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Page 1 of 6 Originally published in Florida Hiker magazine, 2001
As we walk the mile and a quarter along the Florida Trail through deep woods to the west of Belleview, the low-hanging clouds that threatened the morning with rain now part. Emerging from the forest, we step into bright sun—and a crowd of more than a hundred people, gathered here in a clearing. Thousands of trucks and cars stream past nearby, along busy Interstate 75.
It’s a day for rejoicing. Nearly ten years after the Cross Florida Greenway became a reality, slightly more than a year since this construction project began, we’re about to witness the birth of something special. Something unique. Something Florida can brag about forever.
It’s the nation’s first land bridge.  Looking out from the Land Bridge
Sure, other states have built special culverts so wildlife can cross busy roads safely. Projects dot the landscape, from Seattle to New Jersey, to our own bear culverts under SR 44, north of Sanford. But this is different. It’s not a wildlife crossing , although the snakes, squirrels, mice, and raccoons who’ve been using the span might argue otherwise. No, this bridge is for people—people who love the outdoors.
It’s not your normal highway bridge. More than a thousand tons of material went into its construction, beams laid two thousand feet across six lanes of I-75. It’s a gigantic planter, supporting rocks, trees, and shrubs—odd enough to make motorists passing beneath do a double-take. Tall oaks rise up above a screening of scrub palmetto; native limestone walls and tall fences keep visitors from dangling over the highway. Two overlooks allow the curious to stare down and wave at the traffic. A built-in sprinkler system keeps the plants growing. All to the tune of $3.1 million dollars.
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