Merrill P. Barber Bridge, Concrete arch bridge in Indian River County, Florida.
The Merrill P. Barber Bridge is a concrete arch bridge that crosses the Indian River Intracoastal Waterway and carries State Road 60 traffic across the lagoon. The structure connects Vero Beach to the barrier island and serves as a key transportation link for the area.
The bridge replaced an earlier steel bascule bridge from 1951 when it was built in 1995, marking a major upgrade to the region's transportation infrastructure. This change enabled better traffic flow across the Indian River to the barrier island.
The bridge bears the name of Merrill P. Barber, a former mayor of Vero Beach whose legacy remains connected to local governance and community development. This naming reflects how the structure ties into the region's civic identity.
A fishing pier on the east side beneath the bridge offers direct access for recreational fishing and water observation. This spot is easy to reach and provides a practical way to experience the waterway up close.
Steel components from the earlier bridge were repurposed after it was demolished, with some parts ending up at Walt Disney World and others becoming an artificial reef underwater. This creative reuse of the old structure shows how infrastructure materials found new purposes beyond the original location.
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