Fort Hamer Bridge

Fort Hamer Bridge is a bridge that spans the Manatee River between Lakewood Ranch and Parrish. It was built in 2015 and completed in 2017 by Johnson Brothers Corporation and was designed by AECOM (initially as URS before acquisition).[2] The name of the bridge comes from the former fort of the same name that resided nearby the bridge during the Seminole Wars.

Fort Hamer Bridge
The Fort Hamer Bridge in 2018.
Coordinates27°31′15″N 82°25′42″W
Carries2 lanes of Fort Hamer Road, pedestrians, and bicycles
CrossesManatee River
LocaleParrish, Florida
Official nameFort Hamer Bridge
Named forFort Hamer
OwnerManatee County
Maintained byManatee County
ID number134123
Websiteforthamerbridge.com
Characteristics
DesignBox girder
MaterialSteel, concrete
Total length2,318 ft (707 m)
Height32 ft (10 m)
Longest span144 ft (44 m)[1]
No. of spans18
No. of lanes2
History
Engineering design byAECOM (initially URS before acquisition)
Constructed byJohnson Brothers Corporation
Construction startMarch 19, 2015 (2015-03-19)[2]
Construction endAugust 2017
Construction cost$23.5 million[3]
OpenedOctober 18, 2017 (2017-10-18)
InauguratedOctober 18, 2017 (2017-10-18)
Statistics
Daily traffic15,900 (2017)[4]
TollNone
Location

History

A bridge over Manatee River was first proposed by the Manatee County Board of Commissioners on September 9, 1909.[2][5] The county proposed a $250,000 road bond, equivalent to $5,173,000 in 2019, to pay for construction of the bridge.[6] This proposal was abandoned due to opposition and lack of funds. It was proposed again by the County Commission in 1989 and added in the initial adoption of the County's Comprehensive Plan on May 11, 1989.[7]

Construction of the bridge broke ground on March 19, 2015. The bridge opened to vehicular traffic on October 18, 2017 after it was temporarily open a month prior as an evacuation route for Hurricane Irma.[2]

Accolades

The bridge was ranked No. 7 on Roads & Bridges Top 10 Bridges for 2017. The list compromises of bridges in North America and rates bridges based on project challenges, impact to the region, and scope of work.[8][9]

The project was also awarded "Highway/Bridge Best Project" in ENR as part of ENR Southeast's 2018 Best Projects.[1]

References
  1. "Highway/Bridge Best Project: Fort Hamer Bridge". ENR. October 23, 2018. Retrieved January 10, 2019.
  2. White, Dale (October 17, 2017). "Long-awaited Fort Hamer Bridge opens to traffic". Sarasota Herald-Tribune. Retrieved March 22, 2018.
  3. "Quick Facts". Fort Hamer Bridge. Retrieved March 21, 2018.
  4. "Florida Bridge Information – 2018 4th Quarter" (PDF). Florida Department of Transportation. October 1, 2018. Retrieved January 10, 2019.
  5. "Fort Hamer Bridge opens to traffic, connecting Manatee County's fastest growing areas". Manatee County Government. October 17, 2017. Retrieved March 22, 2018.
  6. White, Dale (July 13, 2014). "Fort Hamer Bridge battle has long history". Sarasota Herald-Tribune. Retrieved June 5, 2018.
  7. "Comprehensive Plan". Manatee County Government. March 19, 2018. Retrieved March 22, 2018.
  8. Jones Jr., James A. (January 9, 2018). "Fort Hamer Bridge makes magazine's list for top North American projects". Bradenton Herald. Retrieved September 26, 2018.
  9. "Top 10 Bridges for 2017". Road & Bridges. Retrieved September 26, 2018.
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