Roosevelt Bridge — Local services in Stuart

The Roosevelt Bridge is a segmental bridge that carries US 1 over the St. Lucie River. Before a bridge was built residents of the area had to cross the river in a canoe or rowboat. The first bridge, the Henry Flagler Bridge was a 14 foot wide bridge built in 1918 for a cost for a modest by todays standards cost of $90,000. In 1932 it was replaced with a bridge named for President Franklin D. Roosevelt at a cost of $500,000. It was parallel drawbridges, one north and one south. Unfortunately the bridge was always malfunctioning or had to open too often to allow the boat traffic to go through which caused traffic jams and a lot of frustration in Stuart. It could not handle the growth of population in the area. A common refrain around Stuart was I got stuck on the Roosevelt Bridge! Replacing the old bridge while a good idea was no easy task. It took 15 years of lobbying in Tallahassee and Washington, D.C.. Some people wanted to replace the bridge with a tunnel which would allow cars and boats to move more easily and not interfere with the city skyline. Another idea proposed was a covered canal for boats. A coalition was created named Save Our Stuart to come up with the best idea to solve the problem. The final solution was to allow the north portion of the old bridge to stay open and to build a new bridge.

The new bridge was was designed by LoBuono, Armstrong and Associates and it was built in 1996 at a cost of $83.7 million dollars, 80 percent of which was federal money. It took three years to complete. It is much higher and longer than the bridge that it replaced. It rises to a height of 65 feet above the river giving a stunning view of the city of Stuart. It is 4,566 feet which is 1.3 miles from shore to shore. It has two spans, each of which are 62 feet wide. There are two three lane sections that run parallel to each other. The bridge has two electric golf carts inside it, one on each span which allows maintenance workers to move quickly for repairs. Each of the 1,112 concrete segments were poured in a facility in White City and then trucked to the bridge site where they were put in place by a giant gantry crane nicknamed Elmer. A 500-foot-long fishing pier extends under the bridge allowing anglers prime access to the river. Besides going over the bridge a great view of it can be had at Flagler park which is at the base of the bridge.

it has been largely agreed that the new bridge has been good for the city of Stuart. Some businesses were lost due to demolition or no access but new businesses have sprung up north and south of the bridge, The bridge has allowed access to downtown Stuart to grow while preserving it. Previous plans called for demolishing parts of the downtown area to make way for the bridge but happily that was avoided. The bridge allows more more people to come to the area which vitalizes what might have remained a sleepy...

What a lovely structure and unique place to appreciate in Stuart. Usually, you see bridges while driving over them or from a distance, but the best part of this bridge is the underneath section. It's really cool! The architecture is unique, and the micro gap between the north and south lanes creates a cool leading line. The white columns are almost high-key and have a tunneling effect that is pleasant to look at. Of course, plenty of fishing and walking are available, plus restaurants that I will check out next time. Parking was a small challenge, so be prepared to walk. If you find a spot, note that...

The Roosevelt bridge in Stuart connects the city of Stuart with Jensen Beach and Port St Lucie , Fort Pierce , Vero Beach , and a host of businesses , GOVERNMENT services , restaurants , schools , SPORTING venues , TREASURE COAST SQUARE Mall and INDIAN RIVER Mall in Vero Beach . The bridge offers biking and walking pathways on both Northbound and southbound sides for those of us who pursue Fitness and or the benefits of being outside on a beautiful day . THANK YOU . RICH ...