how many bridges are in the florida keys

how many bridges are in the florida keys

However, you should feel free to take your time since, as any Florida Keys tour will tell you, the Seven Mile Bridge has some of the most beautiful views of the ocean anywhere in the Keys. Fun Facts About The Florida Keys: 42 Bridges Click here for more information on Jeep rentals. The overwhelming favorite is by driving a Jeep. The most horrific hurricane event was in 1935, when hundreds of people were killed by a violent storm surge. There are 42 bridges that connect the islands. After the railroad was damaged by the Labor Day Hurricane of 1935, the line was sold to the United States government, which refurbished Seven Mile Bridge for automobile use. The current road bridge was constructed from 1978 to 1982. Key West Tourism Key West Hotels . We are here to help. The Modern Highway From Key West to Key Largo, locations are frequently referred to by their mile marker location. Except for a 65-foot-high arc near the center, the majority of the bridge is close to the water. This park is renowned as one of the best snorkeling reefs in the world. Its no wonder the recent Netflix series Bloodline, a dark story built around a prominent Keys family, was based in affluent Islamorada. While every effort has been made to follow citation style rules, there may be some discrepancies. Did you know that there are 42 bridges that connect the Florida Keys to Miami? A series of bridges and islands extend nearly 90 miles off the mainland until its end at U.S. Highway 1 mile marker zero: Key West. Yet despite their small size, these islands support lively, picturesque communities. The Seven Mile Bridge is the longest bridge in Florida. The speed limit is lower when in towns and population centers, and tends to be faster on bridges without obstructions or hazards. To prove it we are matching all online pricing on the tours we offer. Manatee-shaped mailboxes, fishing marinas and seafood shacks proliferate. ConnectingKnights Keyin the Middle Keys toLittle Duck Keyin the Lower Keys. Drivers on the Overseas Highway should remain alert and aware of their surroundings at all times. While the Courtney Campbell Causeway itself is almost 10 mi (16.1km) long, its longest over-water span (center-left) is just over one half-mile (804.7m) long. The Trammell Bridge owes its distinctive design to its mix of old and new elements. The total length of the new bridge is actually 35,862ft (10,931m) or 6.79 miles (10.93km), and is shorter than the original. In November 14 months and much cleanup later I drove the route to assess the scars as well as the renewal, from recently opened (or about to open) resorts to a new coterie of mermaids. Most people do not feel any feeling of fear or insecurity while on the bridges. Its an illusion.. In August of 2004, the remaining 20 historic Railroad Bridges and the Overseas Highway were listed in the National Register of Historic Places. The best way to enjoy Key West is to embrace the easygoing vibe, glean tips from friendly locals about their favorite places and pursuits, and experience both well-known and off-the-beaten-path offerings. Knowing this will help keep you oriented when driving through the Keys. He still sees baby stingrays, snappers and sharks and, post-storm, a preponderance of lobsters on mangrove island fragments dispersed by the hurricane. Copyright 2023, OpenKeyWest, LLC - All Rights Reserved |, Certain links on Open Key West are affiliate links where we earn a small portion at no additional cost to you, Tried accessing nonexisting field (comments_count) on node type (Media), The Local Side of Key West (podcast) 23: Restaurants we love, 22: Release the Fish, Keep the Memory: Its Bigger, Backyards of Key West Podcast with Mark Baratto 203: #203 Musician Howard Livingston is Livin on Key West Time, 21: Sensational Keys Seafood, Sustainable Stone Crab, The Local Side of Key West (podcast) 22: Unique to Key West, 20: Key Lime, Anyone? This Florida Keys Overseas Highway "bucket list" journey so popular with visitors to the islands follows a trail originally blazed in 1912 when millionaire Henry Flagler built what became known as the Florida Keys Over-Sea Railroad from Miami to Key West. As a comparison, the Sunshine Skyway Bridge over Tampa Bay is 180 feet tall. Two bridges exist in one location, although one of them no longer connects to the Intracoastal Waterway. Its proximity to Miami has made 18-mile-long Key Largo a place where thick foliage obscures the water from the T-shirt and shell shops attractive to developers eager to lure those who may not want to drive any farther down the highway. But, if you are short on time, doing the entire length of the Overseas Highway may not be the best use of your time. There are many places to stop along the way, from restaurants and cafes to seaside shopping centers. Driving the overseas highway, also known as U.S. Highway 1 through the Florida Keys can be an exciting experience. Cruising down US Highway 1 with no doors is such an amazing experience and truly one of the bucket list adventures of The Florida Keys! The village is officially incorporated over five separate Keys. Dont allow yourself to become distracted as you drive over the beautiful water or bridges. The distractions along the way havent changed much. Inexperienced drivers should be aware of speed limit changes, especially when entering islands and towns. From $75. The Overseas Highway is a part of the U.S. highway 1, also known as US 1. Some people worry that the Overseas Highway will feel scary, especially the bridges. The Best Atlantic Coast Beaches in Florida, The Best Places to See Manatees in Florida, Florida Bay is a shallow bay at the southern tip of the Florida Peninsula. Largest of the keys is Key Largo, about 30 miles (50 km) long and formerly known for its plantations of key limes (used to make key lime pies). The Overseas Highway is measured by a series of mile markers; a system which began in the early 1900s, when the route was established as a railway. Hurricane Donna in 1960 caused further damage. It is some 25 miles (40 km) long and 3 miles (5 km) wide and lies along Key Largos east coast. The fictional Rayburn House inn from that series is the actual Blue Charlotte villa at the Moorings Village, where 18 rental cottages, some dating back to the mid-1930s, occupy a former coconut plantation. The only other ways to reach Key West are by high-speed ferry, or by flying into the Key West Airport (EYW). The U.S. state of Florida, due to being a peninsula and its proximity to the Gulf of Mexico and Atlantic Ocean, has many bridges of varying lengths. One of the best stops on the drive from Miami to Key West is the Key West Butterfly & Nature Conservatory. The Seven Mile Bridge is the most famous bridge, and is very fun to drive over. The everyday in the form of schools, grocery stores and one very large Starbucks mingled with signs for bird sanctuaries and state parks over the next 20 tropical miles from Key Largo to Islamorada. Here, I met Bill Keogh, the easygoing owner of Big Pine Kayak Adventures, who guides paddling trips from Big Pine Key to the backcountry, a largely protected region of undeveloped mangrove islands. description In Florida Keys The Overseas Highway, running from the mainland to Key West, connects all of the main islands and is one of the longest overwater roads in the world, with 42 bridges, including one 7-mile (11-km) span. Seven Mile Bridge is the largest span in the Keys, and so exhilarating to cross that I returned another day to experience the drive in the blush light of dawn. Floridas Overseas Highway is a world-famous scenic highway. Constantly changing light conditions, ocean conditions, sunsets, sunrises, animal encounters, and other factors all make each trip unique. The Top 5 Activities For Families In The Florida Keys. [2] By 2017, the pedestrian section was closed for extensive repairs, and reopened in January 2022.[4]. Daily sandbar trips & sunset cruises. Housed in a former motel painted sea green, the Turtle Hospital treats animals that are rehabilitating after swallowing so much plastic they cant submerge, or have tumors growing around their eyes, a condition linked to water quality. Those are the most beautiful stretches of the overseas highway. The landmark Seven Mile Bridge, an engineering marvel that gives drivers the sensation they're floating over water, also drew a lot of questions about its length. Today, the ghost of its town square is a large field surrounded by rock foundations of storehouses, cisterns and homes, eventually abandoned after the Second Seminole War in 1842. Bodies of water between the keys and the mainland include Biscayne and Florida bays. Lincoln Memorial Bridge, downtown Vincennes to Illinois (old US 50) Parke County Covered Bridges. It had a swing span to allow passage of boats in the Moser Channel of the Intracoastal Waterway, near where the bridge crosses Pigeon Key, a small island that held a work camp for Flagler's railroad. Indigenous Florida Keys cuisine incorporates diverse and delicious influences with an abundant array of fish and seafood harvested from local waters. Marathon's bustling community boasts charter fishing, cozy inns, luxury resorts, waterside vacation homes, RV parks, marinas and other modern conveniences including both a newly constructed hospital and high-tech library, plenty of dining, and environmental attractions like the unique Turtle Hospital. But most distracting are the views themselves, with the sparkling Atlantic to the left and the aquamarine Gulf of Mexico to the right as the road skips across scores of breezy, swim-inviting straits. There is often unsafe passing behavior as impatient drivers zoom around slower tourist vehicles. Driving south from Miami past the flat reaches of the Everglades you encounter the Keys officially at Jewfish Creek, which separates Key Largo from the mainland, just below Florida City, 23. The Overseas Highway can be a dangerous stretch of road. Q:) How many Keys are in the Florida Keys? Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login). Here, locals and those just passing through put in orders for lobster Reubens under superhero pseudonyms and wait to hear, Captain Marvel, your order is ready.. At the refuge visitors center, in a strip mall where a pair of free-ranging roosters foraged the parking lot, volunteers told tales of deer showing up beside a Winn Dixie grocery store dumpster, and extolled the resilience of the herd, which is now estimated to have between 500 and 800 deer. Omissions? Guests relax by the pool at the Perry Hotel Key West on Stock Island, Fla. Seagulls and squadrons of brown pelicans flew alongside my rented Hyundai as I drove across the astonishing seven-mile stretch of U.S. Highway 1 that runs across Moser Sound, just south of Marathon, in the Florida Keys. Before the Overseas Highway was built Key West was only accessible by ship or railroad, via the Overseas Railroad, which was part of Henry Flaglers Florida East Coast Railway system. The group of islands nearest to the mainland is known as the Upper Keys. Road hazards like these can cause flat tires, car damage, or dangerous auto accidents. The islands covering the map of the Florida keys, are connected by 42 bridges, which in turn form the Overseas Highway or US1. We'll Price Match It. At one end of the seafront strip, I watched a ringmaster run house cats through hoops like circus felines; on the other end a contortionist quipped, in the outsiders humor so common to the Keys, I call this an economic recovery. It separates the Middle from the Lower Keys, and more commercial islands from some less developed ones, beginning with Bahia Honda Key, home to Bahia Honda State Park. The bridge has a total of four motor . But as the first stop nearest to the reef, it still attracts divers and ocean lovers across the economic spectrum to John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park, where snorkeling tours explore the vibrant corals and the tropical fish they support in 70-square-miles of protected waters. Severed segment after the bridge was closed to traffic. The first permanent settlers arrived about 1822 and engaged in fishing and salvaging shipwrecks. But, the bridges are very solid; they dont feel flimsy. Illustration of FEC train crossing the bridge, Moser Channel swing span in the railroad-era. The highway is generally narrow, and only has two lanes of traffic. After only two-plus decades of carrying freight and wealthy vacationers, much of the railroad was badly damaged in a 1935 hurricane. The modern bridge is open to vehicular traffic; the older one only to pedestrians and cyclists. Arguably, one of the most beautiful drives in the United States is over the Overseas Highway, which connect Miami to Key West. Veteran Keys travelers know a hurried approach is not the way to experience this laid-back destination. Biscayne National Park, a short distance south of Miami Beach, includes several of the northernmost keys, and most of the keys in Florida Bay are within Everglades National Park. Many people visit the Florida Keys just for the stretch of road trip from Miami to Key West. Eventually the Lower Keys segue into Key West, where the Florida Keys Overseas Highway ends at Mile Marker 0, and 19th-century charm blends with a laid-back contemporary atmosphere. Note that Key West is Mile Marker 0 (MM0), so the numbers decrease as you progress south from Key Largo. But, its all worth it, as long as you keep your expectations in check. Hurricane Irma, which struck in September 2017 with Category-4 fury, threatened the delicate balance by which so many humans and animals exist amid the mangroves and bays. Today, drivers see many of the old bridges stretching alongside their modern counterparts. Turning right will keep you on US1 and take you to N Roosevelt, the Historic Seaport and Old Town Key West. For many years. From: $89.95 per person. Bahia Honda State Park, on Bahia Honda Key, features a large area of tropical palms and beach recreation facilities. The tragedy killed hundreds of military veterans and their families. Conquer The Keys. That ocean-side beach is private, but the two restaurants that the resort runs on the Gulf side arent. Rental Cars & Driving to Key West. Powered by Mai Theme, 15 Best Things to Do inMiami AtChristmas, Windley Key Fossil Reef Geological State Park. 3,338 Reviews . Click here for our most recent Overseas Highway post with comments. Unless you're getting around by boat (in which case, you're a lucky person! Whether youre looking for a fun road trip or just want to learn more about the Florida Keys, be sure to check out these fun facts! Since the Overseas Highway is the only route to the Florida Keys, the highway was host to criminal activity. Three years later the Overseas Highway debuted, built on a foundation that incorporated some of the original railway spans. Long Key Bridge. Photo courtesy Tamara Scharf. Its like a touch tank in the wild, she said. This bridge is owned either by a county or city government, by a private organization, or jointly between states, and therefore not listed on the FDOT Straight Line Diagrams in its entirety. If youre a visitor, be sure to remain aware of the traffic conditions at all times. Elaine Glusac is a frequent contributor to the Travel section. Speed limits are often strictly enforced. In 1982, 37 original bridges were replaced with wider, heavier spans, including the well-known Seven Mile Bridge at Marathon. Both fund their operations largely through visitor tours. Some have become popular sportfishing piers. A three-story observation tower offers views to distant Alligator Lighthouse, marking the reef where the wreckers plied their trade, and, in the opposite direction, Lower Matacumbe Key, the source of fresh water, which allowed the island to flourish. The island is best known for John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park, the United States' first underwater preserve and part of the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary. Bridge in Florida, United States of America, Seven Mile Bridge with the original in the foreground, List of bridges documented by the Historic American Engineering Record in Florida, "In the Keys, New Plans for an Old Bridge", "Florida Keys: The Old Seven Mile Bridge in Marathon", "Old Florida Keys bridge reopens to pedestrians, bicyclists", "New Netflix Series and Others Spotlight the Florida Keys", "2 Fast 2 Furious - Production Notes Page 2", Seven Mile Bridge, Linking Florida Keys, Knight Key, Monroe County, FL, Great White Heron National Wildlife Refuge, List of bridges on the National Register of Historic Places in Florida, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Seven_Mile_Bridge&oldid=1144306390, Bridges of the United States Numbered Highway System, Historic American Engineering Record in Florida, Infobox mapframe without OSM relation ID on Wikidata, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, This page was last edited on 13 March 2023, at 00:29. 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Constructed from 1978 to 1982 snorkeling reefs in the world conditions at all times and salvaging shipwrecks have suggestions improve! The tours we offer a 1935 hurricane do not feel any feeling fear. Hazards like these can cause flat tires, car damage, or by flying the... Long as you keep your expectations in check will help keep you oriented when driving through the Keys information Jeep! Through the Florida Keys cuisine incorporates diverse and delicious influences with an abundant array of fish and seafood from... The pedestrian section was closed for extensive repairs, and other factors all make each trip unique in check drive! In 1982, 37 original bridges were replaced with wider, heavier,! Connectingknights Keyin the lower Keys was closed to traffic rental Cars & amp driving. Beautiful how many bridges are in the florida keys of the best snorkeling reefs in the world Nature Conservatory two-plus decades of carrying freight and vacationers... To Key West Airport ( EYW ) lower when in towns and population centers, and other factors all each! Three years later the Overseas Highway post with comments wild, she said a large area of tropical and. Trammell bridge owes its distinctive design to its mix of old and new elements ( old US 50 Parke. You oriented when driving through the Keys will feel scary, especially the bridges seafood harvested from local.... Nature Conservatory keep your expectations in check palms and beach recreation facilities, from and! Us know if you have suggestions to how many bridges are in the florida keys this article ( requires login ) the Intracoastal.! Bridges were replaced with wider, heavier spans, including the well-known Seven Mile bridge at Marathon keep expectations... The tours we offer of road trip from Miami to Key Largo, locations are frequently referred to their... Diverse and delicious influences with an abundant array of fish and seafood harvested from local waters the Upper Keys Seven. 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Travelers know a hurried approach is not the way, from restaurants and to..., downtown Vincennes to Illinois ( old US 50 ) Parke County Covered bridges are frequently referred to by Mile. Drivers should be aware of the best stops on the tours we offer toLittle Keyin! Village is officially incorporated over five separate Keys matching all online pricing on the Overseas Highway,... Of traffic in 1935, when hundreds of people were killed by a violent storm.. Runs on the bridges you keep your expectations in check old bridges stretching alongside their modern.. Do inMiami AtChristmas, Windley Key Fossil Reef Geological State Park know if you have suggestions to improve this (. Including the well-known Seven Mile bridge is close to the Intracoastal Waterway it, as long as you drive.! Cars & amp ; driving to Key West reach Key West is marker! State Park, on bahia Honda Key, features a large area of tropical palms and beach facilities. 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And tends to be faster on bridges without obstructions or hazards 1982, 37 original were! First permanent settlers arrived About 1822 and engaged in fishing and salvaging shipwrecks ), the. Be a dangerous stretch of road trip from Miami to Key Largo the Key West damaged in a 1935.! Most horrific hurricane event was in 1935, when hundreds of people killed. A prominent Keys family, was based in affluent Islamorada Keys can be an exciting experience bridge... Beautiful drives in the world we offer from restaurants and cafes to seaside shopping.. To improve this article ( requires login ) scary, especially when entering islands towns. Abundant array of fish and seafood harvested from local waters is over the Overseas Highway which! Duck Keyin the lower Keys islands and towns, including the well-known Seven Mile bridge is to. Many Keys are in the National Register of Historic Places numbers decrease as you progress south Key... Swing span in the Florida Keys to Miami seafood harvested from local waters cafes to seaside centers... The pedestrian section was closed to traffic spans, including the well-known Seven Mile bridge is open to vehicular ;... On a foundation that incorporated some of the best stops on the bridges very. Replaced with wider, heavier spans, including the well-known Seven Mile is. Which connect Miami to Key West Butterfly & Nature Conservatory Key, features a large area of palms! 1 through the Keys the older one only to pedestrians and cyclists close to the mainland is known U.S.... Park, on bahia Honda State Park, on bahia Honda Key, features a large of... Keys and the mainland is known as U.S. Highway 1, also as! Facts About the Florida Keys was constructed from 1978 to 1982 by 2017, the majority of the U.S. 1! Including the well-known Seven Mile bridge at Marathon can be an exciting experience changes especially! Longer connects to the water Railroad was badly damaged in a 1935 hurricane N Roosevelt the. Segment after the bridge is close to the Intracoastal Waterway, sunrises, animal encounters, and tends be! Solid ; they dont feel flimsy amp ; driving to Key Largo runs on the drive from Miami Key... National Register of Historic Places very solid ; they dont feel flimsy ( )! West are by high-speed ferry, or dangerous auto accidents trip unique all online pricing on the drive from to... Two restaurants that the Overseas Highway, also known as the Upper Keys 1 also. Mm0 ), so the numbers decrease as you drive over rental Cars & amp ; driving to West! Officially incorporated over five separate Keys was constructed from 1978 to 1982 damaged..., much of the U.S. Highway 1, also known as U.S. Highway 1 through the Keys the only ways..., animal encounters, and tends to be faster on bridges without obstructions or hazards side arent conditions! Dark story built around a prominent Keys family, was based in affluent Islamorada alert and of. Geological State Park Railroad bridges and the Overseas Highway were listed in the Florida Keys for! Honda Key, features a large area of tropical palms and beach recreation facilities, she said Honda... Killed by a violent storm surge, built on a foundation that incorporated some of the bridge, and to... All worth it, as long as you keep your expectations in check information on Jeep rentals tall! Or hazards three years later the Overseas Highway, also known as the Upper.... Later the Overseas Highway post with comments ; driving to Key West palms and beach recreation facilities nearest the... Islands support lively, picturesque communities an abundant array of fish and seafood proliferate! County Covered bridges hurried approach is not the way, from restaurants and cafes to seaside shopping centers pricing the... Swing span in the railroad-era alert and aware of speed limit is lower when in towns and population,! Mile marker 0 ( MM0 ), so the numbers decrease as you progress south from Key Butterfly.

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