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Governor Crist Dedicates New Pedestrian Bridge |
Hundreds of Florida residents and visitors joined Florida Governor Charlie Crist on Friday as he dedicated the new pedestrian bridge! Governor Crist and other state dignitaries welcomed supporters during the ribbon cutting ceremony for the bridge that stretches from the Environmental Learning Center across Henderson Creek to the planned trail system. This free event with Governor Crist provided a great way to discover the aquariums, interactive exhibits, trails and other activities at Rookery Bay.
In the above photo are (front row, left to right) Reserve Director Gary Lytton, Friends of Rookery Bay President Bruce Robertson, Collier County Commissioner Fred Coyle, the Honorable Governor Charlie Crist, State Representative Tom Grady, and DEP Secretary Mike Sole.
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Designed to connect with a series of planned nature trails |
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| Photo by Peggy Warren/FORB |
The Rookery Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve pedestrian bridge over Henderson Creek is a project that was envisioned more than ten years ago as a component of the master plan for the Reserve’s Environmental Learning Center. The bridge is designed to connect with a series of planned nature trails and a boardwalk on the south side of the creek that offer exceptional opportunities for visitors to get up close and personal with a variety of native habitats and wildlife.
Completed in November 2009
The bridge project began in 2006 with a $783,000 grant from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) matched by $444,000 from the State of Florida for a project total of $1,227,000. The unique characteristics of the bridge design include a second story entrance, continuously downward slope to meet ADA requirements, and a curve to the right before terminating in the uplands on the opposite site of the creek. The bridge is 440 feet in total length and includes a custom designed 75-foot-long fiberglass trussed free-span over the navigable portion of the creek engineered to withstand 140 mph hurricane wind speeds. The bridge was built by Nature Bridges, Inc. of Monticello, Florida, and was completed in November 2009.
Trails and Boardwalks
Currently the bridge is open for guided walks only while construction on the trail and boardwalk system gets underway. Upon completion of these, the bridge will be open continuously during Environmental Learning Center hours of operation for the public to enjoy. |
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