William O. Birchfield, a Jacksonville attorney who was instrumental in the construction of the Dames Point bridge, the Skyway and Butler Boulevard, died Friday. He was 80.
During a five-decade career, Mr. Birchfield served on the Jacksonville Transportation Authority, the Jacksonville Port Authority and in the Legislature.
As a member of JTA for eight years, Mr. Birchfield was a part of the group that pushed to construct the Dames Point bridge despite detractors who said the bridge wasn’t necessary, said Jim Rinaman Jr., a lawyer who also served at JTA at the time.