Every year more and more structural remnants disappear. Pretty awesome to see the ones that still exist.. old roads and railroads, vehicles, buildings, houses/motels/apartment complexes, etc. This is a neat video.
The old 7 mile bridge had signs on each end warning truckers to fold in their mirrors! It was fairly common to see broken mirror parts littering the asphalt.
@@Ed1271 When it was windy or _'I was going a little fast'_ (I admit NOTHING!!!) and traffic allowed I'd point my car right down the center lane-divider so when (not if) a gust hit me I was still OK. Fun times.
That is the bridge at Bahia Honda State Park. Several observations. The gap at the start of the video is simply to keep people off the bridge and the holes in the pavement indicate why. The gap by the Park offer a great view but also creates a slot for sailboats to enter that protected harbor area. Notice how the new bridge never rises to allow a pass through between islands. What is impressive when at the top looking over at the bridge is 1) narrowness of the road with no gutter and thing of the late 50s and 60s cars driving on it, remains of the track below it, Also below the road is a huge conduit and you realize that was the fresh water supply for the entire Keys.
In the late 70’s thru 82, I drove the old bridge to Key West. It was frightening. 8 wheelers drove on it too. I remember how narrow the bridge was. I was so happy they built the new one!
I was messing around on Google Earth and found this, and wondered what I was looking at. Well, here it is! Awesome footage. What a time to be alive, am I right?!
Man I remember as a kid back in the 70s my family and I would go to the Key's on vacation and I was always scared crossing that bridge, it only had two lanes, not much room for driver error 🤔
I took a great still from the railing looking through the gap from Bahia Honda down the length of the old bridge in 2011. It is my background on my laptop. It was very windy that day in January.
This was the old Honda Bridge ex F.E.C. RailRoad. The railroad that connected the keys to the mainland. If you look under the raised road you can see a series of Warren Truss Bridges those were original. nevertheless glad to see it didn't all go to waste after the railroad pulled out.
I remember being a little kid sitting at the train station under that bridge being the first time i felt small. Asking my dad. People sat here 100 years ago? Not many places like that beautiful spot in south Florida. Love Bahia Honda.
They’ve been working on rebuilding it from the entrance in Marathon to Pigeon Key for years. They had a Christmas tree right in the middle this past year, in addition to a few others that somehow just started growing from cracks in the concrete.
@@Xeroform That's Old Seven that is getting restored. This video is Bahia Honda Bridge. It's worse than ever and not likely to ever be saved at this point.
Florida Keys Wooden Boat Fishing Yeah that’s weird I just clicked this video and saw it’s not the same I thought I was commenting on. I’d recognize that bridge anywhere. I think there was a UA-cam error because I wrote that when watching a video of the 7 mile bridge. I watched two in a row, and the comments lagged I think. I work at Bahia Honda as the Captain for their snorkel tours to Looe Key (pre-pandemic, but we’re starting them up again soon finally), so yeah, I’ve driven under that bridge and walked up on the part from the park a million times. Thanks for the correction.
that is Bahia honda state park a fantastic place the hurricane took out lots of vegetation but its coming back there are many old bridges in the keys to fish from and some new ones you can see many as you drive and stop along the overseas highway
At 5:22 man I miss that view coming from between the bridges with little Bahia Honda in the distance, or as we called it Bonsai Island (the little island is down to one tree, and at low tide looks like a giant bonsai tree). Or driving straight towards the little island on the way back from Looe Key before turning and heading into the state park marina.
Back in the day we'd climb out on the structure on the Bahia Honda side and jump off. Right about where the cut is. We've seen a few people go off the top but not this kid!! This was before they renovated the north end and allowed foot traffic.
Dirk Diggler It took me almost a year to find someone to convince my first mate that I wasn’t lying about kids jumping off the bridge as a rite of passage growing up in Big Pine area. I always fantasized about doing it myself, but figured it wouldn’t be a good look for the Captain of the snorkeling boat at Bahia Honda to be seen jumping off, lol.
I'd like if they would repair and replace enough of the old railroad line thru the right of way to open it back up and put it back in use. All told they got about 20 some years out of the rail line before the 1935 hurricane destroyed much of the ground-based tracks (the bridges, for the most part, were not heavily damaged). The line could have been repaired but, at the time, there was little political will to do so, and instead they let it sit. Years later they turned it into a road, then, of course, built the new oversea highway as is there today.
I read a book about the history of Flagler's railroad. He kept extending it further, making more money each time, but the Miami to Key West part was a financial error. Key West never turned into a major port like he was expecting. This section never it earned its operating costs, much less paid back the initial investment. The hurricane was just the last straw. The railroad would have been abandoned long ago regardless. This was a private business decision. The government was not involved until it was offered the bridges. Since they were already building the highway they were happy to save a lot of money by constructing the highway bridges on top of the RR bridges.
As a kid and young adult riding to key west on the old bridge was a scary experience especially when it was raining hard. Not old enough to have had a chance to ride the rail but did find two rail tokens in key west. Fyi old rail tracks were used to make guard rails on old car bridge.
these old bridges do not cause and harm to the environment and many are turned into fishing piers thru out the keys also many fish gather by the bridges at the moment there is a restoration going on the old 7 mile bridge
Toppinos in 1975 let me Haul RediMix Stone, Sand in an International Tractor with alu. Trailer from the 11mile marker to Marathon 4 trips, or Islamorada 3 trips.a day. I crossed the Old Bridges 8 or 6 times times a Day. No time to site See! 6-71 Detroit Wound tite. Fast as traffic allowed.
It was Flagler. A hurricane destroyed a lot of it and to save time and money rebuilding, they actually built the roadway on top of the railway to keep people going to and from the Keys
Do I understand correctly that part of it's still open for joggers and bicycle riders? At some point, won't it have to be closed down completely, too unsafe even for pedestrians?
Bahia Honda State Park. Camping reservations hard to come by filled months out and hurricane impacted # of spaces and slow to re-build but the park is open (or at least when all State parks re-open with the CV-19 issue). Great park
I would love a engineer tell me why a double decker bridge would not be better. Has to save money on pylons and the lower deck takes less damage from the sun.
the reason they leave this old bridges is they attract fish and taking them out would harm the environment so why not just leave them there and thats what they do because they are not hurting the water or environment at all
1958 we traveled the old bridge and it was scary and awesome. This video brings those fond memories flooding back. Thank you.
Every year more and more structural remnants disappear. Pretty awesome to see the ones that still exist.. old roads and railroads, vehicles, buildings, houses/motels/apartment complexes, etc. This is a neat video.
The very first time I went to the Keys was over the old bridges. They were very narrow and an oncoming semi-truck was an eye-opener!
The old 7 mile bridge had signs on each end warning truckers to fold in their mirrors! It was fairly common to see broken mirror parts littering the asphalt.
1975 I Drove a Tractor Trailer hauling material to Toppinos RediMix plants may have been Me!
@@Ed1271 When it was windy or _'I was going a little fast'_ (I admit NOTHING!!!) and traffic allowed I'd point my car right down the center lane-divider so when (not if) a gust hit me I was still OK. Fun times.
They actually allowed semis on these bridges!!! I sure hope they went slow.
@@stevesharrow4172 wideass open! Skill, always.
That is the bridge at Bahia Honda State Park. Several observations. The gap at the start of the video is simply to keep people off the bridge and the holes in the pavement indicate why. The gap by the Park offer a great view but also creates a slot for sailboats to enter that protected harbor area. Notice how the new bridge never rises to allow a pass through between islands. What is impressive when at the top looking over at the bridge is 1) narrowness of the road with no gutter and thing of the late 50s and 60s cars driving on it, remains of the track below it, Also below the road is a huge conduit and you realize that was the fresh water supply for the entire Keys.
In the late 70’s thru 82, I drove the old bridge to Key West. It was frightening. 8 wheelers drove on it too. I remember how narrow the bridge was. I was so happy they built the new one!
Could been Me!
Fished there a lot when I was a kid. That old road was REAL narrow especially when passing 18 wheelers. But sure do miss it.
@KRAZYGOAT 1 Big Pine Inn Was Wonderful, burned away, in 1977?
I Drove Toppinos F-67 Tractor Trailer 4 times each Way to Marathon Redi mix Plant from Rockland Key 10mile Marker 1975 to 79. Great Training!
I was messing around on Google Earth and found this, and wondered what I was looking at. Well, here it is! Awesome footage. What a time to be alive, am I right?!
The old bridges mean nostalgia and our pain, hopes and social memory, our love and conciseness
Very nice footage! The best of seen so far. The range on your drone must be insane!
Man I remember as a kid back in the 70s my family and I would go to the Key's on vacation and I was always scared crossing that bridge, it only had two lanes, not much room for driver error 🤔
I took a great still from the railing looking through the gap from Bahia Honda down the length of the old bridge in 2011. It is my background on my laptop. It was very windy that day in January.
This was the old Honda Bridge ex F.E.C. RailRoad. The railroad that connected the keys to the mainland. If you look under the raised road you can see a series of Warren Truss Bridges those were original. nevertheless glad to see it didn't all go to waste after the railroad pulled out.
Very nice drone footage
Amazing footage. I drive the "new" bridge frequently. It's a wide four lane bridge, a far cry from this two lane narrow, and terrifying, old bridge.
Oh Yea grew up down their my grams was from Conch Key.
Crazy they didn’t keep it maintained, would of been a sweet running/cycling bridge.
I remember being a little kid sitting at the train station under that bridge being the first time i felt small. Asking my dad. People sat here 100 years ago? Not many places like that beautiful spot in south Florida. Love Bahia Honda.
They should invest some money and make a really long & nice fishing pier. Ha
They’ve been working on rebuilding it from the entrance in Marathon to Pigeon Key for years. They had a Christmas tree right in the middle this past year, in addition to a few others that somehow just started growing from cracks in the concrete.
@@Xeroform That's Old Seven that is getting restored. This video is Bahia Honda Bridge. It's worse than ever and not likely to ever be saved at this point.
Florida Keys Wooden Boat Fishing Yeah that’s weird I just clicked this video and saw it’s not the same I thought I was commenting on. I’d recognize that bridge anywhere.
I think there was a UA-cam error because I wrote that when watching a video of the 7 mile bridge. I watched two in a row, and the comments lagged I think. I work at Bahia Honda as the Captain for their snorkel tours to Looe Key (pre-pandemic, but we’re starting them up again soon finally), so yeah, I’ve driven under that bridge and walked up on the part from the park a million times. Thanks for the correction.
that is Bahia honda state park a fantastic place the hurricane took out lots of vegetation but its coming back there are many old bridges in the keys to fish from and some new ones you can see many as you drive and stop along the overseas highway
5:30 great shot!
At 5:22 man I miss that view coming from between the bridges with little Bahia Honda in the distance, or as we called it Bonsai Island (the little island is down to one tree, and at low tide looks like a giant bonsai tree). Or driving straight towards the little island on the way back from Looe Key before turning and heading into the state park marina.
I lived in Marathon in the early 70's when this bridge was operational, just a little scary when a semi was coming the other way..
Then you remember the Propane tank Exploding killing the Tender, Destroying the top.
Woww ...just stunning nature .....thanks :)
Originally built to carry the Florida East Coast Railroad, it was later retrofitted as an autoway.
holy shit that's an amazing shot!
Back in the day we'd climb out on the structure on the Bahia Honda side and jump off. Right about where the cut is. We've seen a few people go off the top but not this kid!! This was before they renovated the north end and allowed foot traffic.
Dirk Diggler It took me almost a year to find someone to convince my first mate that I wasn’t lying about kids jumping off the bridge as a rite of passage growing up in Big Pine area.
I always fantasized about doing it myself, but figured it wouldn’t be a good look for the Captain of the snorkeling boat at Bahia Honda to be seen jumping off, lol.
Excellent guitar scores for this video; what is the title of this melancholic track?
It was amazing to watch.
pretty cool idea. Great music. Who is the music by?
I'd like if they would repair and replace enough of the old railroad line thru the right of way to open it back up and put it back in use. All told they got about 20 some years out of the rail line before the 1935 hurricane destroyed much of the ground-based tracks (the bridges, for the most part, were not heavily damaged). The line could have been repaired but, at the time, there was little political will to do so, and instead they let it sit. Years later they turned it into a road, then, of course, built the new oversea highway as is there today.
I read a book about the history of Flagler's railroad. He kept extending it further, making more money each time, but the Miami to Key West part was a financial error. Key West never turned into a major port like he was expecting. This section never it earned its operating costs, much less paid back the initial investment. The hurricane was just the last straw. The railroad would have been abandoned long ago regardless. This was a private business decision. The government was not involved until it was offered the bridges. Since they were already building the highway they were happy to save a lot of money by constructing the highway bridges on top of the RR bridges.
As a kid and young adult riding to key west on the old bridge was a scary experience especially when it was raining hard. Not old enough to have had a chance to ride the rail but did find two rail tokens in key west. Fyi old rail tracks were used to make guard rails on old car bridge.
I thought this was 7 Mile Bridge. It is actually the Bahia Honda Bridge built by the FEC RR en route to Key West.
Bia Honda- Aw the memories. Miss living in the keys 1992-1995
Should have converted it into a bike and pedestrian trafficway.
these old bridges do not cause and harm to the environment and many are turned into fishing piers thru out the keys also many fish gather by the bridges at the moment there is a restoration going on the old 7 mile bridge
Simply Amazing
Toppinos in 1975 let me Haul RediMix Stone, Sand in an International Tractor with alu. Trailer from the 11mile marker to Marathon 4 trips, or Islamorada 3 trips.a day. I crossed the Old Bridges 8 or 6 times times a Day. No time to site See! 6-71 Detroit Wound tite. Fast as traffic allowed.
Cool video!
Awesome! What kind of drone are you flying?
Reminds me of the bridge from "True Lies" with Arnold Schwarzenegger 😅
Sick!!! this and the video of the sandbar... incredible...put out some more excellent content like this! New sub :)
I think this was the same bridge that Reva Shayne drove off of in Guiding Light. I read that they actually filmed that scene right there.
Awesome
Looks like the bridge used in the movie " true lies"
That would be the next bridge east, the old Seven Mile Bridge. This one is the Bahia Honda Bridge.
not far that was the 7 mile bridge
Visiting down there, and viewing both bridges - and everything else - live, is on my bucket list. Thanks for pointing that out.
Amazing
No way I saw that a few years ago when I went to Key West it was super cool and I read a article on it And they might fix it up
FREEDOM.🌴💛🌴
A railroad tycoon built this for his private choo choo back in the early 20th century.
It was Flagler. A hurricane destroyed a lot of it and to save time and money rebuilding, they actually built the roadway on top of the railway to keep people going to and from the Keys
Do I understand correctly that part of it's still open for joggers and bicycle riders? At some point, won't it have to be closed down completely, too unsafe even for pedestrians?
Is the drone approaching Pigeon Key??
It would be so cool to own a section of it to build a house on.
One hurricane comes through and your screwed
what is the place at 4:52 called?
Bahia Honda State Park. Camping reservations hard to come by filled months out and hurricane impacted # of spaces and slow to re-build but the park is open (or at least when all State parks re-open with the CV-19 issue). Great park
Bro whos the guitar player? whats the song
Great footage! Are you part 107 or just an amateur pilot?
Where is Fred the tree? I didn’t see him on the bridge at all?
That was US1 before they built the new one. ALL traffic traveled on that road.
I would love a engineer tell me why a double decker bridge would not be better. Has to save money on pylons and the lower deck takes less damage from the sun.
the reason they leave this old bridges is they attract fish and taking them out would harm the environment so why not just leave them there and thats what they do because they are not hurting the water or environment at all
same here.
It was a railroad bridge before it had a road on it
Belleza ¡¡¡¡
No way in hell I would sail under that thing in that condition.
Hey pa whysit rainin rocks
Son wese sailing under an old piece of junk bridge that why
It looks like hurricane s nock pieces dwn of the old bridge
👊👊
Should of made bike trail or walking path or fishing bridge what a shame
too bad the bridge is too far gone.
That bridge was part of the transatlantic railroad but was converted into a highway bridge
Ok with that and I will
Kyle did you get my message sir?/
Yes you may use it. Just don't know how. Thanks for liking the video 👍
thanks sir
do you have an email address,would like to send you a clip of our song please'The abandoned highway'
DID YOU GET MY MESSAGE RE YOUR EMAIL ADDRESS
scottnicoltv
Kylebridgman1@aol.com
Thanks