| Bahia Honda Rail Bridge | |
|---|---|
 View of the Bahia Honda Bridge from Bahia Honda State Park. |
|
| Carries | Single track of Florida East Coast Railway |
| Crosses | Bahia Honda Channel |
| Locale | Bahia Honda Key and Spanish Harbor Key |
| Design | Simple truss bridge, with plate girder approaches |
| Opening date | 1912, converted to highway use in 1938 |
| Coordinates | 24°39′19″N 81°17′33″W / 24.65520°N -81.29253°ECoordinates: 24°39′19″N 81°17′33″W / 24.65520°N -81.29253°E |
The Bahia Honda Rail Bridge is a scenic bridge in the lower Florida Keys connecting Bahia Honda Key with Spanish Harbor Key. Originally part of the Overseas Railway, the State of Florida purchased it after the 1935 Labor Day Hurricane and converted it to automobile use (as part of the Overseas Highway in 1938. After a replacement Bahia Honda Bridge was opened in 1972, two sections of the Rail Bridge were removed, but the rest remain standing.
History
It was originally built by Henry Flagler as part of the Overseas Railroad which was completed in 1912. It was converted for highway use in 1938 after the Labor Day Hurricane of 1935.
Today, the former bridge is now used as a fishing pier, as well as providing a scenic overview of the area for tourists. Two of the truss spans have been removed in order to facilitate boat traffic. The bridge has fallen into a state of disrepair and signs have been posted on the bridge warning boat traffic to watch for falling debris. The bridge was also seen in the soap opera Guiding Light, when Reva Shayne drove off the bridge and supposedly killed herself in 1990.
|
|||||
 |
This article about a specific bridge in the United States is a stub. You can help WikiProject Bridges by expanding it. |
 This article about a building or structure in Florida is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. |
This entry is from Wikipedia, the leading user-contributed encyclopedia. It may not have been reviewed by professional editors (see full disclaimer)
