Rocky Creek Bridge, Deck arch bridge on California State Route 1, United States
Rocky Creek Bridge is a 497-foot reinforced concrete open-spandrel arch bridge on State Route 1 in Monterey County, about 12 miles south of Carmel and a mile north of Bixby Creek Bridge. Its main parabolic arch spans 239 feet, and it carries a decorative cantilevered walkway and railings with arched-window openings. It is one of the seven Big Sur Arches.
Construction finished in 1932 as part of the Carmel-San Simeon Highway project, which connected settlements along Big Sur. It was built during a period when advanced concrete techniques allowed engineers to create daring structures across difficult terrain.
Rocky Creek Bridge is one of the seven Big Sur Arches along State Route 1, and its design follows the Art Deco style of the early 1930s. The bridge carries the official name Ben Jones, though drivers know it by the creek it crosses. Its decorative cantilevered walkway and arched-window railings are details a visitor can pick out from the turnout.
A designated parking area northwest of the structure provides viewing access and space to take photographs. Visitors should expect variable weather conditions, as coastal fog often limits visibility.
The bridge's official name honours Ben Jones, and it is one of seven similar spans along Route 1 called the Big Sur Arches. The mouth of Rocky Creek below is habitat for the endangered southern sea otter, and a ridge above the bridge holds one of the few known sites of Yadon's piperia, a rare orchid.
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