Shands Bridge

Shands Bridge
Westbound on the Shands Bridge
Coordinates	29°59′00″N 81°37′00″W
Carries	2 general purpose lanes (SR 16))
Crosses	St. Johns River
Locale	Green Cove Springs, Florida
Official name	Alvin G. Shands Bridge
Maintained by	Florida Department of Transportation
ID number	780056
Characteristics
Design	steel stringer/multi-beam or girder bridge
Total length	2030.6 meters (6662 feet)
Width	10.4 meters (34 feet)
Longest span	39.6 meters (130 feet)
Clearance above	13.7 meters (45 feet)(vertical) x 27.7 meters (91 feet)(horizontal)
History
Opened	1963

The Shands Bridge is a highway bridge over the St. Johns River near Jacksonville, Florida. The span was first opened in 1929. It was located just north of the current span, crossing from Orangedale to the present Shands pier on the west side of the river. On October 7, the eastern approach to the bridge was eroded by Hurricane Matthew, so the bridge was closed to traffic for an indefinite time period. On October 9, the bridge reopened.

The current bridge was dedicated on October 30, 1963, and features a beam-type construction for a total of two lanes. The bridge is part of SR 16 and until the building of the I-295 Buckman Bridge was the only crossing of the St. Johns River between Jacksonville and Palatka.

In 2004, proposals were made to replace or upgrade the span. Problems cited include increasing traffic in the Clay County and St. Johns County areas, safety, and the inability of large boats to travel upriver. One plan would put a new bridge north of the existing one, connecting to extensions of SR 9B and SR 23. In the fall of 2005, the railings of the bridge were upgraded to solid concrete barriers in an effort to reduce over-bridge fatalities.

Gallery

• 
  View of the old bridge from the new one

See also

•  Florida portal
• List of crossings of the St. Johns River

External links

• St. Johns River Crossing Corridor Study
• Nautical Chart