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Hope renewed for Friendship Trail Bridge
By SUZETTE PORTER
| Article published on Monday, June 1, 2009 |
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| A worker removes cracked concrete to allow a better look at the broken and corroded bars in the east side girders on the Friendship Trail Bridge. |
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| After the cracked concrete is removed, inspection crews can take a closer look at the condition of broken and corroded bars in the east side girders on the Friendship Trail Bridge. |
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A new engineering report on the Friendship Trail Bridge, which has been closed since December, estimates repair costs of about $15 million to give the popular recreational attraction another 10 years of life.
The May 26 report, which came after more extensive inspection and testing, brought a sense of optimism to officials and fans of the trail bridge that it might be saved.
“The report is not as negative as the first one that estimated $30 million to $70 million,” said Brian Smith, Pinellas County Planning Director.
The new report confirmed initials findings of heavily corroded and broken girders which prompted the closure of the bridge.
Officials closed about 1.8 miles of the bridge from the end of the wooden catwalk on the Pinellas County side to the end of the catwalk on the Hillsborough County side on Nov. 6 due to safety concerns. The two ends were closed on Dec. 22.
The biggest difference in the December and May reports were the cost estimates.
Cost estimates made in December 2008 ranged from $4.1 million to repair the spans on either end of the bridge; $30 million to repair the entire bridge; $12 million to demolish the bridge portion only; and $81.8 million to demolish the old bridge and build a replacement.
The new report engineering firms Kisinger Campo & Associates and SDR Engineering Consultants said a full repair of the entire bridge would cost $15 million and extend the life of the bridge another 10 years before it would need to be demolished.
Repairing the spans from the entrances to the ends of the catwalks would cost $10 million for another 10 years of life, Demolishing the bridge and building two new fishing piers at either end at the existing site would cost $17.5 million; however, the piers might have to be relocated when a new Gandy Bridge is built, the report said.
Demolishing the entire bridge would cost $13 million and building new piers off the new Gandy Bridge after it is constructed would cost an estimated $6.5 million.
The report was presented to the Friendship Trail Oversight Committee in Tampa. The committee is currently working to schedule two public meetings - one in Hillsborough County and one in Pinellas to allow the public to provide feedback.
The committee would then make a recommendation to the two county commissions as to the options.
Smith said each county had about $2 million for a total of $4 million in a fund for maintenance and repair. He said the committee was looking at ways to raise additional money through federal funding. He said the stimulus package has funding available for unique regional projects.
“There are not that many unique regional projects out there,” he said. “And this definitely fits - a bridge across the bay connecting two counties. We’re kind of optimistic. But we’d like to hear what the public has to say.”
He said even though the cost estimates were much less than earlier projections, finding funding would “still be a challenge.”
He said whatever happens would be a cooperative process between Hillsborough and Pinellas. He said public opinion would be a big factor.
The bridge has two recreational functions: fishing and the trail bridging the two counties.
He said the Friendship Trail Bridge was one of the only places where the two activities were completely separated.
“Everybody can be out enjoying themselves with no conflict,” he said.
And, attractions such as the trail bridge are of greater value during tight economic times, he said.
“It’s a place where people can go for recreation that costs no money,” he said.
The bridge, constructed in 1956, was originally known as the Gandy Bridge, and it carried westbound traffic across Old Tampa Bay until 1995 when a new westbound bridge was opened.
Originally, the Florida Department of Transportation had planned to demolish the bridge. Then citizens from Hillsborough and Pinellas counties came up with an idea to rescue the old bridge.
In 1997, the counties assumed joint ownership and in December of 1999, the old Gandy Bridge became the new Friendship Trail Bridge. It is one of the longest pedestrian bridges over water in the world.
According to the Friendship Trail Corporation, more than 600,000 people annually use the Friendship Trail Bridge for activities such as walking, jogging, bicycling, skating and fishing.
For more information and to read the full engineering report, visit www.trailbridge.org.
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Article published on Monday, June 1, 2009
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