Second arch is up on the Pensacola Bay Bridge

PENSACOLA, Fla. — The Pensacola Bay Bridge construction team reached a major project milestone on March 10 as the arch was erected on the westbound bridge (Gulf Breeze to Pensacola), according to a report by the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT).

The arch will become an element of architectural distinction for the project and provide structural support for the 10-foot-wide multiuse path adjacent to the westbound bridge, said the FDOT.

Here are some fun facts about the arch from the FDOT:

• Each arch weighs 800,000 pounds. (The Statue of Liberty weighs 450,000-pounds.)
• The arch is 83-feet tall. (That’s as tall as an eight-story building.)
• The arch is 375-feet long. (About the same length from home plate to the outfield wall in baseball.)

Each arch consists of structural steel plates that were cut to shape and welded together. The strands that extend from the top of the arch to the bottom deck are made of high-strength steel and covered by a protective sheath.

Crews will continue work on the westbound bridge setting trophy pieces and beams and pouring the concrete decks, said the FDOT.