 The bridge crosses the Alakır Çayı stream , whose ancient name is unknown , 3 @.@ 2 km ( 2 @.@ 0 mi ) east of the ruins of Limyra ( distance measured from the city 's theatre ) and 3 @.@ 8 km ( 2 @.@ 4 mi ) north of the modern coastline , close to the modern road from Turunçova to Kumluca . The local topography is dominated by the foothills of the Toçak Dağı mountains , which blend here with the alluvial bottomlands of the Bay of Finike . In this transitional area , the bridge was built immediately above the point where the narrow river valley opens into the wide estuary plain , and where the crossing of the river during the rain period would be obstructed by high water . While the eastern end of the bridge levels off at the gravel plain , the western end abuts directly to the rising rock wall of the mountain , presumably for protection against floods . The resulting sharp bend in the course of the road could also be exploited in case of need to block the road . A modern dam , Alakır Barajı , was constructed upstream for irrigation purposes and flood protection . 
