Ben Sawyer Bridge
Encyclopedia
The Ben Sawyer Bridge is a swing bridge
that connects the town of Mount Pleasant
with Sullivan's Island in South Carolina
. The bridge swings on its central axis to open for boat traffic which is too tall to clear the bridge, and has an operator's station in the center of the span from which an attendant can operate the bridge. The bridge was constructed in 1945, but its swing-span section was replaced in 2010, albeit retaining the same general appearance.
Prior to completion of the Isle of Palms Connector Bridge
in 1993, the Ben Sawyer Bridge provided the only vehicular access to Sullivan's Island, and, by a connecting bridge, Isle of Palms.
The bridge was heavily damaged during Hurricane Hugo
, leaving one end of the main span in the Intracoastal Waterway
. Pictures of the damaged bridge are some of the most recognizable lasting images of the destruction wrought by the storm. It was subsequently repaired and reopened to traffic in October 1989.
(SCDOT) in August 2008. The project began in January 2009 and was completed in February 2010. The project included replacement of the aging swing-span
section with a new swing-span section retaining the historic look of its predecessor. In addition, each traffic lane was widened from 12 feet to 14 feet, and the 2.5 feet (76.2 cm) sidewalks on both sides were replaced by a single 5 feet (1.5 m) one on the harbor side only. The bridge closed temporarily on February 7, 2010, for removal of the old span and installation of the replacement span, which was lifted into place from barge
s using hydraulic jacks on February 11. The bridge reopened to traffic on February 19, 2010.
Swing bridge
A swing bridge is a movable bridge that has as its primary structural support a vertical locating pin and support ring, usually at or near to its centre of gravity, about which the turning span can then pivot horizontally as shown in the animated illustration to the right...
that connects the town of Mount Pleasant
Mount Pleasant, South Carolina
Mount Pleasant is a large affluent suburban town in Charleston County, South Carolina, United States. It is a member of the Charleston–North Charleston–Summerville Metropolitan Statistical Area, for statistical purpose only, as designated by the U.S. Office of Management and Budget....
with Sullivan's Island in South Carolina
South Carolina
South Carolina is a state in the Deep South of the United States that borders Georgia to the south, North Carolina to the north, and the Atlantic Ocean to the east. Originally part of the Province of Carolina, the Province of South Carolina was one of the 13 colonies that declared independence...
. The bridge swings on its central axis to open for boat traffic which is too tall to clear the bridge, and has an operator's station in the center of the span from which an attendant can operate the bridge. The bridge was constructed in 1945, but its swing-span section was replaced in 2010, albeit retaining the same general appearance.
Prior to completion of the Isle of Palms Connector Bridge
Isle of Palms Connector Bridge
The Isle of Palms Connector Bridge connects the town of Mount Pleasant with the Isle of Palms in South Carolina. The bridge is part of, and comprises most of the length of, SC-517, which is commonly known as the "Isle of Palms Connector", and bears the official name of "Clyde Moultrie Dangerfield...
in 1993, the Ben Sawyer Bridge provided the only vehicular access to Sullivan's Island, and, by a connecting bridge, Isle of Palms.
The bridge was heavily damaged during Hurricane Hugo
Hurricane Hugo
Hurricane Hugo was a classical, destructive and rare Cape Verde-type hurricane which struck the Caribbean islands of Guadeloupe, Montserrat, St. Croix, Puerto Rico and the USA mainland in South Carolina as a Category 4 hurricane during September of the 1989 Atlantic hurricane season...
, leaving one end of the main span in the Intracoastal Waterway
Intracoastal Waterway
The Intracoastal Waterway is a 3,000-mile waterway along the Atlantic and Gulf coasts of the United States. Some lengths consist of natural inlets, salt-water rivers, bays, and sounds; others are artificial canals...
. Pictures of the damaged bridge are some of the most recognizable lasting images of the destruction wrought by the storm. It was subsequently repaired and reopened to traffic in October 1989.
Rehabilitation project
A $32.5 million rehabilitation of the Ben Sawyer Bridge was approved by the South Carolina Department of TransportationSouth Carolina Department of Transportation
The South Carolina Department of Transportation is a government agency in the US state of South Carolina. Its mission is to build and maintain roads and bridges and administer mass transit services....
(SCDOT) in August 2008. The project began in January 2009 and was completed in February 2010. The project included replacement of the aging swing-span
Swing bridge
A swing bridge is a movable bridge that has as its primary structural support a vertical locating pin and support ring, usually at or near to its centre of gravity, about which the turning span can then pivot horizontally as shown in the animated illustration to the right...
section with a new swing-span section retaining the historic look of its predecessor. In addition, each traffic lane was widened from 12 feet to 14 feet, and the 2.5 feet (76.2 cm) sidewalks on both sides were replaced by a single 5 feet (1.5 m) one on the harbor side only. The bridge closed temporarily on February 7, 2010, for removal of the old span and installation of the replacement span, which was lifted into place from barge
Barge
A barge is a flat-bottomed boat, built mainly for river and canal transport of heavy goods. Some barges are not self-propelled and need to be towed by tugboats or pushed by towboats...
s using hydraulic jacks on February 11. The bridge reopened to traffic on February 19, 2010.