Dames Point Bridge facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Dames Point Bridge
Dames Point Bridge in 2010.
Coordinates	30°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)
Crosses	St. Johns River
Locale	Jacksonville, Florida
Official name	Napoleon Bonaparte Broward Bridge
Maintained by	Florida Department of Transportation
ID number	720518
Characteristics
Design	Continuous prestressed concrete cable-stayed bridge
Total length	10,646 feet (3244.9 m)
Width	106 feet (32.2 m)
Height	471 feet (143.5 m)
Longest span	1,300 feet (396.2 m)
Clearance above	39.7 feet (12.11 m)
Clearance below	175 feet (53.34 m)
History
Construction begin	1985
Opened	March 10, 1989; 36 years ago (1989-03-10)
Statistics
Daily traffic	77,000 (2019)

The Dames Point Bridge is a super cool bridge in Jacksonville, Florida. It officially has a longer name: the Napoleon Bonaparte Broward Bridge. This amazing structure crosses the St. Johns River. It's a special kind of bridge called a cable-stayed bridge. This means it uses strong cables to hold up the main part of the bridge.

Building the Dames Point Bridge started in 1985. It took four years to finish, opening in 1989. The main part of the bridge stretches 1,300 feet (about 396 meters). It stands 175 feet (about 53 meters) above the water. Many cars use this bridge every day as part of Interstate 295.

How the Bridge Was Built

Designing a Cable-Stayed Bridge

The Dames Point Bridge was designed by two companies. They were HNTB Corporation and RS&H, Inc. A company called Massman Construction Company built the bridge.

A cable-stayed bridge uses tall towers and many cables. These cables connect the towers to the bridge deck. This design helps the bridge span long distances. It also makes the bridge look very graceful.

Special Cable Design

The Dames Point Bridge has a unique cable design. Its cables are arranged in a "harp" pattern. This means the cables run almost parallel to each other. They connect from the towers down to the bridge deck. This design makes the bridge very strong and stable.

Amazing Bridge Facts

One of the Longest Bridges

The Dames Point Bridge was once very special. Until 2003, it was the only bridge in the United States with its specific cable design. It was a true engineering marvel.

It is still one of the largest cable-stayed bridges in the country. Imagine this: it uses about 21 miles (34 kilometers) of cable! That's a lot of strong wire holding up the bridge.

A Story of Rescue

Brave Workers on the Bridge

On May 15, 1989, something scary happened. Workers were checking the bridge for any problems. They were in a special bucket held by a long arm. Suddenly, the arm broke! The bucket tilted, and one worker fell into the river below.

The other three workers were stuck high up. They were 145 feet (about 44 meters) above the water. It was a very dangerous situation.

Coming to Safety

The worker who fell into the river was lucky. He hurt his shoulder but managed to swim to safety. Meanwhile, rescuers quickly arrived to help the others. They bravely climbed down ropes to reach the trapped workers.

All three workers were brought down safely. This amazing rescue story was even shown on a TV show called Rescue 911 later that year. It showed how brave the rescuers and workers were.

See also

• List of crossings of the St. Johns River
• List of bridges in Florida
• Sunshine Skyway Bridge

Images for kids

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  The Dames Point Bridge, seen from northbound I-295 in December 2005

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  Northbound on the Dames Point Bridge in 2005.

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  The Dames Point Bridge in 2010

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  The Dames Point Bridge in 2005

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  The Dames Point Bridge at Night - 2013

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  After Sunset 2013

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  From the bottom in 2010

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  Its extent length in 2016

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  Road design on the bridge in 2016

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  Another view of the bridge in 2010

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  View of the bridge from the port terminal in 2012

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  US Navy passing by the bridge in 2008