- Melbourne Causeway
-
Melbourne Causeway Official name Ernest Kouwen-Hoven Bridge Carries 2 general purpose lanes
(each bridge)Crosses Indian River Lagoon Locale between Melbourne, Florida and Indialantic, Florida Maintained by Florida Department of Transportation ID number 700174 - Westbound
700181 - EastboundDesign reinforced concrete Total length 2.0 km ( 1.26 miles) (bridge lengths combined) Width unknown Longest span 790.0 meters ( 2592.50 feet / 0.491 miles) Vertical clearance 16.76 meters ( 55 feet) Clearance below 15.25 meters ( 50 feet ) Opened 1979 - Westbound, 1984 - Eastbound Coordinates 28°05′03″N 80°35′27″W / 28.08422°N 80.59082°WCoordinates: 28°05′03″N 80°35′27″W / 28.08422°N 80.59082°W Melbourne Causeway Official name Central Relief Carries 2 general purpose lanes
(each bridge)Crosses Indian River Lagoon Locale between Melbourne, Florida and Indialantic, Florida Maintained by Florida Department of Transportation ID number 700173 - Westbound
700175 - EastboundDesign reinforced concrete Total length 62.8 meters ( 206 feet ) Width unknown Longest span 62.8 meters ( 206 feet ) Vertical clearance 6.1 meters ( 20 feet) Clearance below 4.6 meters ( 15 feet ) Opened 1979 Coordinates 28°05′03″N 80°35′27″W / 28.08422°N 80.59082°WCoordinates: 28°05′03″N 80°35′27″W / 28.08422°N 80.59082°W Melbourne Causeway Official name Eastern Relief Carries 4 general purpose lanes Crosses Indian River Lagoon Locale between Melbourne, Florida and Indialantic, Florida Maintained by Florida Department of Transportation ID number 700037 Design reinforced concrete Total length 66 meters (216.5 ft) Width unknown Longest span 66 meters (216.5 ft) Vertical clearance 6.1 meters ( 20 feet) Clearance below 4.6 meters ( 15 feet ) Opened 1947 Coordinates 28°05′03″N 80°35′27″W / 28.08422°N 80.59082°WCoordinates: 28°05′03″N 80°35′27″W / 28.08422°N 80.59082°W The Melbourne Causeway is located entirely within Brevard County, Florida in the United States. It is composed of three bridges and connects the municipalities of Melbourne, Florida and Indialantic, Florida across the Indian River Lagoon in Brevard County. The causeway is part of U.S. 192 (also known as SR 500), whose eastern terminus is located approximately 2 miles (3.2 km) east of the bridge, at SR A1A. East of the bridge, the road is known locally as Fifth Avenue. On the western side, the road continues through downtown Melbourne as Strawbridge Avenue. Each July 4 the bridge is closed for a fireworks show.
There are two bridges in Melbourne, the Melbourne Causeway and the Eau Gallie Causeway (SR 518) With the latter being named for the old city of Eau Gallie, which merged with Melbourne in 1969.
Contents
History
First Bridge
Ernest Kouwen-Hoven began construction of the second bridge across the Indian River in 1919. The first bridge was completed 2 years earlier near Cocoa, Florida. By May 1921 the bridge was complete and unofficially opened as a toll bridge. It was 9,706 feet ( 2958 meters) or nearly 2 miles (3.2 km) long ( 3 kilometers). Approximately 1/3 of the way from Melbourne there was a 134-foot (41 m) long hand operated draw. On September 18, 1921 it officially opened. A Mr. J.E. Campbell was the first to drive across the bridge. During construction three sawmills were built by Ernest Kouwen-Hoven. They did not all exist at the same time. The first one was in Melbourne Village, the second was on the Nevin Property on Merritt Island, and the third was 5 miles (8.0 km) west of Grant.
Second Bridge
In 1941, construction began on the second bridge between Melbourne and Indialantic. This bridge was a low-rise swing draw bridge. On August 1, 1947 Mrs. Ernest Kouwen-Hoven cut the ribbon and the same J.E. Campbell that crossed the first bridge, was the first to cross this bridge.
Third Bridge
The third bridge contains two twin spans that are 2,592.5 feet (790.2 m) long. According to the Melbourne Centennial Book the official start of construction was February 2, 1976, and the bridge was expected to be complete by fall of 1977. It appears to have been delayed with the westbound span being constructed in 1977 and ending 2 years later. From bridge id numbers, it appears that the western relief bridges were also constructed during this time. Construction of the eastbound span did not begin until 1981 and finished in 1984.
Component Bridges
Ernest Kouwen-Hoven Bridge
The Ernest Kouwen-Hoven Bridge is the official name of the high-rise span. This name is not used locally, and only appears in official government documents.
Relief Bridges
These bridges are unremarkable, and have no appreciable change in grade. The easternmost relief bridge is commonly used by local fishermen.
Sources
Bridge ID's
- Town of Indialantic Meeting Minutes September 14, 2005
- Town of Indialantic Meeting Minutes April 19, 2005
- Contract Bidding Information for main-span work
Bridge Length
- Florida Geographical Data Library
- Search under Transportation Networks, "Bridges" retrieve "RCI Bridges". Data retrieved by using modified shp2text program.
Original Bridge Length
Bridge History
- Melbourne Beach Historical Trail
- Town of Indialantic History Page
- Brevard County Historical Commission - Indian River Journal Quarterly - Fall 2002
- Melbourne Centennial Book. Melbourne Chamber of Commerce. 1980
Notable bridges and tunnels in Florida Panhandle Escambia Bay · Garcon Point · John Gorrie · Mid-Bay · Pensacola Bay · St. George Island · Trammell · Victory
North Acosta · Bridge of Lions · Buckman · Dames Point · Fuller Warren · Hart · Mathews · Memorial · Strauss Trunnion
West Central East Central A. Max Brewer · Bennett Causeway · Bert Dosh · Broadway · Eau Gallie Causeway · Granada · Melbourne Causeway · Merritt Island Causeway · NASA Causeway · Pineda Causeway · Port Orange Causeway · Roosevelt · Wabasso
South Broad Causeway · Cape Coral · Coral Springs† · Julia Tuttle Causeway · John F. Kennedy Causeway · John Ringling Causeway · Lehman Causeway · MacArthur Causeway · Matanzas Pass · Midpoint · Rickenbacker Causeway · Sanibel Causeway · Snow-Reed‡ · Venetian Causeway
Keys Bahia Honda · Card Sound · Jewfish Creek · Overseas Highway · Seven Mile
Tunnels † – Covered bridge‡ - Swing bridge
See also: List of bridges in FloridaCategories:- Bridges in Brevard County, Florida
- Intracoastal Waterway
- Melbourne, Florida
- Bridges completed in 1921
- Bridges completed in 1941
- Bridges completed in 1979
- Bridges completed in 1984
- Swing bridges in the United States
- Road bridges in Florida
Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.