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How safe are Southwest Florida’s bridges?

That was the question on many residents’ minds Thursday in the aftermath of the Minnesota bridge collapse. The tragedy prompted Gov. Charlie Crist to call for a comprehensive report on the status of Florida’s bridges.

“This horrible incident reaffirms our responsibility to ensure the safety of millions of Floridians and visitors as they use our roadways and bridges,” Crist said in a letter to state Transportation Secretary Stephanie Kopelousos.

In Washington, D.C., Southwest Florida Congressmen Connie Mack IV, R-Fort Myers, and Mario Diaz-Balart, R-Miami, were part of a South Florida congressional delegation that called for a federal review of local bridges. “We want to ensure that the bridges in our areas are safe,” said Diaz-Balart, who represents part of Collier County, in a news release. “As a precaution, we have officially requested a federal review of all the bridges in the Southern Florida region.”

The group also sent a letter to U.S. Transportation Secretary Mary Peters, inquiring about the status of bridges and highway overpasses in South Florida.

“Given that the I-35W Bridge in Minneapolis that collapsed had been recently inspected but remained open, how can we be assured that the bridges inspected in South Florida are safe for travel?” the letter said. “Additionally, what steps has the Department taken since this tragedy to ensure the safety of our Nations’ bridges?”

On Marco Island the safety question seemed on target, as the second phase of a survey aimed at determining what improvements are needed for the S.S. Jolley Bridge, which connects the island to the mainland, kicked off in the city Thursday.

“We’ve had people mention it (the collapse),” said consultant Chris Swenson, whose firm CRSPE is conducting the survey for the Collier County Metropolitan Planning Organization. “It’s a very sad thing.”

Since 1969, commuters, residents and visitors alike have used the Jolley Bridge daily to get onto Marco Island.

Designed with 50-year life span, the bridge was originally expected to handle 10,000 vehicles per day, but now averages 25,000 vehicles.

With no bridge on the immediate horizon, in February Collier County commissioners authorized a consulting firm to begin an up to $1 million study to examine the feasibility of a toll to speed construction of a new bridge instead of waiting for the state to free up funding.

Thursday, city officials were not overly concerned with the Jolley Bridge’s safety, as much as the need to get residents’ input for a future bridge.

“The fact is, that the state and the city are constantly watching our bridges. Inspecting them and making sure that everything is OK,” said Marco City Council Chairman Mike Minozzi.

Florida Department of Transportation spokeswoman Debbie Tower agreed.

“There are no questions of safety at all,” said Tower. “The interest of replacing the bridge is based on capacity, not safety.”

Tower said concerns about the Jolley Bridge and other Florida bridges were understandable after the Minnesota tragedy, but that FDOT had safety measures already in place.

“I think what’s important, is for people to know that there is a bridge inspection program throughout the year,” said Tower, adding that in Florida bridges are inspected every two years and more frequently based on need.

Tower said, that in the case of the Jolley Bridge, the structure was last inspected in April.

With proper maintenance the bridge “could remain in service for another 10 years,” she said, but that “at some point it needs to be replaced.”

And hopefully that point will come sooner rather than later, said Minozzi.

“Even though it’s an old bridge, it’s in good condition,” Minozzi said, of the Jolley Bridge. “But we’re still looking at it as a bridge that is at the end of its life span.”