NASA CAUSEWAY BRIDGE/INDIAN RIVER BRIDGE

In 1961, the US Air Force and National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) chose Merritt Island and Cape Canaveral as the site for the development of the US space program. The decision was based on several factors including the sparse development on the island, the infrequent impact of hurricanes in the area, and the presence of Patrick Air Force Base. NASA and the US Army Corps of Engineers purchased approximately 88,000 acres around the Cape Canaveral launch area and began the construction of necessary infrastructure. The US Army Corps of Engineers constructed three bridges on Merritt Island to support the NASA mission: NASA Causeway, Haulover Canal, and Banana River bridges. The original NASA Causeway bridge was constructed in 1964 to allow employees, materials, supplies, and smaller spacecraft components to travel between mainland Florida and the new Kennedy Space Center on Merritt Island. The bridge consisted of a pair of double-leaf bascule bridges that were 2,994 feet in length constructed on earthen berms on the east and west ends. The 1964 bridge was replaced with a new bridge in 2025 to better accommodate the continued exploration of space.