DeLAND, Fla. – The old drawbridge connecting Lake and Volusia counties above the St. Johns River near DeLand has officially been replaced, according to the Florida Department of Transportation.
The new bridge along State Road 44 was unveiled by FDOT in 2023 to make things easier for the nearly 14,000 drivers who cross cross the river on the highway each day.
It replaces the Whitehair Bridge — a drawbridge which would hold up traffic as boats passed below — with a high-level fixed-span bridge providing improvements to safety and navigation, the department said Wednesday on social media.
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The update comes a bit behind the original project-completion schedule of early 2024, according to FDOT.
Construction is complete on the project to replace the State Road 44 bridge over the St. Johns River — also known as the Whitehair Bridge. The new high-level fixed span bridge improves safety and navigation in the area.https://t.co/zX63rCL4rC@CountyOfVolusia @CityofDeLand pic.twitter.com/dmLl9xDpl1
— FDOT District 5 (@MyFDOT_CFL) May 21, 2025