Shands Bridge
Shands Bridge | |
|---|---|
 Westbound on the Shands Bridge (2016) | |
| Coordinates | 29°59′00″N 81°37′00″W / 29.9833°N 81.6167°W |
| Carries | 2 general purpose lanes (SR 16)) |
| Crosses | St. Johns River |
| Locale | Green Cove Springs, Florida |
| Official name | Alvin G. Shands Bridge |
| Maintained by | Florida Department of Transportation |
| ID number | 780056 |
| Characteristics | |
| Design | steel stringer/multi-beam or girder bridge |
| Total length | 2030.6 meters (6662 feet) |
| Width | 10.4 meters (34 feet) |
| Longest span | 39.6 meters (130 feet) |
| Clearance above | 13.7 meters (45 feet)(vertical) x 27.7 meters (91 feet)(horizontal) |
| History | |
| Opened | October 30, 1963 |
| Location | |
 | |
The Shands Bridge is a two-lane automobile bridge carrying SR 16 over the St. Johns River south of Jacksonville, Florida.
History
The first structure at the site was a 2 mile-long wooden toll span with a draw bridge which opened in 1928.[1] It was located just north of the current span, crossing from Orangedale to the present Shands pier on the west side of the river. The current concrete bridge was dedicated on October 30, 1963, and features a beam-type construction for a total of two lanes. Until the building of the I-295 Buckman Bridge it was the only crossing of the St. Johns River between Jacksonville and Palatka.
On October 7, the eastern approach to the bridge was eroded by Hurricane Matthew, so the bridge was closed to traffic for an indefinite time period. On October 9, the bridge reopened.[2]
In 2004, proposals were made to replace or upgrade the span. Problems cited include increasing traffic in the Clay County and St. Johns County areas, safety, and the inability of large boats to travel upriver. One plan would put a new bridge north of the existing one, connecting to extensions of SR 9B and SR 23. In the fall of 2005, the railings of the bridge were upgraded to solid concrete barriers in an effort to reduce over-bridge fatalities.
First Coast Expressway Replacement
The third and final segment of the First Coast Expressway (SR 23) includes a new four-lane bridge over the St. Johns River just south of where the Shands Bridge currently stands and construction of new roadway connecting to I-95 in St. Johns County. Right-of-way acquisition, design and permitting for this $763 million segment is expected to be completed in 2020, with construction beginning in 2023. The current bridge will be partially or fully removed. The vertical clearance height of the new bridge will be 65 feet from the water line, compared to the existing 45 feet of clearance. The additional 20 feet will match the Buckman Bridge’s clearance and is an improvement for marine commerce in the region.[1]
Gallery
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View of the old bridge from the new one -
Westbound on Shands bridge with current barriers
See also
References
- ^ a b "As Shands Bridge readies for its third makeover, it still connects county its past". Clay Today. May 15, 2019. Retrieved November 2, 2019.
- ^ "Shands Bridge reopens after storm". jacksonville.com. Retrieved October 16, 2016.
External links
Crossings of the St. Johns River | ||||
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- Bridges completed in 1929
- Bridges completed in 1963
- Bridges over the St. Johns River
- 1929 establishments in Florida
- Steel bridges in the United States
- Girder bridges in the United States
- Road bridges in Florida
- Bridges in Jacksonville, Florida
- Southern United States bridge (structure) stubs
- Florida building and structure stubs
- Florida transportation stubs