Dames Point Bridge

The Dames Point Bridge (officially the Napoleon Bonaparte Broward Bridge) is a cable-stayed bridge over the St. Johns River in Jacksonville, Florida, United States on the Interstate 295 East Beltway. Construction began in 1985 and was completed in 1989. The main span is Template:Convert, and is Template:Convert high. The bridge was designed by HNTB Corporation and RS&H, Inc. The Massman Construction Company built the bridge.<ref name=mark>Template:Cite web</ref>

Design

The bridge's cables are arranged on multiple vertical planes in a slight modification to the harp (parallel) stay arrangement.<ref name=weeks>Template:Cite web</ref> Main span cables are paired to anchor into the tower in a vertical plane while side span cables pair up to anchor in a horizontal plane such that four cables anchor in each tower at approximately the same elevation.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Superlatives

Until the 2003 completion of the Sidney Lanier Bridge in Brunswick, Georgia, the Dames Point Bridge was the only bridge in the United States to feature the harp stay arrangement.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

It remains one of the largest cable-stayed bridges in the United States,<ref name=weeks/><ref name=park>Template:Cite web</ref> with Template:Convert of cable.<ref name=weeks/>

Gallery

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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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  Same view in 2025
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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

Accident

On May 15, 1989, while inspectors were checking the bridge for cracks and fissures, the boom arm holding a bucket snapped, leaving the bucket tilted on its side. One worker fell into the river below and the others were at risk of plummeting 145 feet down. The man in the river suffered a dislocated shoulder but was able to swim to safety. Rescuers rappelled down the side of the bridge to the other three workers and successfully brought them all to safety.<ref>"A look back: Dames Point Bridge celebrates 30 years," News4Jax, 11 Mar. 2019</ref><ref>"Jacksonville's dramatic rescues caught on camera," News4Jax, 30 Oct. 2015.</ref> The story of this rescue effort was aired on Rescue 911 on September 12 of the same year.<ref>Shatner, William (host), "Rescue 911 - Episode 1.2 - Dames Point Bridge Rescue," CBS. (Unauthorized YouTube video posted on 21 June 2011.)</ref>

See also

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

External links

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• Dames Point Bridge on Google Street View
• Mike Strong's Dames Point Bridge site
• The bridge on Rescue 9-1-1
• John Weeks Dames Point Bridge
• Dames Point Bridge - Bridgehunters.com