Buckman Bridge

The Henry Holland Buckman Bridge in Jacksonville, Florida, is a major thoroughfare that carries the West Beltway of Interstate 295 across the St. Johns River. It is named after Henry Holland Buckman, an influential politician and attorney who played a key role in building Florida's state highway network. When the bridge opened in 1970, it replaced long detours that had previously been necessary to cross the river between Orange Park and Mandarin. Construction was technically challenging: as the concrete cured, bacteria in the salty water produced methane gas, which caused the first piles to explode and forced a change in building methods. Today it is a girder bridge roughly 3 miles (5 km) long, designed as two separate structures for eastbound and westbound traffic. From the bridge, visitors and drivers enjoy sweeping views of downtown Jacksonville and Naval Air Station Jacksonville to the north. On clear days, you can even see the power plant in Palatka to the south. Although it serves purely as transportation infrastructure, the bridge offers impressive views of the river landscape and the city skyline.