Fuller Warren Bridge

Fuller Warren Bridge (new)
Coordinates	30°18′54″N 81°40′18″W / 30.315°N 81.67166667°WCoordinates: 30°18′54″N 81°40′18″W / 30.315°N 81.67166667°W
Carries	Eight lanes of I-95
Crosses	St. Johns River
Locale	Jacksonville, Florida
Official name	Fuller Warren Bridge
Maintained by	Florida Department of Transportation
ID number	720156
Characteristics
Design	Prestressed concrete girder bridge
Total length	7,500 feet (2,286.0 m)
Width	Eight lanes
Longest span	250 feet (76.2 m)
Clearance above	Unlimited
Clearance below	75 feet (22.9 m)
History
Opened	April 16, 2000 (Partially completed for I-10 Eastbound to I-95 Southbound traffic) November 17, 2002 (All lanes opened)

Fuller Warren Bridge (old)
Coordinates	30°18′54″N 81°40′18″W / 30.315°N 81.67166667°W
Carries	four general purpose lanes
Crosses	St. Johns River
Locale	Jacksonville, Florida
Official name	Fuller Warren Bridge
Maintained by	Florida Department of Transportation
ID number	720156
Characteristics
Design	steel bascule bridge
Total length	111.77 meters (367 ft)
Width	18.8 meters (62 ft)
Longest span	81.4 meters (267 ft)
Clearance above	Unlimited
Clearance below	13.4 meters (44 ft) closed
History
Opened	June 7, 1954
Closed	November 17, 2002

The Fuller Warren Bridge is a prestressed concrete girder bridge that carries I-95 across the St. Johns River in Jacksonville, Florida. The current bridge was completed in October 2002, replacing the original bascule bridge span completed in 1954. The current bridge was designed by HNTB Corporation in 1990 and built by Balfour Beatty Construction.^[1] The entire bridge is over 7,500 ft (2,286 m). long, with a main span of 250 feet (76 m), and a vertical clearance of 75 ft (23 m). The bridge now carries eight lanes across the span.

The bridge is named after former Florida governor Fuller Warren, former member and eventual denouncer of a group of hatred, who held the office from 1949 to 1953. He had previously served as a member of the Jacksonville City Council from 1931 to 1937.^[2]

The original bascule bridge was tolled until 1988, when the city of Jacksonville abolished toll collections. Increasing wear from heavy traffic, including a 1993 incident in which a 3-square-foot fragment of concrete broke loose, forced officials to ban large trucks from the bridge in 1998.^[3] It was permanently closed June 13, 2001, when all traffic was moved to the new Fuller Warren Bridge.^[4] After delays in removal because of legal and environmental concerns,^[5] the Florida Department of Transportation used explosives to complete demolition of the old bridge on February 17, 2007.^[6]

Conversion from the old Fuller Warren Bridge to the new one began with one lane of southbound I-95 traffic on April 16, 2000.^[7] The new bridge, built at a cost of approximately $100 million, was opened to all eight lanes in late 2002 and formally dedicated on January 13, 2003.^[8]

References

1. bridgepros.com. "Fuller Warren Bridge Project Update - Progress Report Nov. 1999". November 1999. Retrieved on January 14, 2013.
2. Morris, Allen. The Florida Handbook 2001-2002. Peninsular Publishing, 2002, p. 315.
3. Halton, Beau & Schoettler, Jim. "Fuller Warren ban widened". Florida Times-Union, February 5, 1998. Retrieved on January 14, 2013.
4. Bauerlein, David. "Old Fuller Warren Bridge officially closes". Florida Times-Union, June 13, 2001. Retrieved on January 14, 2013.
5. Patterson, Steve. "Old bridge demolition waiting on fish find". Florida Times-Union, June 17, 2005. Retrieved on January 14, 2013.
6. Florida Times-Union. "Bridge explosion day changed". February 16, 2007. Retrieved on January 14, 2013.
7. Bauerlein, David. "New ride across the St. Johns". Florida Times-Union, April 17, 2000. Retrieved on January 14, 2013.
8. Bauerlein, David. "New Fuller Warren Bridge dedicated". Florida Times-Union, January 13, 2003. Retrieved on January 14, 2013.

External links

• Media related to Fuller Warren Bridge at Wikimedia Commons
• "FDOT Structures Design Office - Fuller Warren Bridge". Retrieved 2006-05-26.