7 Mile Bridge From Marathon to Little Duck Key

I’ve driven some long ones, including the Chesapeake Bay Bridge The San Mateo – Hayward Bridge and the Lake Pontchartrain Causeway, but the Seven Mile Bridge between  Marathon (Knights Key) and Little Duck Key is a uniquely beautiful span. At the time it was constructed, it was one of the longest bridges in the world.  Before this part of the Overseas Highway was completed, the only way to get from Islamorada to Key West was by boat, by rail, or by plane.  The “Storm of the Century” Hurricane in 1935 took out the railroad for good, and there weren’t many people flying in the 1930’s, either.

Along came the Florida highway department who purchased the entire right of way for the Overseas Highway from the railroad for $640,000.  The railway bed was repaired and the bridge re-opened with a wider road bed to accommodate 2 lanes of traffic.  The old rails were repurposed as guardrails!  On March 29, 1938, Route 1 was extended south from Miami to Key West, about 150 miles away.  A wider Seven Mile bridge was constructed between 1978 and 1982, and the old railroad bridge was given over to pedestrians and fishermen.  The original bridge was extensively renovated and reopened in January, 2022.

The bridge has been featured in films and television, including Licence to Kill, True Lies, 2 Fast 2 Furious, and Burn Notice.

Jimmy Buffett wrote the lyrics to “Margaritaville” while stuck in traffic on the original Seven Mile Bridge in the 1970s.