Seven Mile Bridge

The original Seven Mile Bridge was one of the longest bridges in the world when it was completed in 1912 as part of Henry Flagler's Overseas Railroad, connecting the Florida Keys by rail for the first time. It was later converted for road use after a 1935 hurricane destroyed the railroad. A newer parallel bridge, completed in 1982, now carries traffic, while the older span remains partially preserved for pedestrians and cyclists, connecting to Pigeon Key partway along its length.

The new bridge has no pedestrian access, so there's no safe way to stop for a photo at locations on there. Pigeon Key offers a good view of the modern bridge instead, reachable on foot via the old bridge or by the road train and it's a safe vantage point for anyone hoping to photograph the new bridge in person.

Both bridges appear during the pre-title sequence of Licence to Kill. The wedding car carrying Felix, Sharkey and Bond was filmed on the new bridge heading north toward Marathon rather than the story's intended route to Key West, a production choice made to allow the following helicopter shot alongside the car without the utility poles being in the way.

In a later scene, Ed Killifer takes control of the armoured truck carrying Sanchez and drives it off the bridge and into the sea. The two bridges swap partway through this sequence, with the truck itself filmed on the newer bridge before the final plunge was shot on the older one, through a specially-built breakaway wall section. The truck was radio-controlled for the stunt, with a full-size mechanical dummy positioned at the wheel for the shot, and was recovered by tow truck from the water afterward.


The main map marker is approximately where we first see the wedding car carrying Felix, Sharkey and Bond on the new bridge. A vantage point marker has been added to view the new bridge from Pigeon Key.

With thanks to Paul Meyers, who drove in the support convoy for both the wedding and escape scenes, for confirming which bridge was used where and details on Sanchez's rescue scene.

Also thanks to John Richardson, special visual effects on the film, who also confirmed the old bridge filming for the armoured truck crash off the bridge and personally steered the truck by radio control off the breakaway wall section.