Snake Creek Bridge - Wikipedia - Recent changes [en]

==History==

==History==

[[File:Aerial view of Snake Creek Bridge from the NE - Plantation Key.jpg|thumb|left|Snake Creek Bridge in 2013]]

[[File:Aerial view of Snake Creek Bridge from the NE - Plantation Key.jpg|thumb|left|Snake Creek Bridge from the northeast]]

The current bridge is the fourth bridge that has existed at this location. The first bridge, which carried the [[Overseas Railroad]], was built in the early 1900s. A second bridge built in the 1920s next to the railroad bridge carried the first [[Overseas Highway]] (State Road 4A), which paralleled the railroad on the south side. The railroad was abandoned in 1935 as a result of the [[Labor Day Hurricane of 1935|Labor Day Hurricane]]. In the 1940s, the highway was rerouted onto the former railroad right of way and a new bridge was constructed.<ref>{{cite news |title=Road Department Gets Bids On New Overseas Highway |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/tampa-bay-times-road-department-gets-bid/176677427/ |access-date=17 July 2025 |newspaper=Tampa Bay Times |date=17 July 1942 |page=18 |via=Newspapers.com}}</ref><ref name="history">[http://www.keyshistory.org/osh.html History of Overseas Highway]</ref> The fourth and current bridge was completed in 1981 when a number of new bridges were being built to modernize the Overseas Highway.<ref>{{cite web|title=Snake Creek Canal Bridge|url=http://bridgehunter.com/fl/monroe/900077/|website=Bridge Hunter|access-date=20 April 2016}}</ref>. The current bridge was the first at the site to be a drawbridge. All previous bridges were low-level fixed bridges. The drawbridge was included to provide an additional navigable channel between the keys.<ref>{{cite news |title=Hearing Set on Channel Bridge |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-miami-herald-hearing-set-on-channel/176633745/ |access-date=17 July 2025 |newspaper=The Miami Herald |date=25 August 1976 |page=111 |via=Newspapers.com}}</ref>

The current bridge is the fourth bridge that has existed at this location. The first bridge, which carried the [[Overseas Railroad]], was built in the early 1900s. A second bridge built in the 1920s next to the railroad bridge carried the first [[Overseas Highway]] (State Road 4A), which paralleled the railroad on the south side. The railroad was abandoned in 1935 as a result of the [[Labor Day Hurricane of 1935|Labor Day Hurricane]]. In the 1940s, the highway was rerouted onto the former railroad right of way and a new bridge was constructed.<ref>{{cite news |title=Road Department Gets Bids On New Overseas Highway |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/tampa-bay-times-road-department-gets-bid/176677427/ |access-date=17 July 2025 |newspaper=Tampa Bay Times |date=17 July 1942 |page=18 |via=Newspapers.com}}</ref><ref name="history">[http://www.keyshistory.org/osh.html History of Overseas Highway]</ref> The fourth and current bridge was completed in 1981 when a number of new bridges were being built to modernize the Overseas Highway.<ref>{{cite web|title=Snake Creek Canal Bridge|url=http://bridgehunter.com/fl/monroe/900077/|website=Bridge Hunter|access-date=20 April 2016}}</ref>. The current bridge was the first at the site to be a drawbridge. All previous bridges were low-level fixed bridges. The drawbridge was included to provide an additional navigable channel between the keys.<ref>{{cite news |title=Hearing Set on Channel Bridge |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-miami-herald-hearing-set-on-channel/176633745/ |access-date=17 July 2025 |newspaper=The Miami Herald |date=25 August 1976 |page=111 |via=Newspapers.com}}</ref>