by Bradley Parsons
Staff Writer
The effort to save what’s left of the old Fuller Warren Bridge faces two major obstacles: traffic and time.
The Florida Department of Transportation has already demolished half the bridge and wants to tear down the rest starting in May. Opponents of the demolition say the bridge’s wreckage could be used as the foundation for a public fishing pier or promenade.
Both sides presented their case Thursday to the Jacksonville Waterways Commission and will do so again at next week’s City Council meeting.
The preservationists want time to sort through environmental and funding issues but their cause is complicated by a tight timeframe for the City to make a decision and concerns about traffic and parking in the area.
The decision will ultimately come from Mayor John Peyton with the Council’s approval. Peyton is holding off on his decision until engineering firm CH2M completes a feasibility study.
The City expects to have the study in hand by May 1. The FDOT says demolition must resume in May or else wait another year.
Top Peyton aide Susie Wiles said it was premature to speculate on the mayor’s decision, but said Peyton wanted to avoid the year-long delay.
“That’s not a preferred option,” said Wiles.
The FDOT must start demolition work in May to keep underwater blasting on schedule for a December start, said James Knight, an FDOT project management engineer. Environmental regulations only allow the blasting from December through February when manatees are scarce in local waters.
But the timetable will not be the deciding factor. If keeping the bridge looks like a good value for the City, then Peyton will consider it, said Wiles. A decision to keep the bridge would require a funding commitment and approval from the Council. That could be a tough process to navigate in time to meet the FDOT’s deadline. But if preservation merits a serious look, Wiles said the mayor and Council could work together to speed through the necessary legislation.
While the FDOT would pay to destroy the wreckage, the cost to keep and maintain the Fuller Warren would likely fall on the City. A previous study from the City’s Public Works Department estimated the minimum cost at $760,000 to reimburse the demolition contractor and install amenities like handrails, lighting and toilets. The FDOT thinks the project could cost 10 times that. Wiles said the mayor would base his decision on the numbers provided by CH2M.
“I have no earthly idea what the cost might be and neither does Public Works,” said Wiles.
The feasibility study will compare the cost of renovating the old bridge with the expense of building from scratch. The study will also evaluate the cost to build elsewhere, said Wiles.
The old Fuller Warren’s location, at the foot of the Interstate 95 exit into San Marco, could also be a problem. The area’s primary tenant, Baptist Medical Center, doesn’t want any development there that will attract more traffic.
Adding additional cars to the area’s already congested streets could hold up emergency vehicles, said Andy Sikes, director of safety, security and parking for Baptist.
“I don’t see how anything that would generate additional traffic can be a benefit for Baptist or for the neighborhood,” said Sikes.
However, an accessible pier could benefit Baptist, he said.
Baptist has been looking for ways to offer patients and families more open space, recently adding a healing garden and planning for a patio to open up the river view.
But Sikes said the hospital would only support a pier or similar park if the traffic impact was eliminated.