Looking west from West Bay Drive, the new Belleair Beach Causeway Bridge continues to take shape.
BELLEAIR BEACH – This week marks a major milestone in construction of the new high-level, fixed-span Belleair Beach Causeway Bridge.
Passersby will probably notice that it’s beginning to look a lot more like a bridge.
“We have built all the piers for the bridge – the piers support the beams,” said project manager Tony Horrnik. “This is a major milestone.”
Five out of 31 spans that will extend between piers are completed.
Two bits of good news regarding time and money accompany the bridge progress report. Construction is running on schedule – actually 12 days ahead of schedule, Horrnik said.
And, they’ve stayed within budget.
The $72.3 million cost of the new bridge is being paid for with a $33.8 million Congressional allocation – secured funding for which Horrnik credits the persistence of the Board of County Commissioners. The remainder of the money is derived from the Penny for Pinellas sales tax.
Horrnik is delighted with how things have been going at the construction site.
“This is a complicated project with a lot going on all the time,” he said. “Issues get resolved quickly. I am very pleased with the contractor and the consultant, E.C. Driver.”
The bridge is a joint project of Johnson Brothers and Misener Marine.
Though navigation through the construction site can be a challenge with intermittent lane closings, complaints from the public have been few.
“We are trying to make sure people stay informed about the closings,” Horrnik said. “They can sit at their desks and watch on camera (at www.belleairbeachcauseway.com).”
The completed bridge project will include boat ramp facilities and a new and improved dog beach. Though cars will not be allowed to drive on the beach, there will be ample parking beneath the bridge for people and their dogs who are headed for a swim. Horrnik notes that the high-span bridge will result in additional acreage for recreational enjoyment.
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