Dames Point Bridge facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Dames Point Bridge |
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Dames Point Bridge in 2010.
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| Coordinates | 30°23′09″N 81°33′27″W / 30.3858°N 81.5574°W |
| Carries |  I-295(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) |
| 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 |
| Statistics | |
| Daily traffic | 66,000 (2012) |
The Dames Point Bridge is a really cool bridge in Jacksonville, Florida. Its official name is the Napoleon Bonaparte Broward Bridge. This amazing cable-stayed bridge crosses the St. Johns River and is part of the Interstate 295 East Beltway. Building the bridge started in 1985 and it was finished in 1989.
Building the Dames Point Bridge
This huge bridge was designed by two companies: HNTB Corporation and RS&H, Inc. The actual construction work was done by the Massman Construction Company. The main part of the bridge is about 1,300 feet (396 meters) long. It also stands very tall, about 175 feet (53 meters) high above the water.
How the Bridge Looks
The Dames Point Bridge is a special type called a cable-stayed bridge. This means it uses strong cables to hold up the bridge deck. Imagine a giant harp: the cables are like the strings. On this bridge, the cables are arranged in a special way. They go up to the towers in a straight line, like the strings of a harp. This design helps the bridge stay strong and stable.
Why This Bridge is Special
For a while, the Dames Point Bridge was the only bridge in the United States with this unique "harp stay" design. That was until the Sidney Lanier Bridge was finished in Georgia in 2003.
Even today, it's still one of the biggest cable-stayed bridges in the United States. It uses a lot of cable – about 21 miles (34 kilometers) of it! That's a lot of cable to hold up such a big bridge.
Gallery
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The Dames Point Bridge, seen from northbound I-295
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Northbound on the Dames Point Bridge.
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The Dames Point Bridge
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The Dames Point Bridge in 2005
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The Dames Point Bridge at Night - 2013
