Unique Bridges Around Miami
Miami is a city situated in the south east of Florida, one of the most populated counties in the States, thanks to the nature of the town itself. It is home to several large companies both across the nation and internationally. Behind those magnificent sky scrapers, Miami holds other architecture that visitors would certainly be interested in experienceing. These are the historical bridges in Miami, which will definitely add to your experience when travelers visit Miami.
Hook Square Bridge
Miami has a trio of truss bridges, the longest one is the Hook Square Bridge, opened in 1930. Constructed over the Miami Canal where it meets Hook Square in Miami Springs, this bridge runs a total length of 132 feet. Historically historic, this bridge was assembled with structural rails exposed to viewers on both sides of the road where travelers pass by.
Curtiss Parkway Bridge
The Curtiss Parkway Bridge is another kind of bridge found in Miami-Dade County called a swinging truss bridge. Built in 1924 and renovated in 1941, this was the first major bridge to cross the Miami Canal in the Hialeah area. It is designed to have a center which revolves to facilitates boats passing through the canal to go through the bridge. The Cutlass currently runs with a total length of 109.9 feet.
McDaniel Memorial Bridge
The McDaniel Bridge was constructed in 1939 by Massman Construction Company of Kansas City, Missouri.This bridge was structured to have a metal fused cantilever through truss which extends its length as long as 2072 feet. This bridge is understood to be the 1st bridge recorded by Historicbridge.org, an organisation which aims to promote and preserve historic bridges in the United States.
Coral Gables Canal Bridge
Coral Gables Canal Bridge, located along Hardee Road (64th Street) over Coral Gables Canal was built in 1930. The bridge employs a deck concrete arch design. Concrete arch bridges are the second commonest sorts of bridges found in Miami. Coral Gables is open to the the general public and very popular, since with heavy water traffic in the area, the bridge still helps motorists to cross without waiting for boats to pass like they do on bascule bridges. The arches of this bridge are also built tall enough to allow boats to pass underneath the bridge simply.
Collins Canal Bridge is a bridge made from concrete arches over Collins Canal on West 23rd Street in Miami Beach.. This bridge built in 1926 is the longest concrete bridge still in use in Miami. It essentially allows the motorists to cross over Collins Canal while traveling in Miami Beach. Although the architect of the bridge is still unrecorded to this very day this bridge was refurbished in 1962 and still preserves its historic condition.
Tamiami Canal Railroad Bridge
Tamiami Canal Railroad Bridge is another fascinating bridge in Miami because in contrast to the bridges that came before, this is a swing-type of bridge made from pratt through truss. What makes this bridge different is its main feature of being movable like a bascule bridge. The center leaf of the bridge pivots swing to the sides allowing boats to pass. Built in 1926 for the Seaboard Air Line Railway, this bridge runs 124 feet long and crosses the Tamiami Canal on Northwest South Brook Drive in the city of Miami Springs.
Old Rip Rap Road Bridge
Old Rip Rap Road Bridge is found in Montgomery, Ohio crossing the Great Miami River was erected in 1923. It’s one of the Miami bridges built in the truss bridge time. This bridge has been successfully restored and reopened for public transportation. These days it serves as the dead-end part of the Great Miami Recreation Trail bike trail.
Celine Moore has had an interest in Miami bridges for a few years. She has written op-eds and editorial pieces for many online publications. For more information, please visit her site.