Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) staff reported that the Department has been conducting a Project Development and Environment (PD&E) Study of bridge improvement alternatives for S.R. 679/Pinellas Bayway Structure E at the intra-coastal waterway. S.R. 679 is a designated hurricane evacuation route and is part of the Pinellas Bayway toll system. The project is for Structure E, the bridge referred to locally as the Tierra Verde Bridge. Because of its age, the bridge has structural deficiencies and needs either rehabilitation or replacement. There are other safety issues as well. Road improvements are included in the project.

A public hearing regarding the project will be held on March 28 at Tampa Bay Watch, 3000 Pinellas Bayway South, Tierra Verde. FDOT staff showed the Power Point presentation which will be given at that time.

The existing bridge is a low-level drawbridge that spans the intra-coastal waterway. It provides the only vehicular access to the islands of Tierra Verde and Mullet Key, where Ft. DeSoto Park is located. No capacity improvements are being considered at this time; however, the FDOT's recommended alternative would accommodate capacity improvements if needed in the future.

In April 2006, the FDOT presented six bridge design alternatives at a public workshop. After reviewing public comment and making further analyses, the Department identified a Recommended Alternative, designated Alternative 6, that calls for replacement of the bridge. The public hearing on March 28 will present this Recommended Alternative and receive public feedback. A no-build alternative, designated Alternative 1, is a design to rehabilitate the existing bridge. It will be presented at the public hearing also.

Alternative 6, the FDOT's Recommended Alternative, is a high-level, fixed-span replacement bridge that would provide 65 feet of vertical navigational clearance. It would accommodate 99% of the typical boat traffic, and it would have no operating costs. A fixed-span bridge would improve traffic flow in general and speed evacuation of the islands if necessary. Building this bridge would require relocating the channel.

Alternative 1, the no-build alternative, would repair and rehabilitate the existing structure in its current configuration and maintain the existing roadway characteristics. It would provide the same 75-year life as a replacement bridge. This is considered a viable alternative and will remain so throughout the PD&E study.

The affects of the various designs were assessed and documented in the Draft Environmental Assessment (EA). The Draft EA is available for public reading at the St. Pete Beach Library until April 9 and at FDOT District 7 headquarters.

After the public hearing on March 28, the FDOT will review and document the public comments and refine the Recommended Alternative as needed. Upon U.S. Coast Guard approval of the final environmental document, expected this summer, the FDOT will notify the community of the approved action. The PD&E study is scheduled to be completed this year. No funding is programmed for the bridge's design, right-of-way acquisition, or construction. The bridge would be maintained by the FDOT's Bridge Maintenance Program.

A rehabilitated bridge would cost $90-93 million. A new bridge would cost $110 million. The FDOT is seeking a way to use the Bayway toll system to build this bridge as well as a bridge to St. Pete Beach. The Department estimates that construction would take 2-3 years, with completion in 2016, and they have planned for maintenance of the current bridge during the interim period.

Ref: http://www.pinellascounty.org/mpo/mpo_minutes/031407.pdf