Brooks Bridge

{{short description|Bridge in Florida, United States of America}}

{{Use mdy dates|date=April 2025}}

{{Use American English|date=January 2025}}

{{Infobox bridge

|bridge_name=Brooks Bridge

|image=John_T._Brooks_Bridge.JPG

| image_size = 325px

|caption= John T. Brooks Bridge over the Gulf Coast Intracoastal Waterway at Fort Walton Beach, Florida, May 2015.

|official_name=

|carries={{jct|state=FL|US|98}}

|crosses=Santa Rosa Sound

|locale=Fort Walton Beach, Florida to Okaloosa Island

|maint=

|id=303566

|design=

|mainspan=

|length=

|width=

|height=

|load=

|clearance=

|below={{convert|50|ft|m|2}}

|traffic=

|begin=1965

|complete=1966

|open=1966

|closed=

|toll=

|map_cue=

|map_image=

|map_text=

|map_width=

|coordinates= {{coord|30.400908|-86.600437|region:US_type:landmark|display=inline,title|name=Brooks Bridge}}

|extra=

}}

The Brooks Bridge is a four-lane steel and concrete structure that carries highway U.S. Route 98 (US 98) over Santa Rosa Sound (mile 223 of the Gulf Coast Intracoastal Waterway) just west of the Choctawhatchee Bay between downtown Fort Walton Beach, Florida and the {{convert|3|mi|km|adj=mid|-long}} section of Okaloosa Island controlled by the city of Fort Walton Beach. It is named for John Thomas Brooks, who, in 1868, purchased 111 acres of what is now downtown Fort Walton Beach. The area on the north side of the sound where the bridge connects was known as Brooks Landing.{{Cite web |url=http://fwb.org/about/ |title=About the City of Fort Walton Beach |access-date=2015-07-02 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150702124516/http://fwb.org/about/ |archive-date=2015-07-02 |url-status=dead }} It has a charted clearance of {{convert|50|ft|m}} above the water."Waterway Guide 1970 / Southern Edition", Sidney J. Wain, Inc., Chesapeake, Virginia, Volume 23, Number 2, page 259.

Constructed in 1965–1966, it replaced a 1935-vintage low-level steel through-truss center-pier swing-span structure immediately west of the current bridge which had become increasingly unreliable with age, the center-pivoting span having been known to get stuck in the open position while allowing for transit of maritime traffic. Removal of the steel work and the old concrete pivot pier began in March 1966 by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers as the new Brooks Bridge reached completion with removal taking about three weeks.Fort Walton Beach Florida, "Old Bridge Is Removed At Brooks", Playground Daily News, Tuesday 15 March 1966, Volume 20, Number 27, page 3.

As the only local crossing of the Santa Rosa Sound, it is subject to traffic congestion. Vehicular speed limits on the span are {{convert|35|mph|km/h}} eastbound and {{convert|25|mph|km/h}} westbound. An additional bridge between Fort Walton Beach and Okaloosa Island has been discussed for many years. On December 20, 2013, the Florida Department of Transportation announced it had begun planning for the replacement of the 47-year-old bridge.[http://www.nwfdailynews.com/local/locals-shocked-by-brooks-bridge-announcement-1.253623 Locals shocked by Brooks Bridge announcement] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140714141851/http://www.nwfdailynews.com/local/locals-shocked-by-brooks-bridge-announcement-1.253623 |date=July 14, 2014 }}. NWFDailyNews.com. Retrieved on 2014-7-11. In April 2015 the FDOT announced another proposal for a pair of bridges.McLaughlin, Tom, "Brooks Bridge: DOT outlines bridge studies", Northwest Florida Daily News, Fort Walton Beach, Florida, Friday 24 April 2015, Volume 69, Number 83, pages A1, A4

A "rehab job" on the 50-year-old structure was underway by the FDOT in April 2015. "What we're doing there is some work to extend the lifespan of the bridge," DOT district spokesman Ian Satter said. "They're working with the bearings on the bridge, which we do maintenance on throughout all of our bridges in the district." Crews are also installing some "additional support mechanisms," Satter said. The work, which is being done under the bridge with help from a large barge, is expected to last until mid- to late May 2015. Brooks Bridge has been deemed structurally deficient and is currently being replaced.Barlow, Kari C., "Brooks Bridge 'rehab job' underway by state DOT", Northwest Florida Daily News, Fort Walton Beach, Florida, Friday 24 April 2015, Volume 69, Number 83, page A4