Mathews Bridge

Mathews Bridge is a cantilever road crossing that spans the St. Johns River in Jacksonville, forming part of the Arlington Expressway route. The structure uses a combination of different truss types to handle the span requirements across the river and approach areas.

Bethlehem Steel Company built this bridge in 1953 as a key component of the Arlington Expressway development. The completion provided a new river crossing that the city needed for growth and traffic flow.

The bridge wears a maroon color that connects to local sports tradition and the Jacksonville Bulls football team. This shade has become part of how residents and visitors recognize the bridge across the skyline.

This bridge carries daily traffic across the river with a roadway designed for vehicle flow and overhead clearance for boats below. Keep in mind this is an active highway, so visitors viewing it should stay on observation points rather than attempting to walk it.

The structure combines different construction methods and required extensive approach systems because of the low-lying terrain surrounding it. This mix of cantilever and continuous truss designs was necessary to work with the natural landscape.