Admiral Clarey Bridge
Encyclopedia
Admiral Clarey Bridge, also known as the Ford Island Bridge, is an automobile bridge providing access to Ford Island
, a United States Navy
installation situated in the middle of Pearl Harbor
. The causeway bridge was completed and opened in 1998, named the Admiral Clarey Bridge after former Admiral
Bernard A. Clarey
. The bridge has a total length of 4700 ft (1,432.6 m), including a 930 ft (283.5 m) pontoon section that can be retracted to allow water traffic to pass through.
Prior to the bridge being built, access to Ford Island was provided via ferryboat. Two diesel-powered ferries served the island, Waa Hele Honoa (YFB-83) and Moko Holo Hele (YFB-87). Both ferries were operated by U.S. Navy personnel. Access to the island was restricted to U.S. Military personnel, their dependents, and invited guests. In addition to the two car ferries there were several smaller "foot ferries" that allowed pedestrians to transit between Ford Island and several alternate landings around Pearl Harbor. This was often more convenient depending ones business. The foot ferries ran about every 15 min and the car ferries ran about every 20min. However during the early 1990s one the Waa Hele Hona (YFB-83) was overhauled and during that time the Moko Holo Hele (YFB-87) only ran on the hour. The last ferry of the night was at 11:00 and many sailors had to sleep in the parking lot when they missed the last ferry after a night in Waikiki.
Ford Island
Ford Island is located in the middle of Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. It is connected to the main island by the Ford Island Bridge. Before the bridge was built, Ford Island could only be reached by a ferry boat which ran at hourly intervals for cars and foot passengers. The island houses several naval...
, a United States Navy
United States Navy
The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
installation situated in the middle of Pearl Harbor
Pearl Harbor
Pearl Harbor, known to Hawaiians as Puuloa, is a lagoon harbor on the island of Oahu, Hawaii, west of Honolulu. Much of the harbor and surrounding lands is a United States Navy deep-water naval base. It is also the headquarters of the U.S. Pacific Fleet...
. The causeway bridge was completed and opened in 1998, named the Admiral Clarey Bridge after former Admiral
Admiral (United States)
In the United States Navy, the United States Coast Guard and the United States Public Health Service Commissioned Corps, admiral is a four-star flag officer rank, with the pay grade of O-10. Admiral ranks above vice admiral and below Fleet Admiral in the Navy; the Coast Guard and the Public Health...
Bernard A. Clarey
Bernard A. Clarey
Bernard Ambrose Clarey , nicknamed "Chick", was an admiral of the United States Navy. A submarine commander during World War II, he served during the late 1960s as Vice Chief of Naval Operations and in the early 1970s and Commander in Chief, U.S. Pacific Fleet.-Early life and career:Clarey was...
. The bridge has a total length of 4700 ft (1,432.6 m), including a 930 ft (283.5 m) pontoon section that can be retracted to allow water traffic to pass through.
Prior to the bridge being built, access to Ford Island was provided via ferryboat. Two diesel-powered ferries served the island, Waa Hele Honoa (YFB-83) and Moko Holo Hele (YFB-87). Both ferries were operated by U.S. Navy personnel. Access to the island was restricted to U.S. Military personnel, their dependents, and invited guests. In addition to the two car ferries there were several smaller "foot ferries" that allowed pedestrians to transit between Ford Island and several alternate landings around Pearl Harbor. This was often more convenient depending ones business. The foot ferries ran about every 15 min and the car ferries ran about every 20min. However during the early 1990s one the Waa Hele Hona (YFB-83) was overhauled and during that time the Moko Holo Hele (YFB-87) only ran on the hour. The last ferry of the night was at 11:00 and many sailors had to sleep in the parking lot when they missed the last ferry after a night in Waikiki.