The Melbourne Causeway is located entirely within Brevard County , Florida in the United States . It is composed of three bridges and connects the municipalities of Melbourne and Indialantic across the Indian River Lagoon in Brevard County. The causeway is part of U.S. 192 (also known as SR 500 ), whose eastern terminus is located approximately 2 miles (3.2 km) east of the bridge, at SR A1A . East of the bridge, the road is known locally as Fifth Avenue. On the western side, the road continues through downtown Melbourne as Strawbridge Avenue. Each July 4, the bridge is closed for a fireworks show.
11-660: There are two bridges in Melbourne, the Melbourne Causeway and the Eau Gallie Causeway ( SR 518 ) With the latter being named for the old city of Eau Gallie , which merged with Melbourne in 1969. Ernest Kouwen-Hoven began construction of the second bridge across the Indian River in 1919. The first bridge was completed 2 years earlier near Cocoa, Florida . By May 1921 the bridge was complete and unofficially opened as
22-741: A green dragon was built there. However, in 2002 most of the dragon collapsed into the river and was nearly destroyed. From 1945 until 1971, State Road 3 extended from Merritt Island to Melbourne over both Mathers Bridge and the Eau Gallie Causeway; after the opening of the Pineda Causeway , SR 3 was removed from the Eau Gallie Causeway, and State Road 518 has been crossing the Intracoastal Waterway over it (and connecting with Interstate 95 ) since then. William Jackson Creel Too Many Requests If you report this error to
33-414: A toll bridge. It was 9,706 feet (2,958 meters) or nearly 2 miles (3.2 km) long (3 kilometers). Approximately 1/3 of the way from Melbourne there was a 134-foot-long (41 m) hand-operated draw. On September 18, 1921, the bridge officially opened. A Mr. J. E. Campbell was the first to drive across the bridge. During construction three sawmills were built by Ernest Kouwen-Hoven. They did not all exist at
44-789: Is not used locally, and only appears in official government documents. These bridges are unremarkable, and have no appreciable change in grade. The easternmost relief bridge is commonly used by local fishermen. At the base of the causeway on the western side is the Kiwanis Park at Geiger Point, a 7-acre community park managed by the Brevard County Parks & Recreation. 28°05′10″N 80°35′13″W / 28.086°N 80.587°W / 28.086; -80.587 Eau Gallie Causeway The Eau Gallie Causeway connects Eau Gallie, Florida (which merged with Melbourne in 1969), with SR A1A near Indian Harbour Beach , across
55-584: The Indian River Lagoon . Located entirely within the Melbourne city limits, the causeway consists of a main bridge crossing over the Intracoastal Waterway and a relief bridge. The bridge is a key link in SR 518 , Eau Gallie Boulevard, of which the causeway is a part. In 1925, construction began on the first wooden bridge across the Indian River Lagoon . On February 22, 1926, George Washington's Birthday,
66-411: The bridge opened to traffic. The bridge connected to a sand trail that led to Canova Beach . At this time, there was no railing on the bridge for a year after its construction. There are no records that anyone fell off the bridge during this time. In 1944 a 200 feet (61 m) section of the bridge burned. On February 22, 1955, George Washington's Birthday, a new multimillion-dollar concrete bridge
77-644: The same time. The first one was in Melbourne Village, the second was on the Nevin Property on Merritt Island , and the third was 5 miles (8.0 km) west of Grant . The causeway between Indialantic and Melbourne was opened to traffic on August 1, 1939. The causeway consisted of fill material dredged from the bottom of the Indian River south of the causeway's location. The road surface was asphalt laid down and pressed by road rolling machines. The wooden bridge
88-476: The westbound span being constructed in 1977 and ending 2 years later. From bridge id numbers, it appears that the western relief bridges were also constructed during this time. Construction of the eastbound span did not begin until 1981 and finished in 1984. The Ernest Kouwen-Hoven Memorial Bridge is the official name of the high-rise span, officially dedicated by the State of Florida Legislature on 28 May 1978. This name
99-539: Was a low-rise swing draw bridge. On August 1, 1947, Mrs. Ernest Kouwen-Hoven cut the ribbon and the same J. E. Campbell that crossed the first bridge, was the first to cross this bridge. The third bridge contains two twin spans that are 2,592.5 feet (790.2 m) long. According to the Melbourne Centennial Book the official start of construction was February 2, 1976, and the bridge was expected to be complete by fall of 1977. It appears to have been delayed with
110-468: Was dedicated to Dr. William Jackson Creel . The second Eau Gallie Causeway featured a swing span drawbridge . The third bridge, a high-rise causeway , was completed in 1988. Just north of the bridge, the Indian River Lagoon splits to form the Banana River Lagoon east of the southern tip of Merritt Island, Florida . Its southern tip has been known locally as Dragon's Point since 1971 when
121-454: Was largely replaced by the new causeway. The original bridge had a rotating span near the western end of the causeway to permit boat traffic to pass through and was operated by a person in a small shelter directly on the rotating section. In the following paragraph it appears that the author is referring to the replacement of the rotating draw span. In 1941, construction began on the second bridge between Melbourne and Indialantic . This bridge
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