Astor Bridge, Bascule road bridge in Astor, Florida, US
Astor Bridge is a single-leaf bascule bridge carrying State Road 40 over the St. Johns River at Astor, Florida, into Volusia. The current span dates from 1980, when the Houdallie-Duval-Wright Co. of Jacksonville built it for $4,060,575. Its decking was replaced in the early 1990s and again in a $788,000 project in 2012.
In 1926, a wooden bridge replaced the ferry service that once crossed the river. The present steel structure was completed in 1980, significantly modernizing the crossing.
The bridge naming sparked discussions between Astor and Volusia communities until 1989, when officials formally designated it as the Astor Bridge.
The bridge lifts regularly to allow ships to pass, so wait times may occur when crossing. Visitors should be flexible and may need to pause briefly if the mechanism is operating.
After the 1980 bridge opened, the old tender's house was moved first to the Blackwater Inn next to the bridge, then to the Pioneer Settlement for Creative Arts in Barberville, where it is kept on display. Five tenders still operate the current bridge for river traffic.
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