Blackburn Point Bridge, Historic swing road bridge in Osprey, Florida.
Blackburn Point Bridge is a road bridge in Osprey, Florida, built as a metal Warren pony truss spanning the Gulf Intracoastal Waterway. At its center, a pivot mechanism allows the entire span to rotate horizontally so that boats can move through the waterway beneath.
The bridge was built in 1926 by the Champion Bridge Company, based in Wilmington, Ohio, as one of the first road links between the Florida mainland and Casey Key. It was later added to the National Register of Historic Places, recognizing its place in the early development of Florida's coastal road network.
The bridge connects the mainland to Casey Key and is used daily by people who live on the island or visit its beaches. When the span swings open for passing boats, drivers wait briefly at the signals, giving a clear sense of how waterway and road traffic share the same crossing point.
The bridge is a one-lane steel truss swing bridge on Blackburn Point Road, so vehicles cross in a single direction at a time. Its swing span opens for boats on the Gulf Intracoastal Waterway, and port and starboard signals on the north truss guide waiting traffic. Navigation clearance is 9 feet vertical and 51 feet horizontal.
The bridge's 7.5 horsepower motor, fitted in the 1970s to turn the pony truss span, is a later addition to the 1926 structure. Port and starboard signals sit along the north truss. A barge struck the bridge in 1981, and in 1987 it was brought to shore for extensive repairs.
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