Subject:
Title
Approval, Re: Resolution Designating the State Road 405 Bridge as the “Dr. Sally Ride Memorial Bridge” -District 1
End
Fiscal Impact:
None
Dept/Office:
Public Works Department
Requested Action:
Recommendation
It is requested the Board of County Commissioners approve and authorize the Chair to execute the Resolution authorizing the designation of the State Road 405 Bridge as the “Dr. Sally Ride Memorial Bridge”.
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Summary Explanation and Background:
On June 18, 1983, Sally Ride made history as both the youngest American astronaut and first American woman to fly to space while participating in the Space Shuttle Challenger STS-7 mission. In 1986, Sally Ride was appointed to the Rogers Commission, the Presidential Commission charged with investigating the 1986 Challenger disaster, as head of the commission’s Subcommittee on Operations, and was both the only Space Shuttle astronaut and current NASA employee on the commission.
Groundbreaking for constructing two high-level fixed bridges to replace the existing NASA Causeway bridge commenced on December 14, 2021. The construction of the bridges marks a new era for Florida's Space Coast and supports the innovation and growth of the space industry. The new 4,025-foot-long span will be a critical corridor for SpaceX and Blue Origin commercial spaceflights. Naming this vital bridge the Dr. Sally Ride Memorial Bridge will honor her legacy, acknowledge the history of females in space, and inspire generations of females considering a career in the STEM fields.
On January 10, 2023, the Board approved and authorized the Chair to sign a letter of support addressed to Representative Tyler Sirois in support of this road designation. Memorial designations on transportation facilities in Florida are accomplished jointly through an Act of the Florida Legislature and a Resolution from the appropriate local government. Upon official designation by the Florida Legislature, it is the responsibility of the legislative sponsors of the designation to obtain local Resolutions in accordance with Section 334.071(3), F.S. Florida Legislature officially designated the referenced portion of State Road 405 on July 7, 2023.
Clerk to the Board Instructions:
Please return the fully executed Resolution to the Public Works Department for forwarding to the Florida Department of Transportation.