by Bailey White
Staff Writer
A few minor and major tweaks to the Main Street Bridge will create some changes for motorists in the upcoming months.
Starting March 10, the Florida Department of Transportation will begin installing devices to monitor the amount of erosion beneath the bridge, closing it between 8 p.m and 5 a.m. for about a week.
Another project, scheduled for later this spring, involves painting the bridge and some steel repair work.
“We’ll get the bids back in April and the project should start in late May or early June,” said Mike Goldman, spokesperson for the FDOT.
The bridge, which first opened in July 1941, will again be painted blue, but will likely appear darker because it has been a while since its last paint job.
FDOT estimates the project will cost about $4.3 million, but Goldman said even with a project this massive, traffic will be affected minimally.
“It’s safe to predict there will be some minor traffic inconvenience,” he said, adding that the bridge will be closed on the weekend.
“We obviously won’t close it down during the middle of rush hour. We’re getting specific times together,” he said. “Then we’ll contact everyone downtown and on the Southbank to make sure they’re aware of the times.”
The Hart Bridge will also get a new coat of paint. Goldman said FDOT expects bids back in July, and the project will likely get started soon after. FDOT estimates the Hart Bridge project will cost $7.3 million, but isn’t sure yet how long either project will take.
“We’re on a real time crunch here because of the Super Bowl,” said Goldman. “But it’s hard to know how long the projects will take because this kind of work is very weather sensitive.”
Goldman said that conditions have to be near perfect for painting, meaning wind can’t be too strong, humidity has to be at a certain point and it can’t be too cold.
And there are other issues to consider, including problems that could be caused by overspray.
“We’ll need to develop an efficient system for someone to report overspray if need be,” said Goldman.
Goldman said there are no plans to replace the bridge, which he says is still in good shape.
“It would be incredibly costly,” he said. “And the bridge will last forever if you put the work and money into it.”