing!

[@Freewayjim]

Thank you for watching!

[@mdavid1955]

Nice video! I live in Baton Rouge about 80 miles away. I haven't been on the reconstructed Huey P Long bridge yet. It amazing to me that they could "add a bridge" to the existing bridge the way they did there LADODT is gradually upgrading US 90 to Interstate standards between Lafayette & New Orleans, hence future I-49. Money of course is the issue. On the east bank I-10 is kluged design, circa 1960's, I doubt that they would have plowed thru the downtown area of New Orleans like it's built now of they had to do it again.

[@CheeseMasterSports]

Great Video!!!!!!!! Went through those bridges 2 years ago on my family's 1 night stay in New Orleans.

[@Freewayjim]

Nash wayz Thank you! yeah they are pretty cool crossings.

[@CheeseMasterSports]

Your welcome. I agree

[@ca2fla]

Thanks for the great ride, Jim. It's nice to see that the Huey P. Long bridge finally looks safe to drive over. I don't know why they made the lanes on that bridge so narrow when it was first built.

[@Freewayjim]

***** Thanks for watching...yes that is quite an improvement...most bridges not in SF or NYC from that era were quite narwo.

[@ca2fla]

Freewayjim SF and NYC both have their share of narrow-lane bridges but at least the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge has not had that problem since the two decks were made one-way; they used to fit 6 lanes on the 58 foot wide upper deck.

[@TheRogueFeline]

Glad to see you finally starting to move more out west. hope you see lots of new things. and new roads to explore.

[@Freewayjim]

***** Um, I did over 60 videos from out west in 2013. It's not easy to get the block of time needed for a trip out west, nor is it cheap.

[@MrJamesgrate]

Once again Jim, that was an amazing ride, I love the special affects with the rain falling, at first, it had me convinced that it was actually raining, with the overcast skies, then it became clear, nice work. And at the ending portion of the video, there was an elevated train track with an extremely long freight train on it, that was cool! I enjoyed your music selection, it took me a few seconds for me to appreciate it as we cruise along. (GVJ)

[@Freewayjim]

Thank you, I really was dealing with some light rain along that ride, lol. Yes that bridge with the elevated track is really cool, especially since it was renovated.

[@TheSolarcatcher]

Excellent start Jim! Kind of reminds me of some of your older videos you made from here years back. Ride on!

[@Freewayjim]

TheSolarcatcher Thank you, yes I tried to use the original of this song in 2007 and it was zapped.

[@Zeakthecat]

To think that 10 years ago New Orleans was a broken city thanks to hurricane Katrina and now it's going strong again!

[@Zeakthecat]

Eli Rah thanks for the correction.

[@chickey333]

This is awesome..!! Keep it coming.

[@Freewayjim]

chickey333 Thanks, there will be new videos every Monday for pretty much the rest of the year.

[@learycogic]

One of my favorite American cities

[@upeedinalamb5297]

Lambs liked that rain effect. And puddle of mud is awesome.

[@Freewayjim]

+Upeedina Lamb Thank you!

[@kennethhoffman8845]

Jim. I am a New Orleans native who left the city in 1980 and have never lived there again. I have a little 'trivia' tale. It concerns the tall building you see at the left around the 2:28 mark. It is the 42 story Plaza Tower. Construction of it began in 1964 and abruptly stopped in 1966 after it was topped out. The property was bought out in 1968 and finally completed. The 'trivia' story, and part of the reason construction stopped, centers around, of all things, the building's windows. It seems the contractor who was to provide the glass went off half-cocked and cut all of the glass before getting certified dimensions. He cut all of them...about an inch TOO SMALL and none of them fit.....

[@Freewayjim]

+Ali Frazier Wow, thanks for the tidbit.

[@thesoundofthesuburbs]

+Ali Frazier I assume that you mean 1966, not 1996?

[@thesoundofthesuburbs]

Ali Frazier You are the one who said it was 1996...

[@kennethhoffman8845]

Yikes! Sorry Yoni.... Typo as well as 'senior moment'... It's hell getting old... :^)...I need to PROOF READ.Accept my apologies.....

[@Freewayjim]

+Yoni It's not a big deal, give it up. Typos happen.

[@CowboyBob531]

The first Mississippi River bridge you crossed, the trusses looked identical to the ones on the Memphis & Arkansas Bridge on Interstate 55. The Huey P. Long Bridge reminds me of the Harahan Bridge, which sits adjacent to the Memphis & Arkansas Bridge. It used to carry both trains and automobiles. The railroad section is still in use, but the highway section was taken out of service in 1949 when the Memphis &Arkansas Bridge opened. It is currently being renovated to make a bike/pedestrian path.

[@richellebrittain2127]

That pedestrian & bike path, now called the Big River Crossing, is now open (unless closed due to flooding on the Arkansas side). I also recall the Harahan's Arkansas approach structure from the late 1920's, often erroneously called an "abandoned exit ramp" online (it predates both the M&A Bridge and I-55), from before it became the Arkansas entrance to the BRC. But yeah, the Harahan was just like the Huey P. Long Bridge before its reconstruction -- and is STILL like the US 190 bridge in Baton Rouge, ALSO officially called the Huey P. Long Bridge. (See FWJ's 2010 video which included both "Huey P's", the New Orleans one while it was being reconstructed.)

[@richellebrittain2127]

One huge difference between the Harahan and both Huey P's: While the Louisiana bridges are behind levees or other protection on both ends, the three parallel Memphis bridges (Harahan, M&A, and the even older Frisco Bridge between them) all end in an open floodplain in Arkansas. (Their Memphis ends are atop the Chickasaw Bluff, Memphis' earliest landmark and well above all possible flooding.) The rail routes leading to the Harahan (UP) & Frisco (BNSF), and I-55 leading to the M&A, are on viaducts built high enough to clear most floods; but the Arkansas end of the Harahan's road deck wasn't. That's why the Arkansas Highway Department (now ARDOT) had to build its Harahan approach in the 1920's at a right angle off the Harahan proper (merging the divided roadway), curving under the Frisco to a separate viaduct where I-55 is now; both Huey P's have normal divided highway approaches. That's probably why the Harahan had to be replaced by the M&A (and its approach more recently mislabeled an "exit ramp") while both Huey P's survive to this day.

[@theark-la-missrailfan]

Great video. Nice to see the cresents since 2010-11

[@Freewayjim]

Thank you!

[@CheeseMasterSports]

5:30, always welcome in H-town my friend, even though I was traveling to Tennessee when you passed through. Nice rain edit by the way, I like it :).

[@Freewayjim]

Nash wayz Thanks

[@CheeseMasterSports]

Your Welcome. Keep up the good work!

[@Jhorak101]

Drove this a many times.

[@dave11686]

Can't wait for more!

[@FreewayJay-g1l]

I like how you edit the rain

[@Freewayjim]

Thank you, it was an effect I could add and remove.

[@FreewayJay-g1l]

​@@Freewayjimcool!

[@andreyzarovnyaev8833]

Wow awesome effects, Jim! :)

[@Freewayjim]

Andrey Zarovnyaev Thank you!

[@onwheels2564]

As always - excellent

[@Freewayjim]

על גלגלים On Wheels Thank you very much!

[@grantwright205]

Nice to see the cresents after along while.

[@teawells964]

Fantastic!!!

[@conallstickler8968]

Woo! New road trip!

[@kennethhoffman8845]

Jim, what are you using for an editing tool? I'm curious because I'm using only Windows Movie Maker and see no tools in it to add graphics like the interstate highway signs, or the logos that I see displayed continually during many of the videos I see on KZbin.

[@Freewayjim]

+Ali Frazier I use Apple's Final Cut Pro X (my gear is listed in the closing credits), bit most editing software should allow for that.

[@eduardoovalle1380]

Hey Jim, fantastic video, watching the rain fall during you drive reminds me, go ahead, two questions, what kind of camera you use and which car you drive, greetings.

[@Freewayjim]

Eduardo Ovalle Thank you, I list all my gear in the closing credits (go to 5:50)

[@ajlee6933]

Great video as usual! How is the reliability and maintenance on your TL? How many miles so far?

[@Freewayjim]

AJ Lee Thanks, the car is great, 82K Miles, no issues other than routine maintenance. This is my 4th TL since 1998.

[@ajlee6933]

Freewayjim Nice, I love the TL too! I'm on my second one. Hopefully the TLX is just as great.

[@upeedinalamb5297]

+AJ Lee lambs hear the TLX has lots of teething issues. Maybe by the middle of this generation they will iron them out.

[@ajodbeats]

What's the best southern city you've been to? Please respond I love all your videos and really would like to know. For me it has to be Austin Texas! Oh wait and or Orlando if u want to count that.

[@Freewayjim]

***** Atlanta.

[@ajodbeats]

Freewayjim​ awesome. *****​ how u like it? And hows the economy?

[@ajodbeats]

I've been there only when I was little had a great time though

[@Freewayjim]

***** I've lived in ATL since 1977, it's one of the better cities I've seen in the US all things considered, the economy is good and it is very affordable to live here.

[@ajodbeats]

Freewayjim​ that's great man. I really wanna do down there again.

[@RobdaVegasMailman]

My hometown. :)

[@AKUROGAMING]

J'adore cette ville, ca parle encore français là bas ?

[@BeckettSong]

The diamondback roller coaster at Mason, OH has a 230 foot lift hill which is suffice to say taller than the Crescent City(Ville Croissant) connection.

[@Freewayjim]

Steven Baldi There are many bridges with a higher clearance than 170 Feet.

[@BeckettSong]

That is true

[@pizzasubs]

Extreamly Surprised we didnt see 1 Lightning bolt the whole trip, looked really dark and gloomy the whole way.......

[@edkollin]

Any signs of Katrina 10 years after the storm (Has it really been 10 years?)

[@Freewayjim]

Edward Kollin The Six Flags outside the city toward Slidell on I-10 has not reopened, that's about it.

[@countenanceblog]

"Clearview Pkwy" Ha, and the BGS uses FHWA Clearview.

[@richellebrittain2127]

I wonder if that had something to do with Congress ordering FHWA to rescind its order killing Clearview? ;)

[@adrianoalves8948]

BONITA A CIDADE DE NEW ORLEANS.JIM

[@Freewayjim]

adriano alves Thank you!

[@TheLatinJuggalo]

adriano alves e uma linda cidade para visitar cumprimentos de Atlanta, GA

[@justinhundley2456]

Freewayjim That...was...crapping...EPIC!!! I like New Orleans. When you were on that new renovated bridge, you got to see a train drive along with you!!! AWESOME!!! Now THAT'S a video that is my 2015 favorites in my head! Excellent job FreewayJim, but there's more nature to be upstream. LOVE THE MUSIC AND THE VIDEO!!! Besides: 1. Why did you say that videos were staring on June 29th, but instead you put it on June 22nd? 2. How many videos are you going to do in 2015? 3.I would like to see new 2015 stuff their doing in every state. Keep it up! 4. So, the capital of Texas (Houston, TX) huh? Well we have to see!!! Have a blessed day FreewayJim! I love you :)

[@Freewayjim]

Justin Hundley Why do you always make your comments as a reply to someone else's post? Just post your comment on its own. Glad you liked the video, thank you! No I did not get to see a train on that bridge, if I did you;d have seen it too. I got this video done quicker than expected so I figured why wait? I don't know how many I'll have for 2015, no way to tell yet. The Capital of Texas is Austin (where did I ever say Houston?), thanks again!

[@justinhundley2456]

Freewayjim I don't know why I always do comments with somebody, but I always think that you're going to ignore my comments. Sorry, please forgive me. 1. Look at 4:57 - 5:17 (On the left side there's a train!) 2. Ok? 3. Can't wait to see more videos about you! 4.Oh yeah, my mistake... Besides, are we going to Houston, Texas or Houston, Louisiana? 5. You're welcome! :)

[@BeckettSong]

If you ever drive on Interstate 75 through Cincinnati in the near future, that's another "white knuckle ride" due to the construction project.

[@Freewayjim]

Steven Baldi Been there done that.

[@softpretzelsoup8690]

can you make more knoxville/nashville/memphis videos?

[@Freewayjim]

+Mr. Super Rad vlogger I do not see myself going there anytime soon. I live in Atlanta and usually only take one major trip a year, so I really can't run out and film these places, if they are along the route and conditions are good, I'll probably film.

[@softpretzelsoup8690]

Freewayjim good point. i get what u Mean. i do that to but i live in philedelphia and i might go to tenessee

[@softpretzelsoup8690]

nice video. i might go to new orleans when im older

[@myahdee]

I'm going tomorrow

[@softpretzelsoup8690]

Myah Wilson thats really cool

[@myahdee]

Mr. Super Rad vlogger thanks

[@DubBeats]

Soft Pretzel Soup I been there is fun...

[@679steelers9]

How did you make it rain when it really wasn't?

[@Freewayjim]

Blake Steenrod it was a simple effect in the software that can simulate rain.

[@Sonic345Hedgehog]

You Know About Hurricane Katrina in Louisiana in 2005?

[@Freewayjim]

Yes.

[@alanhowitzer]

Is this a remake of a Rolling Stones song by Puddle of Mud?

[@alanhowitzer]

Alan Fox Never mind I see it the credits, thanks.

[@Freewayjim]

Alan FoxYes it is.

[@dftns19]

Why is there fake rain? Did I miss something?

[@Freewayjim]

+dftns19 Just a creative effect.

[@louderkickerbass5736]

My video start to San Antonio

[@StarmanFR]

New Orleans is lying below sea level, just like The Netherlands!

[@richellebrittain2127]

Too bad you didn't take the newer half of the Crescent City Connection again; it was tolled in 2010, but the toll was removed in 2013. Curious story about the end of tolls on the CCC: The toll was supposed to expire at the end of 2012. The Louisiana legislature put on the 2012 ballot in Orleans, Jefferson & Plaquemines Parishes a measure to extend the tolls, but mostly to maintain the nearby ferries; very little would have gone to the bridge itself. It narrowly passed, but there were massive claims of fraud by eligible voters who didn't get the race on their ballots and wanted to vote "no". In early 2013 a judge threw out the first election & enjoined further tolls until a second election could be held; in that election 78% of voters rejected reviving the toll.

[@Freewayjim]

Interesting stuff, thanks.

[@Freewayjim]

I had limited time and wanted to get the Huey Long Bridge and head west so the newer bridge (which I've crossed and filmed before) will have to wait another day.

[@AngelGomez-yo3xu]

Do San Antonio,Tx after Houston

[@Freewayjim]

Angel Gomez After two Hoston videos I will have one from San Antonio.

[@AngelGomez-yo3xu]

Ok thx

[@JohnnyNguyen-hk3xe]

#405