The Jacksonville Expressway Authority was an independent entity established by the Florida Legislature in 1955. They owned and maintained roads and bridges in Duval County, including several toll bridges , mostly across the St. Johns River . In 1971 the Authority merged with City Coach Company and several smaller private bus companies to form the Jacksonville Transportation Authority . Tolls were removed in 1988, and the Florida Department of Transportation now maintains the bridges and freeways.
8-596: The following were built by the Expressway Authority or Transportation Authority: Tolls were charged on the Mathews Bridge , Fuller Warren Bridge , Trout River Bridge and Hart Bridge , and on J. Turner Butler Boulevard . This article about transportation in Florida is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . This United States transportation corporation or company article
16-609: A bridge to Arlington and the beaches began in the early 20th century when cars became more popular. In 1938 Duval County Commission discontinued ferry service to help encourage support for a new bridge. At this time, only the Acosta Bridge and Main Street Bridge crossed the St. Johns River for vehicle use. Another reason for a new bridge was congestion on the two bridges. John E. Mathews, a state legislator and Chief Justice of
24-592: Is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . This article related to Jacksonville, Florida is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . Mathews Bridge The Mathews Bridge is a cantilever bridge in Jacksonville , Florida , which spans the St. Johns River . Constructed in 1953, the bridge brings traffic along the Arlington Expressway between downtown Jacksonville and
32-536: The Arlington neighborhood. It was named after John E. Mathews , a Florida state legislator and Chief Justice of the 1955 Florida Supreme Court who helped gather funding for the bridge's construction. Originally silver in color, the bridge was painted garnet in 1984 in celebration of Jacksonville's short-lived United States Football League franchise, the Jacksonville Bulls . Discussion on building
40-559: The Mathews Bridge reopened in the early morning of October 29, 2013. Part of the reason of the accident was because the charted height of the bridge was incorrect. The bridge owners (Florida Department of Transportation) notified the Coast Guard that the bridge was surveyed and the new height was 146 feet (45 m). This new measurement is 6 feet (1.8 m) lower than the previously published height. No notification of
48-483: The Supreme Court, helped secure funding for a new bridge. The cost of constructing a bridge was $ 11 million to be backed by bonds and toll revenues. Tolls remained for the Mathews Bridge until 1989. The John E. Mathews Bridge opened on April 15, 1953. The bridge had a notoriously problematic grating in the center span. After the previous grating wore out, a new one was installed, causing drivers to complain that
56-507: The open grating over the center span with a concrete riding surface, and has since been reopened for public use. In the early afternoon on September 26, 2013, the Military Sealift Command ship USNS 1st. Lt. Harry L. Martin collided with the center span of the Mathews Bridge. The damage caused to the bridge was sufficient that it was closed indefinitely until it could be inspected and repaired. Following repairs,
64-494: The replacement was slippery and difficult to cross. That grating was replaced with a new, "state of the art" grating, which also provoked controversy causing citizens to pressure the Jacksonville City Council to act again concerning the grating. This initially only resulted in reducing the speed limit and roughing up the grating. In 2007, the bridge underwent a $ 12.9 million deck replacement project to replace
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