Mark H. Bickel, Ricardo Rolón | Naples Daily News
Note to readers: The Naples Daily News and News-Press drone pilot Ricardo Rolon is looking at some of the unique and noteworthy places in Southwest Florida from the sky. He has recently produced drone videos of Fort Myers Beach, Sanibel Island, Matlacha/Pine Island and Delnor-Wiggins Pass State Park. In his latest venture, Rolon flew above the S.S. Jolley Bridge that brings thousands of visitors to Marco Island every year.
- S.S. Jolley Bridge is a bridge located in Collier County, Florida connecting Marco Island with the mainland in Naples.
- The Jolley Bridge opened on Dec. 13, 1969 as the Marco River Bridge and was the second vehicular bridge connecting to Marco Island. The first was the original span of the Goodland Bridge built in 1938.
- The cost to build the bridge was $1.5 million and it took 15 months to complete.
- Spans 1,595 feet and is 55 feet high.
- The bridge reduced the drive to Naples from 28 to 16 miles.
- Tolls, were originally $0.40 per car (later reduced to $0.20), were eliminated in 1979.
- In 2011, a second parallel span was built next to the original to provide two additional travel lanes. Today, southbound traffic uses the newer span, and northbound traffic uses the original span.
- The Jolley Bridge is named for former Collier County Judge Seward Stokley (S.S). Jolley, who served from 1935 until 1959
View the video and historic photo slideshow on naplesnews.com
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