when was the old 7 mile bridge closed

Full Answer

What happened to the Old Seven Mile Bridge?

The Old Seven Mile Bridge, which closed for repairs in 2016, reopened Jan. 12, 2022 at the completion of a $77 million project to restore it. The 2.2 mile section had been popular as a place to walk, run, bicycle, watch the sunset and gaze into the turquiose water for sharks, sea turtles and marine life.

How many miles is the new Seven Mile Bridge?

The 2.2 mile section had been popular as a place to walk, run, bicycle, watch the sunset and gaze into the turquiose water for sharks, sea turtles and marine life. The New Seven Mile Bridge, at left, and the historic Old Seven Mile Bridge, at right, at sunset. (Photo: Andy Newman, Keys News Bureau)

Where is the Old Seven Mile Bridge in Florida?

The Old Seven Mile Bridge, right off the Overseas Highway, is rich in history. And the views of the Atlantic Ocean and the Gulf of Mexico are beyond breathtaking.

How much did it cost to save the old seven bridge?

The $77 million project to save the Old Seven Mile Bridge Saving Old Seven had been a major cause in the Keys and in 2014, three levels of government came together to fund a major restoration project. Under the plan, the county, the City of Marathon and the Florida Department of Transportation all contribute.

When was the original Seven Mile Bridge built?

The old Seven Mile Bridge was built 71 years ago by Henry Flagler, as the longest — and most astonishing — link of his Florida East Coast Railway. Regarded as the marvel of its age, it was built from 1908 to 1911 and linked the Lower Keys to the mainland for the first time.

What happened to the 7 Mile bridge in Florida?

The vast majority of the original bridge still exists, although the swing span has been removed. The 2.2-mile (3.5 km) section to Pigeon Key, used as a fishing pier and long open to motorized vehicles to give access to the key, was closed to motorized traffic in 2008 after the unsupported sections began to sag.

Are they fixing the old 7 Mile bridge?

Begun in 2017, the $44 million renovation is part of a 30-year agreement with a budget of $77 million ratified between the Keys' Monroe County, Marathon municipal officials and the Florida Department of Transportation to fund restoration along with a maintenance program to ensure the landmark's preservation.

How deep is the water under the 7 Mile bridge?

So the waters under Seven Mile Bridge are only about 18 to 22 feet deep – this shallow nature helps provide the beautiful blue color of the water.

What is the old bridge next to the 7 mile bridge?

Today the Old Seven Mile Bridge (the original Knights Key Bridge) to Pigeon Key is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

What are they doing with the old 7 mile bridge?

The Restored Old Seven Bridge is OPEN! The reopening of the bridge, closed since July 2016, marks the early completion of a massive renovation project. The 30-year restoration and maintenance program was budgeted at $77 million, $41 million of which was spent to complete initial repairs.

Who lives on Pigeon Key?

Kelly McKinnon, executive director of the Pigeon Key Foundation, has lived for 14 years on the tiny historic island beneath the Middle Florida Keys' Old Seven Mile Bridge. Currently the personable 40-year-old is one of only four full-time island residents.

Is the Seven Mile Bridge closed?

The Seven Mile Bridge will close temporarily to vehicle traffic for an annual footrace over the convergence of the Atlantic Ocean and Gulf of Mexico. April 1, 2022, at 3:10 a.m.

Is the 7 mile bridge open yet?

Just as it was when it was first built, the Old Seven Mile Bridge is a sensation. After being closed for more than five years for restoration, the Old Seven Mile Bridge reopened Jan. 12, 2022, and immediately drew hordes of people to hike, bicycle, skate, push a stroller, walk a dog or jog its 2 mile length.

Can you see Cuba from Key West?

No, you generally cannot see Cuba from Key West or any part of Florida. This is essentially a question of gazing at the lands of one country from another – which, given Cuba's settlement at about 90 miles from Key West seems pretty impossible (at least through the naked eye).

What is the speed limit on the 7 mile bridge?

Be very wary of your speed through Marathon, 35 mph is the limit.

How high above the water is the Seven Mile Bridge?

65′Seven Mile Bridge / Clearance below

What happened to the Seven Mile Bridge?

After the railroad was damaged by the Labor Day Hurricane of 1935 , the line was sold to the United States government, which refurbished Seven Mile Bridge for automobile use. Unsupported sections were added in 1935 to widen it for vehicular traffic. Dismantled trackage was recycled, painted white, and used as guardrails. It had a swing span to allow passage of boats in the Moser Channel of the Intracoastal Waterway, near where the bridge crosses Pigeon Key, a small island that held a work camp for Flagler's railroad. Hurricane Donna in 1960 caused further damage.

How much did it cost to build the Seven Mile Bridge?

Construction cost. $45 million (equivalent to $103 million in 2019 dollars) Opened. May 24, 1982. Location. The Seven Mile Bridge is a bridge in the Florida Keys, in Monroe County, Florida, United States. It connects Knight's Key (part of the city of Marathon, Florida) in the Middle Keys to Little Duck Key in the Lower Keys.

How many spans does the new bridge have?

The new bridge is a box-girder structure built from precast, prestressed concrete sections, comprising 440 spans. Near the center, the bridge rises in an arc to provide 65-foot (20 m)-high clearance for boat passage. The remainder of the bridge is considerably closer to the water surface. The new bridge does not cross Pigeon Key .

What is the Old Seven Mile Bridge?

Just like the name states, the bridge is the predecessor to the current Seven Mile Bridge, which opened in 1982 as a smoother, far wider and higher replacement.

Where is the old bridge?

It’s near mile marker 47 on the Overseas Highway in the city of Marathon.

What can I do there? Can I fish off it?

Whether you’re exercising — on foot, bike or skates — or simply soaking up the spectacular views of the water below, you’re welcome to check out the old bridge. There are some benches, too.

Why was it renovated?

By 2016, the old bridge had big problems, including decking falling apart and the railings rusting and breaking.

The 7 Mile Bridge in the Florida Keys: Overview

Initially built in 1916 as a railway, the Seven Mile Bridge is one of the longest bridges in the world and spans the ocean connecting mainland Florida with the Florida Keys islands. Years later, in 1982, the bridge was rebuilt to the one seen today, serving modern motorists who wish to make the trans-water drive by car.

The Florida Keys Bridge: Description and Architecture

The 7 Mile Bridge is known as a "box and girder bridge" because of its visual contrast. For instance, only half of the bridge is steel plate, while the other half is concrete. It is estimated that 9,090 feet are concrete, while the rest is steel.

The History of the 7 Mile Bridge

The 7 Mile Bridge (now the Old 7 Mile Bridge) was the vision of Henry Morrison Flagler, an industrialist who owned the Florida East Coast Railway. His trains ran the length of Florida, all the way to Miami, but Flagler wanted more. He wanted his trains to serve the island of Key West. Between Miami and Key West, though, was 100 miles of ocean.

Overview

History

Engineering

In fiction

See also

External links