Bahia Honda Rail Bridge

Bahia Honda Rail Bridge is a steel structure in the Florida Keys that connects two small islands across approximately one mile of open water. It rises on concrete piers above shallow turquoise channels, with several truss sections still visible from the park shoreline below.

Henry Flagler built this railroad crossing in 1912 as part of a line linking Miami to Key West through the island chain. A major hurricane destroyed sections of the rail route in 1935, and workers later adapted the structure to carry road traffic.

The bridge structure reflects early 20th-century American engineering methods, featuring both Parker and Pratt truss designs in its railroad architecture.

A section of the old railroad span is reachable on foot from within Bahia Honda State Park and offers views over the water. Other portions remain closed for safety, but the framework can be seen clearly from the beach and nearby trails.

The structure was the longest pin-connected framework in the United States and crosses the deepest channel in the Keys. Its original design used both Parker and Pratt truss forms, which was unusual for railroad crossings of that era.

Location: Florida

Official opening: 1912

GPS coordinates: 24.65520,-81.29253

Latest update: December 5, 2025 22:28