The nearly finished U.S. Highway 1 bridge over the Loxahatchee River in Jupiter, Fla. now has a spot where pedestrians can walk underneath it, the Palm Beach Post reported Nov. 24.
A riverwalk connection and observation deck under the south side of the new $122 million bridge opened on Nov. 14, 2025, a project spokesperson told the newspaper. The walkway provides visitors access to the city's Riverwalk area, which runs along the Intracoastal Waterway near the Inlet Village, and includes the popular Charlie & Joe's at Love Street restaurant complex.
In a social media post, the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) called the walkway "an ideal spot to take in the breathtaking scenery and sea life" and noted that it gives access to parks and local businesses.
The previous highway bridge was built in 1958. Since then, though, its age, heavy use and proximity to the nearby Atlantic Ocean had caused its condition to deteriorate.
The first steps to build its replacement began in October 2021. The original bridge was finally closed to all traffic in March 2023 and was demolished shortly thereafter.
The new U.S. 1 bridge has two 11-ft.-wide vehicle lanes in each direction with 8-ft.-wide sidewalks and 7-ft.-wide bike lanes on both sides. Its design is a marked improvement over the previous structure, which only had a 2-ft.-wide shoulder with no sidewalk, the state transportation department noted.
FDOT added that pedestrians crossing the bridge will be separated from traffic by permanent concrete barriers.
A twin double-leaf drawbridge with up to 42 ft. of vertical clearance, the U.S. 1 bridge over the Loxahatchee River has a navigable channel width of 125 ft..
In addition, FDOT's online project page noted that the project features a concrete bridge deck to reduce traffic noise, a new tender house and pedestrian overlooks.
The entire project stretches north along U.S. 1/Fla. 5 from Palm Beach County Road A1A to County Road 707/Beach Road on the north side of the river, a distance of 4.1 mi.
During its 20-month bridge closure and detour, temporary intersection improvements that consisted of additional turn lanes were constructed at three junctions, including:
• U.S. 1 and Fla. Highway 706/Indiantown Road;
• alternate A1A and Fla. 706/Indiantown Road; and
• U.S. 1 and alternate A1A/Beach Road.
Other work included permanent intersection improvements at alternate A1A and Old Dixie Highway and the installation of intelligent transportation system devices to improve traffic flow throughout Jupiter's highway corridor.
While the new bridge is designed to be safer for pedestrians and cyclists, it also is meant to be safer for boaters with more room for vessels to pass beneath it.
Johnson Bros. Corp., a Texas firm specializing in bridge, highway, marine, industrial and emergency construction services, is the prime contractor for the Jupiter bridge project.
The bridge is in its final configuration with two lanes, one sidewalk and one bike lane open in each direction.
Crews are epoxy coating four levels inside the bridge piers, as well as painting, paving, installing pedestrian rails and fences and checking the mechanical and electrical parts of the structure. In addition, they are installing a bridge fender system at the base of the bridge piers.
Work on the U.S. 1 bridge over the Loxahatchee River is 94 percent complete, FDOT said in November, and forecasts that the job will be finished in early 2026.
