High above Interstate 75, this landbridge was the first of its kind in the country. The land it occupies was originally intended to be part of a massive canal across Florida that would have split the state in two. Instead, the landbridge connects the former canal lands and serves as a corridor for both people and wildlife, allowing safe passage across the busy interstate. Engineers designed it to follow a natural ridge, and builders used local stones and planted palmettos, oaks, and other native plants. Wildlife crossings like this are important because vehicle collisions kill many animals each year and are the leading cause of black bear deaths in Florida. Many species have been documented using this bridge, including bears, white-tailed deer, bobcats, and snakes.