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Bridge Problem Forces U-Turns

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By SUSAN M. GREEN, The Tampa Tribune

Published: November 7, 2007

APOLLO BEACH - Motorists used to shaving a couple of miles from their commute by taking the Fairway Boulevard bridge over Flamingo Canal face a few weeks of inconvenience after county officials cut off the shortcut last week.

Hillsborough County spokesman Steve Valdez said officials closed the bridge with no warning Thursday afternoon after it was determined the approach from the Apollo Beach Boulevard side was unsafe.

Motorists turning off of Apollo Beach Boulevard were halted by the "Road Closed" sign Thursday and forced to do a U-turn to head back to U.S. 41.

Detours will be necessary until Nov. 19, when officials hope to patch the bridge for use while work on a replacement bridge continues.

"We promised everybody we were going to keep the old bridge open, but we've had a time with the tidal action in Flamingo Canal literally sucking the sand out from under the approach," Valdez said.

Work on the $3 million replacement bridge started in spring and is expected to be completed in about six months, he said.

Meanwhile, the county will shell out $70,000 in emergency repairs for the old bridge. The cost will be added to the contract for the replacement project.

Valdez said the county tried several less expensive ways to shore up the supports under the bridge approach. They built a sea wall around it to try to block the water. They poured concrete under it, then spanned the eroding gap with metal plates. Last week, inspectors discovered the void was growing larger than the plates could span.

"It is deteriorating at a faster rate than we anticipated," Valdez said.

Crews are going to put crushed concrete in the cavern to bolster the support and cover it with layers of asphalt, Valdez said.

Valdez said county officials realize that the canal splits a large residential community, and people who live off Flamingo Drive depend on the bridge to get to shopping and to drive their children to Apollo Beach Elementary School.

To ease the inconvenience, the sheriff's office will post a deputy at Flamingo Drive and U.S. 41 each morning on school days so motorists will be able to make a left turn onto the busy highway and head north to turn onto Apollo Beach Boulevard.

Duck And Dodge

Crews working for Tampa Electric Co. have received county permission to temporarily close lanes on the following Gibsonton roads through Nov. 16 to replace power poles or other equipment:

•Nundy Avenue between Monica Drive and Richmond Street, the eastbound lane.

•Symmes Road between Downs Loop and Brussels Boy Lane, alternating lanes.

•Fleming Avenue between Roosevelt Street and Grace Drive, westbound lane.

•Restwood Drive between Beach Avenue and Bull Frog Creek, southbound lane.

•Nena Avenue from Williams Street to the dead end, eastbound lane.

•Bay Drive from Peninsular Drive to the dead end, northbound lane.

In Ruskin, TECO crews also will close the westbound lane of 24th Avenue Southwest intermittently between First Avenue Southwest and Wendi Lane. Work is authorized during daytime hours.

In Wimauma, motorists on Bonita Drive between U.S. 301 and Crestview Road can expect temporary delays as work crews close the eastbound lane to install slope protection on a bridge. That work may continue through Dec. 21.

For information about road or lane closures, call (813) 272-5275.

GOT A QUESTION?

Do you wonder why two roads come together as they do? Know about a recurring traffic hazard or bottleneck in your South Shore neighborhood or on your commute? Think you know a way to relieve traffic jams? Call Susan Green at (813) 865-1566 or e-mail sgreen@tampatrib.com with suggestions for "Getting Around."

Reporter Susan M. Green can be reached at (813) 865-1566 or sgreen@tampatrib.com.

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