Veterans Memorial Bridge

Veterans Memorial Bridge
State	New Orleans, Louisiana
Campaigns	The Parish
Real-world Counterpart	Gramercy Bridge

"DANGER. You are now entering a U.S. Military installation. Use of deadly force has been authorized."

―US Military

"Oh yeah...our goal is right next to the bridge! ON THE OTHER MOTHER EFFIN' SIDE OF THE WATER!"

―Coach

Veterans Memorial Bridge is a vertical-lift bridge crossing the Mississippi River in New Orleans, Louisiana. It serves as the main objective for the Survivors and is seen throughout the campaign, The Parish of Left 4 Dead 2.

History

This bridge serves as the primary access way from the east and west banks of New Orleans. It is a double-decker bridge with vertical lifts at each end to allow the large freight and cruise ships to pass through. The west end of the bridge leads to the city of New Orleans where the east end leads to the Louisiana Naval Base and possibly to another docking area (As the highway is seen to continue on). The name of this bridge might have been inspired by New Orleans' real-life "Veterans Memorial Highway."

Current Status

Originally, the refugees from the Bus Station Evacuation Center would be taken by CEDA evacuation buses across the bridge to be evacuated by military helicopters to the awaiting cruise ships in the Caribbean. However, when the military took over CEDA's responsibilities and hearing that the Bus Station was rioting and being overrun, the military pulled out of the west bank area and headed towards the naval base evacuation site. They raised the bridge to stop the Infected as well as the rioters and Carriers from getting to the naval base (However, it doesn't make sense as the switch to raise/lower the bridge is on the west side and not the east). It seems that the last soldier there was killed by the Infected and left the radio beside his corpse only to be used by the Survivors to contact the military (Or the soldier over there sacrificed himself to raise the bridge, bringing the radio along).

The bridge is destroyed

Once they contacted the military, the soldiers told the Survivors that they evacuated from the bridge and their only hopes of escaping was a last helicopter at the other side of the bridge. The Survivors agreed to their terms and fought their way through the heavily-infested and bombarded bridge as the jets screamed past them. As they got into the helicopter's carriage, it left immediately and the bridge was immediately bombed to stem the spread of the Infection.

Gallery

The dead military officer with his radio intact

Several Highway Signs of the bridge located in the city

Notes

• The bridge used is the same bridge from The Port and Port Finale in both DLCs, The Passing and The Sacrifice.

A plate from the main bridge which can be seen from the "Park" chapter

• The Veterans Memorial Bridge is seen from all of the chapters of the The Parish campaign except for The Park. However, a small bridge on the chapter can be seen with the plate of the main bridge.
• In the first part of The Parish (The Waterfront), the bridge is seen lowered, suggesting that the military was evacuating the last of the Survivors that they could find before they raised it. This can be supported by the military at The Bridge as the military tells the Survivors that they pulled out from the bridge when they contacted them.
• In the intro for L4D2, the bridge was being bombed by the military while the Survivors were crossing. This does not happen when playing the chapter.
• The Survivors knew from the beginning of The Waterfront chapter in The Parish, saying that they have to head to this bridge to escape.
  • It is most likely that Virgil told them about the bridge as he mentions that they can reach it from the marketplace.
• Even though a sign lists it as being a part of Interstate 10, the Interstate doesn't actually cross the Mississippi River in New Orleans. The bridge's real-life counterpart, the Crescent City Connection was actually part of LA Highway 90. I-10 crosses the Mississippi River in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.
• If the Survivors cross the bridge in less than three minutes, they will earn the achievement, BRIDGE OVER TREBLED SLAUGHTER.
• The same bus in the Death Toll campaign, "The Church" can be seen in the bridge as well as the gas trucks seen in the Dead Air campaign, "Runway Finale".

Locations in Left 4 Dead 2 Dead Center The Passing Dark Carnival Swamp Fever Hard Rain The Parish Savannah Rayford Griffin County Wilsons Gas Station Ducatel New Orleans The Vannah Rayford Park Whispering Oaks Motel Earl's Gator Village Burger Tank Waterfront Market Whitaker's Gun Shop Jazz Club Whispering Oaks Amusement Park Village En Marais Ducatel Gas Bar REV. LeClaire's VOODOO Shop Save 4 Less Rayford Historic Underground Tour Kiddie Land Plantation House Ducatel Sugar Company Bienville Park Liberty Mall Rayford Port Tunnel of Love Ducatel Diesel Bus Station The Screaming Oak Impound Lot The Peach Pit Saint Roches Cemetery Jazz Club Veterans Memorial Bridge