Wetland Mitigation Evaluation Ten Years After Florida Keys Bridge Replacement

From 1912 to 1935, the Florida Keys were connected to the mainland by Henry Flagler's Overseas Railroad. The 1935 Labor Day Hurricane destroyed most of the railroad from Plantation Key to Vaca Key. The track and roadbed stretching 156 miles from Key West to Homestead were purchased by the state of Florida and the Overseas Highway (U.S. 1) was constructed over the railroad right-of-way. Because of structural deterioration in the intervening years, the 1976 Florida Legislature authorized the Keys Bridge Replacement Program at an estimated cost of $175 million. Work commenced in 1977 and was completed in 1983.