Bridge of Lions, Saint Augustine, Florida

Statues Bridge of Lions

     The Bridge of Lions carries FL A1A over Mantanzas River (intracoastal waterway) from downtown Saint Augustine to Anastasia Island.  The bridge type is metal variable depth girder, movable double leaf bascule (rolling lift) and approach spans, metal cantilever deck deck fixed girder. The bridge was built in 1927 by Virginia Bridge and Iron Company of Roanoke Virginia. The engineer/designer was J.E. Greiner Company of Baltimore, Maryland and Chicago, Illinois.

Bridge of Lions

     The main span length was 135 feet.  The structure length is 1,545 feet.  Width  is 25 feet.  There is one main span and 23 approach spans.  There are decorative lion statutes at the west end of the bridge.  These gave rise to the bridges name.  They were a gift of Doctor Andrew Anderson.

Bridge of Lions

     Beginning in 2010, the bridge underwent an extensive renovation including complete replacement of the bascule spans, replacement of the interior of the approach girder  spans, bridge was widened. The bridge was listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

     The prior bridge was built in 1895. It was wooden bridge.  It was called the bridge to Anastasia, Islandm