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Main Street Bridge (Jacksonville)
Encyclopedia
The Main Street Bridge, officially the John T. Alsop Jr. Bridge, is a bridge
crossing the St. Johns River
in Jacksonville, Florida
. It was the second bridge built across the river. It carries four lanes of traffic, and is signed as U.S. Route 1/US 90 (SR 5/SR 10). A lift bridge
, it opened in July 1941 at a cost of $1.5 million. In 1957 it was named after Mayor John T. Alsop, Jr., but continues to be known, even on road signs, as the Main Street Bridge.
being made at some point; after that, northbound traffic turned right on Water Street and left on Ocean Street.
In 1978, several approach bridges and ramps were built. Main Street now goes over Water Street, and a ramp now carries all traffic from the bridge diagonally into Ocean Street, with a second bridge over Water Street. Ramps provide access to and from Water Street.
system was built, in 1958, ramps were built connecting this intersection to the new expressway (now I-95
(SR 9)) connecting the Fuller Warren Bridge and the Acosta Bridge
to Phillips Highway (U.S. Route 1 (SR 5)) and Atlantic Boulevard (US 90 (SR 10)).
In 1968, a flyover
was built between the ramps to I-95
(SR 9) and the bridge, with frontage road
s continuing to serve Miami Road and several other cross streets. Thus there is now uninterrupted traffic flow from I-95
(SR 9) to the Main Street Bridge.
Bridge
A bridge is a structure built to span physical obstacles such as a body of water, valley, or road, for the purpose of providing passage over the obstacle...
crossing the St. Johns River
St. Johns River
The St. Johns River is the longest river in the U.S. state of Florida and its most significant for commercial and recreational use. At long, it winds through or borders twelve counties, three of which are the state's largest. The drop in elevation from the headwaters to the mouth is less than ;...
in Jacksonville, Florida
Jacksonville, Florida
Jacksonville is the largest city in the U.S. state of Florida in terms of both population and land area, and the largest city by area in the contiguous United States. It is the county seat of Duval County, with which the city government consolidated in 1968...
. It was the second bridge built across the river. It carries four lanes of traffic, and is signed as U.S. Route 1/US 90 (SR 5/SR 10). A lift bridge
Lift bridge
A vertical-lift bridge or lift bridge is a type of movable bridge in which a span rises vertically while remaining parallel with the deck....
, it opened in July 1941 at a cost of $1.5 million. In 1957 it was named after Mayor John T. Alsop, Jr., but continues to be known, even on road signs, as the Main Street Bridge.
North (downtown) approach
When the bridge was first built, its north end was at the intersection of Main Street and Water Street. Traffic continued north on Main Street, with a one-way pairOne-way pair
A one-way pair, one-way couple, or just couplet is a pair of parallel, usually one-way streets that carry opposite directions of a signed route or major traffic flow, or sometimes opposite directions of a bus or streetcar route....
being made at some point; after that, northbound traffic turned right on Water Street and left on Ocean Street.
In 1978, several approach bridges and ramps were built. Main Street now goes over Water Street, and a ramp now carries all traffic from the bridge diagonally into Ocean Street, with a second bridge over Water Street. Ramps provide access to and from Water Street.
South approach
The bridge originally ended at Miami Road (now Prudential Drive). When Jacksonville's original expresswayControlled-access highway
A controlled-access highway is a highway designed exclusively for high-speed vehicular traffic, with all traffic flow and ingress/egress regulated...
system was built, in 1958, ramps were built connecting this intersection to the new expressway (now I-95
Interstate 95 in Florida
Interstate 95 is the main Interstate Highway on the east coast of the United States; it serves the Atlantic coast of Florida. It begins at a partial interchange with U.S. Highway 1 just south of downtown Miami, and heads north past Daytona Beach and Jacksonville to the Georgia state line at the St...
(SR 9)) connecting the Fuller Warren Bridge and the Acosta Bridge
Acosta Bridge
The Acosta Bridge spans the St. Johns River in Jacksonville, Florida on a fixed span. It was named for City Councilman St. Elmo W. Acosta, who convinced voters to approve a $950,000 bond issue for the original bridge. It carries SR 13 with the two-track JTA Skyway in the median. Prior to its...
to Phillips Highway (U.S. Route 1 (SR 5)) and Atlantic Boulevard (US 90 (SR 10)).
In 1968, a flyover
Overpass
An overpass is a bridge, road, railway or similar structure that crosses over another road or railway...
was built between the ramps to I-95
Interstate 95 in Florida
Interstate 95 is the main Interstate Highway on the east coast of the United States; it serves the Atlantic coast of Florida. It begins at a partial interchange with U.S. Highway 1 just south of downtown Miami, and heads north past Daytona Beach and Jacksonville to the Georgia state line at the St...
(SR 9) and the bridge, with frontage road
Frontage road
A frontage road is a non-limited access road running parallel to a higher-speed road, usually a freeway, and feeding it at appropriate points of access...
s continuing to serve Miami Road and several other cross streets. Thus there is now uninterrupted traffic flow from I-95
Interstate 95 in Florida
Interstate 95 is the main Interstate Highway on the east coast of the United States; it serves the Atlantic coast of Florida. It begins at a partial interchange with U.S. Highway 1 just south of downtown Miami, and heads north past Daytona Beach and Jacksonville to the Georgia state line at the St...
(SR 9) to the Main Street Bridge.