Southern Boulevard Bridge
Photos
Southern Boulevard Bridge
West Palm Beach FL
Photo taken by Douglas Butler in April 2013
BH Photo #271910
Facts
- Overview
- Bascule bridge over Intracoastal Waterway on Southern Boulevard in West Palm Beach
- Location
- Palm Beach County, Florida
- Status
- Open to traffic
- History
- Built 1950
- Design
- Bascule
- Dimensions
-
Total length: 957.1 ft.
- Approximate latitude, longitude
- +26.67528, -80.04833 (decimal degrees)
26°40'31" N, 80°02'54" W (degrees°minutes'seconds") - Approximate UTM coordinates
- 17/594692/2950823 (zone/easting/northing)
- Quadrangle map:
- Palm Beach
- Inventory numbers
- FDOT 930097 (Florida Dept. of Transportation bridge number)
BH 12473 (Bridgehunter.com ID) - Inspection (as of 09/2015)
- Deck condition rating: Fair (5 out of 9)
Superstructure condition rating: Fair (5 out of 9)
Substructure condition rating: Poor (4 out of 9)
Appraisal: Structurally deficient
Sufficiency rating: 46.1 (out of 100) - Average daily traffic (as of 2015)
- 11,400
Update Log
- July 24, 2017: New photo from Douglas Butler
- December 14, 2013: New photo from Douglas Butler
- December 5, 2013: New Street View added by Nathan Holth
Sources
- Nathan Holth
- Douglas Butler
Comments
Yeah!
I hate living in a world that revolves around liability. Letting people ride on the bridge is cool!
The Aerial Lift Bridge in Duluth, MN, uses a voice recording to announce the bridge is about to move. They used to allow pedestrians to ride up with the span, but insurance liability prohibits it now.
Warnings before movement of a movable bridge seem to vary from place to place. In Port Huron, MI, someone always comes over the megaphone saying "Bridge Going Up/Down." Other places, I have not seen this done. Some bridges are operated only after a loud, piercing air horn or siren is sounded. In Chicago, with highway bascules, the only auditory announcement is the gate bells. However, those bridges are only operated after the team of bridge operators has checked to make sure everyone is clear from the bridge.
QUICK COMMENT, YOU HAVE ONE INDIVIDUAL THAT LOVES HIS VOICE AND THE LOUD SPEAKER, REALLY NOT NECCESSARY TO INFORMN THE SURROUNDING AREA THAT THE BRIDGE IS GOING UP OR DOWN. I HAVE SPOKEN TO HIM IN THE PAST, HE HAS IMPROVED BUT CONTINUES TO VOICE HIS ALMOST AGGRESSIVE TONE, AT TIMES I'M SURE IT'S UNDERSTANDABLE BUT COME ON. I ALSO UNDERSTAND THAT IF IT'S A LIABILITY ISSUE, WELL FISHING SHOULD BE PROHITED ON SOUTHERN BRIDGE.
This page's URL is http://bridgehunter.com/fl/palm-beach/930097/
If it weren't for liability, in our inconceivably litigious world, I imagine not only would we be able to do such neat things, but also countless historic bridges would be saved in place. Given the stories my grandparents have told, it hasn't always been this way, and things were much better back in those days! Gawd, I sound like a reminiscing old-timer already at 23...