Island Update: East Winterberry bridge replacement

After City Councilors decided to replace the East Winterberry bridge in 2005, the project has proceeded through several incarnations, obstacles and timetables.

Contractor Thomas Marine Construction has finally been able to start the project, over a year later than originally planned, after a long-running permitting dispute between the U.S. Coast and the city. The original decision to replace the bridge was made when councilors realized it had exceeded its projected lifespan, but urgency was added to the project when Hurricane Wilma prompted the Florida Department of Transportation to classify the span as structurally deficient.

• Budget? About $5 million

• On budget? yes

• Completion date? June 2008, however, Thomas Marine Construction is eligible for a bonus if the contractor can finish the project ahead of schedule

• On Schedule? Yes, so far.

• What are they doing now? Right now, workers are dredging unsuitable fill material from under the roadway and installing temporary utility lines.

• What will they do next? Crews will continue the above tasks for the next few weeks and hopefully demolition of the bridge will begin by the end of the month.