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Memorial Causeway Bridge looking left from under the bridge toward Clearwater, Beach.

The Clearwater Memorial Causeway is an elegant four-lane, fixed span bridge that spans the Intercoastal Waterway between downtown Clearwater and Clearwater Beach. The bridge carries the State Road 60 designation and is locally and nationally known for its pedestrian greenways and walkways (and was designated as Great Florida Birding Trail several years ago) and elegant bridge appearance and structure. It is also a major evacuation route during hurricane season. However, the bridge is most negatively known in the Tampa Bay area for its shoddy construction process and contractor mishaps (similar to its Tampanian counterpart on the Lee Roy Selmon Crosstown Expressway). As a result of the work, the bridge opened to traffic over a year behind schedule. Image File history File links Wiki_letter_w. ... Categories: Stub ... 1st incorporation date 1891 2nd Incorporation date 1915 Zip Codes 33755-65 County Pinellas (county seat) Mayor Frank Hibbard Population  - City (2005)  - Tampa Bay Metro   108,687 2,600,000 (estimate) Time zone Eastern: UTC-5 Latitude Longitude 27°58 N 82°46 W City of Clearwaters Official Website... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... Landsat image of Tampa Bay Tampa Bay is a large natural harbor and estuary along the Gulf of Mexico on the western coast of Florida, made up of Old Tampa Bay, Hillsborough Bay, McKay Bay, and the New Tampa Bay. ... The Lee Roy Selmon Crosstown Expressway is a toll road in Hillsborough County, Florida, connecting I-75 in Brandon, Florida on the the east side to southwest Tampa, Florida at the west side. ...

History

The original Memorial Causeway Bridge was a two-lane flat span that opened in the 1920s. It connected downtown Clearwater and Clearwater Beach for nearly thirty-plus years until it was replaced by a bascule bridge in the 1950s. A portion of the original bridge was demolished with the remaining section kept open as a fishing pier.

Even though the bascule bridge served the needs of Clearwater through its entire lifespan, it became clear in the mid 1990s that a replacement span would be needed. Increasing boat traffic would raise the bridge numerous times throughout any given day, which proved to be especially dangerous when a line of westbound traffic exceeded the bridge approach and extended across the Pierce Blvd intersection. Many alternatives and designs were considered during the planning process, including concepts that ranged from a higher drawbridge to a miniature Sunshine Skyway type bridge. The final design was chosen in 1998 and construction commenced in 2001. The bridge opened to traffic in August 2005.

A full chronology of the bridge construction is coming soon due to a lack of sources. More sources are being gathered at this time.

References

2004 News Articles

• Bridge columns to come down St Petersburg Times - July 29, 2004

2005 News Articles

• New span done, old one to be torn down St Petersburg Times - August 20, 2005.
• SCENIC RUN CELEBRATES NEW BRIDGE St Petersburg Times - August 28, 2005.
• Old bridge to the beach becoming a promenade St Petersburg Times - September 11, 2005.
• Dynamite to destroy part of old drawbridge St Petersburg Times - September 17, 2006.
• Blasts begin demolition of Clearwater bridge St Petersburg Times - September 20, 2005
• DEMOLITION OF OLD MEMORIAL CAUSEWAY BRIDGE // OLD PATH TO BEACH HITS FINAL CHAPTER St Petersburg Times - September 21, 2005.

Other Sources

• Memorial Causeway Bridge Construction Information