Dames Point Bridge
Dames Point Bridge in 2010.
Coordinates30°23′09″N 81°33′27″W / 30.3858°N 81.5574°W / 30.3858; -81.5574
Carries I-295 (SR 9A / Jacksonville Eastern Beltway)
(six general purpose lanes)
CrossesSt. Johns River
LocaleJacksonville, Florida
Official nameNapoleon Bonaparte Broward Bridge
Maintained byFlorida Department of Transportation
ID number720518
Characteristics
DesignContinuous prestressed concrete cable-stayed bridge
Total length10,646 feet (3244.9 m)
Width106 feet (32.2 m)
Height471 feet (143.5 m)
Longest span1,300 feet (396.2 m)
Clearance above39.7 feet (12.11 m)
Clearance below175 feet (53.34 m)
History
Construction start1985
OpenedMarch 10, 1989 (1989-03-10)
Statistics
Daily traffic77,000 (2019)
Location

The Dames Point Bridge (officially the Napoleon Bonaparte Broward Bridge) is a cable-stayed bridge over the St. Johns River in Jacksonville, Florida, United States on the Interstate 295 East Beltway. Construction began in 1985 and was completed in 1989. The main span is 1,300 feet (396.2 m), and is 175 feet (53.3 m) high. The bridge was designed by HNTB Corporation and RS&H, Inc. The Massman Construction Company built the bridge.[1]

Design

The bridge's cables are arranged on multiple vertical planes in a slight modification to the harp (parallel) stay arrangement.[2] Main span cables are paired to anchor into the tower in a vertical plane while side span cables pair up to anchor in a horizontal plane such that four cables anchor in each tower at approximately the same elevation.[3]

Superlatives

Until the 2003 completion of the Sidney Lanier Bridge in Brunswick, Georgia, the Dames Point Bridge was the only bridge in the United States to feature the harp stay arrangement.[4]

It remains one of the largest cable-stayed bridges in the United States,[2][5] with 21 miles (34 km) of cable.[2]

Accident

On May 15, 1989, while inspectors were checking the bridge for cracks and fissures, the boom arm holding a bucket snapped, leaving the bucket tilted on its side. One worker fell into the river below and the others were at risk of plummeting 145 feet down. The man in the river suffered a dislocated shoulder but was able to swim to safety. Rescuers rappelled down the side of the bridge to the other three workers and successfully brought them all to safety.[6][7] The story of this rescue effort was aired on Rescue 911 on September 12 of the same year.[8]

See also

References

  1. ↑ Hannan, Larry (March 10, 2009). "Dames Point bridge reaches 20-year mark". The Florida Times-Union. Retrieved March 27, 2009.
  2. 1 2 3 Weeks, John. "Dames Point Bridge". johnweeks.com. Retrieved May 15, 2012.
  3. ↑ Podolny, Walter Jr. "Concrete Cable-Stayed Bridges" (PDF). p. 129. Retrieved 18 July 2018.
  4. ↑ Archaeological Consultants, Inc. (December 2012). "The Historic Highway Bridges of Florida" (PDF). Florida Department of Transportation. p. 122. Retrieved 18 July 2018.
  5. ↑ "Dames Point Park". Recreation and Community Services — City of Jacksonville, Florida. Archived from the original on June 29, 2012. Retrieved May 15, 2012.
  6. ↑ "A look back: Dames Point Bridge celebrates 30 years," News4Jax, 11 Mar. 2019
  7. ↑ "Jacksonville's dramatic rescues caught on camera," News4Jax, 30 Oct. 2015.
  8. ↑ Shatner, William (host), "Rescue 911 - Episode 1.2 - Dames Point Bridge Rescue," CBS. (Unauthorized YouTube video posted on 21 June 2011.)
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