Indian River Bridges: Difference between revisions

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==About the Indian River (IR) Causeways and Bridges==
<p class="irlsubtitle">Bridges and Causeways that cross the Indian River.</p>
[[File:Wabasso_Bridge_Old.jpg|320px|thumb|right|Wooden Wabasso Bridge, Vero, Indian River County]]
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==About==
Until 1920, there were only two bridges spanning across the Indian River, one in Brevard County's Cocoa and the second in Martin County's Hobe Sound. On Labor Day in 1920, a new wooden Vero Bridge opened and access to the ocean was available to all who lived on the Vero mainland. For boat traffic, a bridge tender, who lived in a house near the middle of the crossing, would open the metal swing span by hand. Tolls were charged to cross the bridge, ranging from 5 cents for pedestrians, 10 cents for horses and 35 cents for delivery trucks.<ref name=tcpalm />
Until 1920, there were only two bridges spanning across the Indian River, one in Brevard County's Cocoa and the second in Martin County's Hobe Sound. On Labor Day in 1920, a new wooden Vero Bridge opened and access to the ocean was available to all who lived on the Vero mainland. For boat traffic, a bridge tender, who lived in a house near the middle of the crossing, would open the metal swing span by hand. Tolls were charged to cross the bridge, ranging from 5 cents for pedestrians, 10 cents for horses and 35 cents for delivery trucks.<ref name=tcpalm />


In 1925, construction began on the first wooden bridge across the Indian River Lagoon in Eau Gallie. On February 22, 1926, the bridge opened to vehicle traffic headed to a sand trail at Canova Beach. There was no railing on the bridge for a year after its construction. There are no records that anyone fell off the bridge during this time.<ref name=wiki />
In 1925, construction began on the first wooden bridge across the Indian River Lagoon in Eau Gallie. On February 22, 1926, the bridge opened to vehicle traffic headed to a sand trail at Canova Beach. There was no railing on the bridge for a year after its construction. There are no records that anyone fell off the bridge during this time.<ref name=wiki />


[[File:Haulover Canal Bridge, FL, US.jpg|320px|thumb|right|Haulover Canal Bridge, Merritt Island]]
Post War 1940's the U.S. government funded construction of new bridges across the Indian River. As Florida's population grew, more traffic headed to the barrier islands, and modern bridges created from steel and concrete were constructed. These early concrete and steel bridges used earthen berths to partially span the river, with a lift or swing drawbridge in the middle to allow tall boats to pass. A boat unable to pass under the bridge would signal the tender, who was in a shack hanging off the bridge's side, to open the drawbridge so they could pass through. In less populated areas, the drawbridges were unattended at night and boats would have to anchor, and await the bridge tender's return the next morning.  
Post War 1940's the U.S. government funded construction of new bridges across the Indian River. As Florida's population grew, more traffic headed to the barrier islands, and modern bridges created from steel and concrete were constructed. These early concrete and steel bridges used earthen berths to partially span the river, with a lift or swing drawbridge in the middle to allow tall boats to pass. A boat unable to pass under the bridge would signal the tender, who was in a shack hanging off the bridge's side, to open the drawbridge so they could pass through. In less populated areas, the drawbridges were unattended at night and boats would have to anchor, and await the bridge tender's return the next morning.  


A lagoon does not have a typical river type current, their water is only moved by wind and a minor tidal flow. Earthen berm causeways contribute to the Indian River's health problems by impeding the lagoon's water flow, limiting it's ability to flush out stagnant water containing algae, bacteria, dead seagrass and pollutants.  Recently the river's communities have recognized the harm these old berm bridges cause, and are requiring high rise bridges that span the entire river.
A lagoon does not have a typical river type current, their water is only moved by wind and a minor tidal flow. Earthen berm causeways contribute to the Indian River's health problems by impeding the lagoon's water flow, limiting it's ability to flush out stagnant water containing algae, bacteria, dead seagrass and pollutants.  Recently the river's communities have recognized the harm these old berm bridges cause, and are requiring high rise bridges that span the entire river.
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==Indian River Bridges by County==
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[[File:Wabasso_Bridge_Old.jpg|320px|frameless|right|Old Wabasso Bridge, Vero, Indian River County]]
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[[File:Haulover Canal Bridge, FL, US.jpg|320px|frameless|right|Haulover Canal Bridge, Merritt Island]]
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[[File:Max_Brewer_Bridge_001.jpg|320px|frameless|right|Max Brewer Bridge, Titusville, Brevard]]
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==Bridge Info Cards==
==Bridge Info Cards==
===Brevard County===
===Brevard County===
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===Bridge Inspections===
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==Bridge Inspections==
* [http://bridgereports.com/fl/volusia/ Volusia County Bridge Inspection Reports]
* [http://bridgereports.com/fl/volusia/ Volusia County Bridge Inspection Reports]
* [http://bridgereports.com/fl/brevard/ Brevard County Bridge Inspection Reports]
* [http://bridgereports.com/fl/brevard/ Brevard County Bridge Inspection Reports]
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* [http://bridgereports.com/fl/martin/ Martin County Bridge Inspection Reports]
* [http://bridgereports.com/fl/martin/ Martin County Bridge Inspection Reports]
* [http://bridgereports.com/fl/palm-beach/ Palm Beach County Bridge Inspection Reports]
* [http://bridgereports.com/fl/palm-beach/ Palm Beach County Bridge Inspection Reports]
 
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==Web Links==
* [https://www.epa.gov/sites/production/files/2018-01/documents/58692_an_river_lagoon_an_introduction_to_a_natural_treasure_2007.pdf EPA - An Introduction to a National Treasure]
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==References==
==References==
<references>
<references>
<ref name=tcpalm>[https://www.tcpalm.com/story/news/local/indian-river-county/2019/04/18/3-bridges-spanning-indian-river-mainland-orchid-island-have-quite-stories-tell/3495957002/ Vero Beach Centennial: Barber, Alma Lee Loy, Wabasso bridges built as county population grew]</ref>
<ref name=tcpalm>[https://www.tcpalm.com/story/news/local/indian-river-county/2019/04/18/3-bridges-spanning-indian-river-mainland-orchid-island-have-quite-stories-tell/3495957002/ Vero Beach Centennial: Barber, Alma Lee Loy, Wabasso bridges built as county population grew]</ref>
<ref name=wiki>[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eau_Gallie_Causeway Eau Gallie Causeway]</ref>
<ref name=wiki>[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eau_Gallie_Causeway Eau Gallie Causeway]</ref>
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[[Category:Indian River]]
[[Category:Indian River]]
[[Category:Bridges]]
[[Category:Bridges]]


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Revision as of 19:59, October 31, 2019

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Bridges and Causeways that cross the Indian River.

About

Until 1920, there were only two bridges spanning across the Indian River, one in Brevard County's Cocoa and the second in Martin County's Hobe Sound. On Labor Day in 1920, a new wooden Vero Bridge opened and access to the ocean was available to all who lived on the Vero mainland. For boat traffic, a bridge tender, who lived in a house near the middle of the crossing, would open the metal swing span by hand. Tolls were charged to cross the bridge, ranging from 5 cents for pedestrians, 10 cents for horses and 35 cents for delivery trucks.[1]

In 1925, construction began on the first wooden bridge across the Indian River Lagoon in Eau Gallie. On February 22, 1926, the bridge opened to vehicle traffic headed to a sand trail at Canova Beach. There was no railing on the bridge for a year after its construction. There are no records that anyone fell off the bridge during this time.[2]

Post War 1940's the U.S. government funded construction of new bridges across the Indian River. As Florida's population grew, more traffic headed to the barrier islands, and modern bridges created from steel and concrete were constructed. These early concrete and steel bridges used earthen berths to partially span the river, with a lift or swing drawbridge in the middle to allow tall boats to pass. A boat unable to pass under the bridge would signal the tender, who was in a shack hanging off the bridge's side, to open the drawbridge so they could pass through. In less populated areas, the drawbridges were unattended at night and boats would have to anchor, and await the bridge tender's return the next morning.

A lagoon does not have a typical river type current, their water is only moved by wind and a minor tidal flow. Earthen berm causeways contribute to the Indian River's health problems by impeding the lagoon's water flow, limiting it's ability to flush out stagnant water containing algae, bacteria, dead seagrass and pollutants. Recently the river's communities have recognized the harm these old berm bridges cause, and are requiring high rise bridges that span the entire river.

Indian River Bridges by County

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Old Wabasso Bridge, Vero, Indian River County
Haulover Canal Bridge, Merritt Island
Max Brewer Bridge, Titusville, Brevard

Bridge Info Cards

Brevard County

Haulover Canal Bridge

Haulover Canal Lift Span Bridge, Merritt Island.
 Indian River Bridges
Haulover Canal Bridge Road: SR3 FDOT: 703004
Water: Haulover Canal City: Merritt Island County: Brevard
Type: Double Leaf Bascule Span Length: Height Built: 1964
1964 U.S. Army Corps of Engineers' Bascule double leaf drawbridge crossing Florida SR3 (N Courtney Parkway) over the Haulover Canal in the Merritt Island Wildlife Refuge.[3]


Max Brewer Bridge

Max Brewer Bridge, Titusville, Florida
 Indian River Bridges
Max Brewer Bridge Road: SR406 FDOT: 700227
Water: Indian River City: Titusville County: Brevard
Type: Segmental Span Length: 3,207' Height: 65' Built: 2010
Completed in 2010, the 3,207' long, 65' high A. Max Brewer Bridge connects the City of Titusville to Merritt Island providing access to the Kennedy Space Center via SR406. Includes a fishing pier and boat ramps on the west side and a 20' observation deck at the crest. This bridge is a good observation site for Kennedy Space Center, when it is closed to vehicle traffic. Read More


Sebastian Inlet Bridge

Sebastian Inlet Bridge, Brevard
 Indian River Bridges
Name: Sebastian Inlet Bridge Road: A1A FDOT: 880005
Water: Sebastian Inlet City: Indian River Oaks County: Brevard
Type: Concrete Cast-in-Place Length: 1548' Height: 37' Built: 1964
Built by Cleary Brothers Construction Company, West Palm Beach, Florida, and was completed in 1964. A fishing pier is constructed below the bridge and goes out the inlet along the jetty to the Atlantic.


Indian River County

Wabasso Bridge

Wabasso FL CR 510 Bridge
 Indian River Bridges
Wabasso Bridge Road: CR510 FDOT: 880053
Water: Indian River City: Wabasso County: Indian River
Type: Stringer Length: 112.9' Height: 62' Built: 1970
The Wabasso Bridge is a two-lane concrete bridge spanning SR510 over the Indian River (Intracoastal Waterway) in Indian River County, Florida. Read More
* BridgeReports: National Bridge Inventory data


17th Street Bridge

17th Street Bridge
 Indian River Bridges
17th Street Bridge Road: CR656 FDOT: 880077
Water: Indian River City: Vero Beach County: Indian River
Type: Stringer/Multi-beam Length: 4730.9' Height: 62.3 Built: 1979
17th Street Bridge (officially named the Alma Lee Loy Bridge in 2012[1]) is a fixed concrete bridge that spans the Indian River intracoastal waterway in Indian River County, Florida. The bridge, started in 1977, was constructed by Gulf Contracting Inc, FL and was completed in 1979.
* Bridge Report

Merrill Barber Bridge

Merrill P. Barber Bridge
 Indian River Bridges
Merrill P. Barber Bridge Road: SR60 FDOT: 880087
Water: Indian River City: Vero Beach County: Indian River
Type: Stringer/Multi-beam Length: 3834.2' Height: 62.3 Built: 1995
The Merrill Barber Bridge is a concrete arch bridge that spans the Indian River Intracoastal Waterway in Indian River County, Florida. Read More


Martin County

Roosevelt Bridge

Roosevelt Bridge, Stuart, Martin County
 Indian River Bridges
Roosevelt Bridge Road: US1 FDOT: 890160
Water: St. Lucie River City: Stuart County: Martin
Type: Segmental Span Length: 2982.8' Height: 62.3' Built:
The Roosevelt Bridge is a major highway segmental bridge across the St. Lucie River in Stuart, Florida. Carrying U.S. Route 1, it was built to supersede the old Roosevelt Bridge, which had twin parallel drawbridges, one for northbound traffic and the other for southbound.
* Bridge Report

Ernest Lyons Bridge

Ernest Lyons Bridge, A1A, Sewell's Point, Martin County
 Indian River Bridges
Ernest Lyons Bridge Road: A1A FDOT: 890158
Water: St. Lucie River City: Sewell's Point County: Martin
T'ype: Segmental Span Length: 4600' Height: 62.3' Built: 2008
The new Ernest F. Lyons Bridge is a 4600-ft-long, 31-span, two-lane, precast segmental bridge built using the span-by-span method of construction.

Bridge Inspections

Web Links

References

  1. ↑ Vero Beach Centennial: Barber, Alma Lee Loy, Wabasso bridges built as county population grew
  2. ↑ Eau Gallie Causeway
  3. ↑ NASA RECORD CANAVERAL AFS, 1964 HAULOVER BRIDGE PHOTOS
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