"Old Nassau Sound Bridge" - Jacksonville, Florida
Posted by: 
macleod1
N 30° 31.333 W 081° 26.725
17R E 457267 N 3376737
This orphaned bridge is located off Heckscher Drive and is now being used as a fishing pier.
Waymark Code: WM4KX5
Location: Florida, United States
Date Posted: 09/04/2008
Views: 15
More than seventy years ago legislation was introduced in the Florida State Legislature calling for a bridge to connect Fort George Island in Duval County with Amelia Island in Nassau County . Actual planning for the bridge began prior to 1941, when the Nassau County Ocean , Highway, and Port Authority was organized. World War II came along and progress halted. The Nassau Sound Bridge was finally completed in 1950. With deep water access close to the Atlantic ocean , the bridge quickly became a hot spot for local fishermen. On weekends, it was not unusual to find the bridge crowded with fishermen, ice chests, and folding chairs all along the mile-long span.
In April 1999, a new bridge linking Duval and Nassau Counties was opened. The new bridge replaced the old Nassau Sound Bridge and the smaller Sawpit Creek bridge just to the south. These bridges had been popular – and often dangerous – fishing haunts for years as anglers dodged traffic on the two lane spans of these two bridges. The original plans had called for the demolition of the two older bridges. A grass-roots campaign by anglers to save the bridges started before construction on the new bridge was completed. After years of little progress, it gained momentum in November 1998 with new-found support among Duval and Nassau governments and favor among local legislators. With funding secured, arrangements were made to keep the two older bridges and use them as fishing piers. Under the arrangement, the Florida Department of Environmental Protection is running the old Nassau Sound Bridge and surrounding area as a State Park.
This bridge crossed Nassau Sound/Nassau River in its heyday and was THE only road/bridge from Big Talbot Island to the Fernandina and Amelia Island areas.
Original Use: Vehicle - Car / Truck
Date Built: unknown
Construction: Concrete
Condition: Good
See this website for more information: [Web Link]
Date Abandoned: 2001
Bridge Status - Orphaned or Adopted.: Not listed
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