The Cass Street Bridge, named after Gen. Lewis Cass, President Andrew Jackson’s Secretary of War, opened in July 1926 as the third span to cross the Hillsborough River downtown. Its construction was to relieve considerable traffic congestion. Its design was an exact duplicate of the Platt Street Bridge, only on a smaller scale. In 1911, when the project was being discussed, city planners entertained the idea of digging a tunnel under the river instead of constructing the 80-foot span. Those arguing against the bridge believed the proposed structure was extravagant and meant to enhance the value of a few people with property on both sides of the river. Advocates for the bridge argued that the new thoroughfare was needed for the soon-to-open Union Station, the main hub of travel into Tampa.

Since its construction, the bridge has undergone two major rehabilitations. One in 1949 and another in 2009, costing $1.7 million to repair structural deficiencies. The adjacent rail bridge, seen in the background, was originally built in the 1880s as a swing bridge and in 1915 was replaced with its current Pratt truss bascule design. It remains the only railway across the Hillsborough River.

 © Chip Weiner. All rights reserved