Seven Mile Bridge facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Seven Mile Bridge
Seven Mile Bridge with the original in the foreground
Coordinates	24°41′54″N 81°10′36″W / 24.6982°N 81.1767°W / 24.6982; -81.1767
Carries	2 lanes of US 1
Crosses	Moser Channel
Locale	Florida Keys, Monroe County, Florida
Maintained by	Florida Department of Transportation
ID number	900101
Characteristics
Design	precast segmented box girder bridge
Total length	10887.5 meters (6.765 miles)
Width	11.58 meters (38 ft)
Longest span	41.15 meters (135 ft)
Clearance below	19.81 meters (65 ft)
History
Construction cost	$45 million
Opened	May 24, 1982
Location in Florida

The Seven Mile Bridge is a famous bridge in the Florida Keys, Florida, United States. It connects Knight's Key in the Middle Keys to Little Duck Key in the Lower Keys. This bridge is part of the Overseas Highway, which is a section of U.S. Route 1.

There are actually two bridges in this spot. The newer bridge is used by cars and trucks. The older bridge is now only for people walking or riding bikes. When it was first built, the old bridge was one of the longest bridges in the world.

Building the Seven Mile Bridge

An entrance plaque on the old bridge

The older bridge was built between 1909 and 1912. It was part of Henry Flagler's big project, the Florida East Coast Railway's Key West Extension. This railway was also known as the Overseas Railroad.

In 1935, a very strong storm called the 1935 Labor Day hurricane damaged the railroad. After the storm, the U.S. government bought the bridge. They fixed it up so cars could use it instead of trains. Old railroad tracks were even used to make the guardrails.

The old bridge had a special part called a swing span. This part could open up to let boats pass through the Moser Channel. This channel is part of the Intracoastal Waterway. The bridge crosses near Pigeon Key, a small island that was a work camp for Flagler's railroad builders.

Another hurricane, Hurricane Donna, hit in 1960 and caused more damage to the old bridge.

The Modern Bridge and Its Purpose

The current bridge for cars was built from 1978 to 1982. It is a modern structure made from strong, precast concrete sections. It has 440 separate sections that fit together.

Near the middle, the new bridge rises high in an arc. This part is about 19.81 meters (65 feet) above the water. This height allows tall boats to pass underneath safely. The rest of the bridge is much closer to the water's surface. The new bridge does not go over Pigeon Key like the old one did.

The new bridge is about 10,887.5 meters (6.79 miles) long. It is actually a bit shorter than the original bridge. Besides carrying cars, the bridge also carries the Florida Keys aqueduct. This aqueduct brings fresh water to the lower Keys. It also carries fiber optic cables for phone and internet services.

Restoring the Old Bridge

Most of the original bridge is still standing today. However, the swing span that used to open for boats has been removed. A 2.2-mile section of the old bridge leads to Pigeon Key. This part was once used as a fishing pier and for cars to reach the island.

In 2008, this section was closed to cars because parts of it started to sag. In 2014, the Florida Department of Transportation approved a plan to fix the old bridge. This restoration project was expected to cost about $77 million. The pedestrian section was closed in 2017 for these big repairs.

Seven Mile Bridge Run

Every April, the bridge is closed for about two and a half hours on a Saturday. This is for the Seven Mile Bridge Run. This event started in 1982. It celebrates the completion of the new bridge and the end of the big project to replace Flagler's old railroad bridges.

The Bridge in Movies

The Seven Mile Bridge is so famous that it has appeared in many movies and TV shows. Some of these include Licence to Kill, True Lies, 2 Fast 2 Furious, and Burn Notice.

Images for kids

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  Illustration of an early train crossing the bridge

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  Pigeon Key after the railroad became a highway. Notice the guardrails made from old train rails.

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  A view of the bridge in 1955.

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  Cars waiting for the old swing span to close over Moser Channel.

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  The current bridge.

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  The surface of the current bridge with the original bridge and Pigeon Key in the background.