The Mathews Bridge is a truss bridge in Jacksonville, Florida, which spans the St. Johns River. Constructed in 1953, the bridge brings traffic along the Arlington Expressway between downtown Jacksonville and the Arlington neighborhood. It was named after John E. Mathews, a Florida state legislator and Chief Justice of the 1955 Florida Supreme Court who helped gather funding for the bridge's construction.[1]
[edit] Deck replacement
This 12.9 million dollar project replaced the existing open grate bridge deck previously on Mathews Bridge with an "Exodermic Deck" resulting in a concrete riding surface.
The bridge had a notoriously problematic grating in the center span. After the previous grating wore out, a new one was installed, causing drivers to complain that the replacement was slippery and difficult to cross. That grating was replaced with a new, "state of the art" grating, which also provoked controversy causing citizens to pressure the Jacksonville City Council to act again concerning the grating. This initially only resulted in reducing the speed limit and roughing up the grating. In 2007, the bridge underwent construction to replace the open grating over the center span with a concrete riding surface, and has since been reopened for public use.
[edit] Gallery
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Eastbound on the Mathews Bridge
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A shot looking below the Mathews Bridge
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Picture of the Mathews Bridge from across the water.
[edit] Popular Culture
The bridge is mentioned in the Limp Bizkit song My Generation. In singer Fred Durst's opening monologue, he invites drummer John Otto to "Take 'em to the Mathews Bridge", preceding the latter's drum solo.
[edit] References
[edit] External links
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| Upriver from Downtown |
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| Downtown Jacksonville |
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| Downriver from Downtown |
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Notable bridges and tunnels in Florida
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| Panhandle |
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| North |
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| West Central |
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| East Central |
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| South |
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| Keys |
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| Tunnels |
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