Slow Disintegration - a photo on Flickriver

Bahia Honda Rail Bridge - last used 50 years ago
110-Year-Old Decaying Bridge to Nowhere
The Florida Keys U.S.A. - March 21st, 2022

*[left-double-click for a closer-look - 1938 narrow bridge-road]

*[narrow-lanes and 'no shoulder' - very often mirrors clipped!]

*[not driven or walked-on for 50 years - 50 Years of Decay]

*[FYI: these last 3 pics, 3 different perspective/angles of
the bridge, were all taken within 5 minutes...and 'the light'
is 'completely different' in all three captures! Mind-boggling!}

Bear with me. I felt compelled to do a series of shots of my favorite bridge in the world, with her magnificent colors of water and sky. I visit only once a year (for 48 straight years), and every time there is nobody here, leaving her and her ruins lonely and forgotten. I will never forget her beauty, or Henry Flagler. Thank you for looking.

The Bahia Honda Rail Bridge is a disused bridge in the lower Florida Keys connecting Bahia Honda Key with Spanish Harbor Key. Originally part of the Overseas Railway, the State of Florida purchased it after the 1935 Labor Day Hurricane and converted it to provide automobile use as part of the Overseas Highway in 1938. After a replacement Bahia Honda Bridge was opened in 1972, two spans of the bridge were removed (in the 80's) to accommodate boat traffic and make the majority of the bridge inaccessible to pedestrian traffic, but the rest remain standing. Red bridge-rust.

It was originally built by Henry Flagler as part of the Overseas Railroad which was completed in 1912. Flagler funded the construction of the bridge, along with the rest of the railway himself. It was purchased by the state of Florida and converted for highway use in 1938 after the Labor Day Hurricane of 1935. Rather than completely rebuilding the bridge after the hurricane, the existing structure was repaired and the deck for the Overseas Highway was added on top, as the existing deck inside the truss was too narrow for vehicular traffic. The bridge served as the primary mode of transport to the islands of the lower Keys, and as a primary evacuation route for many years, before its closing.

A new four-lane bridge was built in 1980, a few hundred yards north of the old bridge, replacing the old route of U.S. 1. Today, the former bridge provides a scenic overview of the area for tourists. Two of the truss spans have been removed in order to facilitate boat traffic, as the new bridge has an increased span height. The original bridge has fallen into a state of disrepair and signs have been posted on the bridge warning boat traffic to watch for falling debris, but all of the sections have remained standing (not counting the two that were removed). The easternmost section remains open to pedestrian traffic and is maintained by Bahia Honda State Park. Bahia Honda Rail Bridge ~ Spanish Harbor Key ~ Lower Keys

www.google.com/url?q=http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bahia_H...

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Florida_East_Coast_Railway#History

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Overseas_Railroad

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Overseas_Highway

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Florida_keys

Modern Marvels video - (long, but very, very interesting!)
Bahia Honda Bridge history - Keys History & Information
www.youtube.com/watch?v=H8k-ntS9aEg

Taken in: United States / Florida / Deans Trailer Park (show map)

Taken on: March 21, 2022

Tags:

Florida Photography

bridge

Spanish Harbor Key

Bahia Honda Key

Florida Keys

current

Bahia Honda Rail Bridge

United States

Built 1912

Henry Flagler

pioneer

historic bridge

3/21/22

wide angle

clear water

seascape

channel

Historic Florida Bridge

island chain

landscape

length: 5055 feet

cloudy

depth: 24 feet

steel truss

110 years old

closed

concrete

steel

rust

decay

original rail bridge

converted roadway

blue sky

blue ocean

This Old Bridge

wings

Atlantic Ocean

bird

Continuous Decay

rust never sleeps

Beauty of Blue/Green

Bridge to Nowhere

Lower Keys

Sea & Sky

The Old Bridge

stands

End Of The Line

trestle

pier-heads

moving water

rubble

signs

grey

strong current

clouds

110 years old in 2022

Rusty Red Skeleton

Red Rail-Bridge Rust

Little Left-Lean

bent

Narrow Lanes

vertical

no shoulder

yellow lines

Incline

to Heaven

lean

Bits & Pieces

debris

Rough Seas

very breezy

Moser Channel

fast water

Slow Disintegration « less

Sets appears in: • Florida Wetlands • Key West 2022 more » • Middle Keys 2012-22 • The View « less

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Camera: Canon EOS RP, f/10.0, 1/400 sec, 38mm, ISO 100 (more info) (hide info)

Camera:	Canon EOS RP
Aperture:	f/10.0
Exposure Time:	0.003 sec (1/400)
Focal Length:	38mm
ISO:	100
Exposure Bias:	0 EV
Flash:	No Flash
Exposure Program:	Program AE
Exposure Mode:	Auto
Metering Mode:	Multi-segment
White Balance:	Auto
Color Space:	sRGB
Software:	Windows Photo Editor 10.0.10011.16384
Show full info

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