Approaching the Beckett Bridge

This is heading east towards downtown Tarpon Springs on Riverside Drive. Notice the lack of the drawbridge traffic signal; instead, two red blinkers with a Stop Here On Red sign are used.

Closeup of the eastbound approach

Here is another view of the Beckett Bridge looking east towards downtown Tarpon Springs.

Closeup of the stopping point and gate

This is the point where traffic must stop when the Beckett Bridge has to be raised. The use of a set of red lights and the Stop Here On Red sign is part of Florida DOT specifications when a drawbridge is not attended full time. In the background is the standard railroad crossing gate that lowers to stop traffic.

Resistance gates

Here's an unusual looking kind of drawbridge gate. When you see it it's two railroad crossing gates together but there's something on the end which extends over the roadway when the gate is lowered. It's actually a gate which prevents motorists from driving into the open gap of the Beckett Bridge when the bridge is opened due to the single leaf design.

Approaching the center draw span

Here we see the bottom of the resistance gate as we get ready to cross the single leaf center draw span. Notice how the bottom of the resistance gate is designed differently than the regular drawbridge gates.

Fender system

Typical drawbridge fender system fare including a boat clearance gauge among other things. After all, the fender system protects the Beckett Bridge from wayward boats.

Steel grid deck

This is the single leaf span that opens to let boats pass through. I can't believe it that this steel grid deck is the same thing from when the Beckett Bridge initially opened in 1924 and it's still in use today.

Bridge tender's house

Here is the bridge tender's house which is one of a kind unlike the other bridge tender's houses on all the other drawbridges in Pinellas County. After all, the Beckett Bridge is not staffed full time: Boats requesting an opening have to contact Pinellas County at least two hours in advance.

Looking east towards Tarpon Springs

From here the road name changes from Riverside Drive to North Spring Drive.

Looking west on the Beckett Bridge

Notice the standard railroad crossing style drawbridge gate in the background. No resistance gate is needed on this end as this side of the single leaf movable span is where the counterweights are located.

Looking north on Minetta/Whitcomb Bayou

Nice view of the boats and waterfront houses that dot Minetta/Whitcomb Bayou as seen from the Beckett Bridge headed west.

Year of construction

1956 is the year the wooden fixed sections of the Beckett Bridge were replaced with concrete sections to handle today's traffic.

Plaque commemorating the original Beckett Bridge's construction

It lists a few of the Pinellas County officials from 1924 when the original Beckett Bridge was constructed, including its namesake, E. H. Beckett, who was chairman of the Board of County Commissioners back then. This is mounted on the railing of the 1924 drawbridge.