Paul Gelegotis Bridge

The Paul Gelegotis Bridge, also known as the Stono Bridge, is located in Charleston, South Carolina, United States; it connects James Island and Johns Island on SC 700 (Maybank Highway). This bridge opened in late 2003, on the historically significant site of a series of former Stono Bridges.

The bridge survived an attempt by Union forces to burn it during the American Civil War. Union troops floated burning rafts down to the Stono Bridge, hoping the wooden structure would catch fire and burn. However, their efforts were thwarted by a Lieutenant Smith, who along with members of a naval battalion, brought the rafts to shore. There have been several bridges in this location; the last variation was a two lane bridge 1416 feet (432 m) long, which was built in 1928, and later refurbished in 1950. This swing span drawbridge used a 156 feet (48 m) long steel truss which left little room for even small vessels to pass beneath unless it was open.

The Gelegotis Bridge is a four lane 7300 feet (2225 m) long structure, which began operation in 2003. The new elevated design allows auto traffic to move faster, while vessels pass under a 65 feet (20 m) clearance and through 90 feet (27 m) of horizontal clearance between the bridge supports. This bridge is named after Paul Gelegotis, a James Island businessman and politician who started the EMS ambulance service in South Carolina in 1973. The South Carolina Department of Transportation opened two lanes to vehicles in November 2003, and opened the remaining two lanes in June 2004. Three construction accidents delayed the opening by six months, two of these were caused by cranes falling onto the structure; the third was a worker falling 30 feet (9 m) from a crane. The new bridge incorporates vehicle emergency lanes, but no demarcated bicycle lanes or sidewalks. It is the first bridge designed to include the South Carolina Department of Transportation's new seismic design criteria. In total, construction of the bridge cost approximately $41.5 million. The bridge was dedicated June 17, 2004.