Tom King Bayou Bridge is the locally used name for the East Bay Boulevard bridge crossing at

Tom King Bayou Tom King Bayou is a small, but locally important, bayou and creek in Navarre, Florida. The mouth of the bayou opens onto East Bay near Axelson Point Axelson Point is a small cape along the shore of the East Bay in Navarre, Florida. The point ...

. The bayou is crossed by East Bay Boulevard near the entrance of the bayou.

Description

Opening in 1962, the bridge is 129.9 feet long and 33.5 feet wide, with a roadway width of exactly 24 feet. Though the bridge is locally known by the name, Tom King Bayou Bridge, the bridge does not have an official name by county records. The bridge is owned and maintained by the Santa Rosa County Roads and Bridges Department. While structurally sound, the bridge does not meet many of the modern requirements in terms of geometry and design for safety. However, no plan to replace the structure or deck are currently in place or being discussed.

Pedestrian Expansion

The bridge was previously not pedestrian friendly, despite sidewalks and trailway expansions along East Bay Boulevard. However, in the late 2010s, several designs began to be been furthered to allow for pedestrian friendliness. In 2022, a pedestrian bridge was constructed to coincide with the construction of a walking trail along East Bay Boulevard that was funded by a statewide walking trails foundation.

References

{{coords, 30.4460, -86.9362, type:landmark_region:US-FL, display=title Navarre, Florida Tom King Bayou Santa Rosa County, Florida Bridges in Florida Bridges in Navarre, Florida