Gandy Bridge
| Gandy Bridge | |
|---|---|
 |
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| Coordinates | 27°53′10″N 82°33′30″W / 27.8861°N 82.5584°WCoordinates: 27°53′10″N 82°33′30″W / 27.8861°N 82.5584°W |
| Carries |
 US 92
|
| Crosses | Old Tampa Bay |
| Locale | St. Petersburg to Tampa, Florida |
| Maintained by | Florida Department of Transportation |
| ID number | 100300 (eastbound) 100585 (westbound) |
| Characteristics | |
| Total length | 14,859 feet (4,529 m) (eastbound) 13,886 feet (4,226 m) (westbound) |
| Width | 40.4 feet (12.3 m) (eastbound) 39.7 feet (12.1 m) (westbound) |
| Clearance below | 43.0 feet (13.1 m) |
| History | |
| Opened | 1924 (demolished) 1956 (demolished) 1975 (eastbound) 1997 (westbound) |
| Statistics | |
| Daily traffic | 35,000 |
Gandy Bridge is the southernmost bridge spanning Old Tampa Bay from St. Petersburg, Florida to Tampa, Florida. The original 1924 span was dismantled in 1975. The second bridge, constructed in 1956 was used for vehicular traffic until 1997, when it was converted to recreational use by non-motorized traffic. It became known as the Friendship Trail Bridge and was demolished in 2016, after closing in 2008 due to hazardous conditions and several failed efforts to preserve the span. The third (1975) and fourth (1997) spans of the Gandy Bridge are currently being used for vehicle traffic.
Almost three miles long, the Gandy Bridge is one of three bridges connecting the mainland of Hillsborough County and Pinellas County; the others being the Howard Frankland Bridge and the Courtney Campbell Causeway.
In 1910, H. Walter Fuller was a director of three companies owned by F. A. Davis. George S. Gandy, Sr was the president of all three companies. Fuller prepared a map including a proposed bridge that would cross upper Tampa Bay following the route of Ninth Street North in St. Petersburg. Gandy partnered with Fuller, incorporating three companies towards design and construction of the bridge. Survey crews decided to change the route from Ninth Street to Fourth Street. In 1918, World War I required that all projects exceeding $250,000 required a certificate of necessity from the War Industries Board headed by Bernard Baruch. The project was not approved and financing was canceled. Gandy bought out Fuller's interests and continued alone.
In 1922, Gandy hired promoter Eugene M. Elliott to attract new investment. Gandy sold enough stock to finance the bridge, which cost $1,932,000. Construction began in September 1922 and the bridge was completed for a formal opening on November 20, 1924. The steel and concrete bridge spanned a distance of two and a half miles, making it the longest automobile toll bridge in the world at that time. Its double steel bascule drawbridge had a clearance span of 75 feet (23 m) and operated electrically. The original toll to cross the bridge was $.75 for an automobile and driver and $.10 for additional passengers. The bridge stopped collecting tolls on April 27, 1944 after it was seized by the administration of Franklin D. Roosevelt. On December 23, 1945, a federal jury awarded The Gandy Company $2,383,642 in compensation for the property, plus $100,000 in interest.
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