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CR 579 Bridge Decay Leads To Detour

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By The Tampa Tribune | The Tampa Tribune

Published: June 27, 2008

WIMAUMA - Hillsborough officials have closed the County Road 579 bridge over the Little Manatee River because a routine inspection turned up two rotting supports.

The other 22 wooden pilings must be inspected and repairs completed before the bridge can reopen, county spokesman Patrick Murray said Monday. That's expected to take at least two months.

Murray said workers are expected to start building concrete reinforcements around the damaged pilings today. Inspectors must drill into the other pilings to test them for signs of decay. High water levels from recent rains make it difficult to say how long the job will take.

County officials first closed the bridge Friday afternoon to heavy trucks, but truck drivers ignored the signs, so barricades went up over the weekend, the spokesman said. The bridge is near the Hillsborough-Manatee county line. Motorists approaching from either county are advised to use U.S. 301 instead.

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