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This bridge is the longest of the numerous bridge composing the Florida East Coast Railway Extension, which was converted to highway usage in 1938 as the initial structures for the Overseas Highway (US-1). The bridge was abandoned in 1972. One of the unique features of this bridge is that half of the bridge is composed of steel plate girder spans, and the other half is composed of concrete deck arch spans, making this a visually contrasted bridge. Roughly 9,090 feet of the bridge is concrete arch spans, while the rest of the bridge was built using steel. The differences in span type were due to issues such as water depth and wave height. Although HistoricBridges.org lists the main span design of this bridge as a metal deck girder (reflecting the bridge as seen today), the original bridge featured a through truss swing span as the main span over Moser Channel. The demolition of this swing span in 1982 is perhaps the single most devastating loss of heritage among the surviving pieces of the Florida East Coast Railway Extension in the years since the bridge structures have been abandoned from highway usage. The bridge is also missing a span near Pigeon Key. The section leading east from Pigeon Key remains in limited vehicular use as an access to Pigeon Key. A unique timber ramp structure leads up to the main bridge at Pigeon Key. A final section of bridge is missing, one of the concrete arch spans near the western end. West of the missing arch span is about 3,460 feet of the western end of the bridge which has been restored for pedestrian use as a fishing pier.
Above: Historical photo showing swing span in its final years of usage.
Above: Historical photo showing swing span in its final years of usage.
Above: Historical photo showing swing span construction.
Above: Historical photo showing girder span construction.
Above: Historical photo showing arch span construction.
Above: Historical photo showing swing span in open position.
Above: Historical photo showing train on bridge.
Above: Historical photo showing conversion of bridge from railroad to highway use.
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