John T. Alsop Jr. Bridge
(Main Street Bridge)
NBI Information
Location
State: Florida
County: Duval County
Feature Carried: US-1 (Main Street)
Feature Crossed: St. Johns River
Latitude, Longitude: 30.3221,-81.6586
Toll: On free road
Maintenance Responsibility: State Highway Agency
Structure Open, Posted, or Closed to Traffic: Open, no restriction
History
Year Built: 1941
Historical Significance: Bridge is eligible for the National Register of Historic Places.
Year Reconstructed: None
Picture Date: May 14, 2026
Geometry
Lanes on Structure: 4
Lanes under Structure: 0
Skew: 0 degrees
Number of Main Spans: 1
Main Structure Type: Movable - Lift
Main Structure Material: Steel
Number of Approach Spans: 16
Approach Structure Type: Stringer/Multi-beam or Girder
Approach Structure Material: Steel
Condition
Inspection Date: August 2024
Deck Condition: Satisfactory
Superstructure Condition: Fair
Substructure Condition: Fair
Channel Condition: Good
Culvert: Not Applicable
NBI Year: 2025
Bridge Information
The John T. Alsop Jr. Bridge, also called the Main Street Bridge, is a vertical lift bridge across the St. Johns River in Jacksonville, Florida. The bridge was constructed from 1938 to 1941. Although many of the bridges in the area were originally moveable bridge, the rest have been replaced with fixed spans, leaving this as the only moveable span. It is also the largest remaining vertical lift bridge in the state of Florida and is one of only two operational vertical lift bridges in the state.
The bridge was officially named the John T. Alsop Jr. Bridge after the former mayor of Jacksonville in 1957. The bridge was renovated in 2014, which included upgrading the metal barriers and patching the sidewalks. It was rehabilitated again in 2025 after a tugboat hit the bridge.
The bridge was nominated for the National Register of Historic Places in early 2026, although its approval is still pending.
A renovation is planned for the bridge and is anticipated to begin in July 2027. This will include replacing the mechanisms on the towers that raise and lower the bridge, replacing the open steel grating with a solid deck, and repainting the bridge.
References
Archaeological Consultants, Inc. “The Historic Highway Bridges of Florida.” Florida Department of Transportation, Dec. 2012, https://www.fdot.gov/docs/default-source/environment/pubs/Historic-Highway-Bridges-of-Florida-2010-Update.pdf. Accessed 15 Sept. 2026.
Mendenhall, Mike. “Main Street Bridge Could Become a National Landmark.” Jacksonville Today, 4 Dec. 2025, https://jaxtoday.org/2025/12/04/landmark-main-street-bridge/. Accessed 15 Sept. 2026.
Scanlan, Dan. “Main Street Bridge Closed Northbound Until Mid-October.” Jacksonville Today, 15 Sept. 2025, https://jaxtoday.org/2025/09/15/main-street-bridge-closed-repairs/. Accessed 15 Sept. 2026.
Lister, Joe. “City Council Asks for Placement of Main Street Bridge on National Historic Register.” Jacksonville Daily Record, 13 Jan. 2026, https://www.jaxdailyrecord.com/news/2026/jan/13/city-council-asks-for-placement-of-main-street-bridge-on-national-historic-register/. Accessed 15 Sept. 2026.
