Bridge of Lions Rehabilitation - St. Augustine

[reednavy]

Bridge opens tomorrow, a day ahead of schedule. However, the namesake of the bridge, the lions, will not be in place for many more months. This is because they have to wait for removal of the temp. span, complete roadwork, and then landscape. Waiting to do so provides a bit of assurance that the lions will not be damaged before all work is completed.

http://www.news4jax.com/news/22852596/detail.html

[Jason]

The bridge is looking great!  I wish I would've gotten some pics of it when I was at A1A Aleworks this past weekend.

[buckethead]

Fancy Lighting?

What about energy and resource conservation? Well... so long as they paint the bridge GREEN, I suppose it'll be fine.

A proposal for the concrete waste from the temporary bridge, which seems to be a smarter use of resources:

http://staugustine.com/news/2010-02-23/temporary-bridge-lions-concrete-could-be-used-protect-intracoastal

[Jason]

I'm pretty sure that the proposed lighting is LED, which is about as efficient as you can get (assuming it is done right).

[buckethead]

I'm pretty sure that the proposed lighting is LED, which is about as efficient as you can get (assuming it is done right).

Would zero (under structure) lighting be less efficient than LED? Would zero lighting be more costly in terms of expendature for procurement and maintenece?

I like the lighting... just bustin some green chops.

[Jason]

I see your point. 

Personally, I think the benefits of lighting the bridge outweigh the necessary expenditures.  Tourism is the lifeblood of the city and if making it a bit more appealing at night can help to maintain or increase the appeal it is worth it.

[reednavy]

I can't believe some comments on WJXT's story.

Would you rather have the money not been used to restore the bridge and risk it falling down and costing the state a helluva lot more than refurbing?!

Some people are just so stupid that it is pitiful.

[buckethead]

I would have preferred a new bridge without having built a temporary bridge that would later need to be demolished.

Just my opinion.

[Jason]

There would have been no way to build a bigger bridge without making it a draw bridge and/or ruining the hostoric charm of St. Augustine.  I think they got this one right.

Now its time to focus on transit.  Streetcars should be able to use the bridge with minimal alterations.  Ock might be able to elaborate on this.

[reednavy]

I would have preferred a new bridge without having built a temporary bridge that would later need to be demolished.

Just my opinion.

The only part of the temp bridge not being reused are the concrete piers. Everything else is being disassmebled and will be used at another bridge project.

The concrete piers are being broken up to be used in an artificial reef, so the whole temporary span is being used reasonably.

If they had not built the temp bridge, you would've had only one other bridge crossing the ICW between there and Crescent Beach, which would've caused gridlock during daylight hours. After that bridge, the only other free bridge doesn't cross the ICW until Hwy 100 to Flagler Beach. The Hammock Dunes Bridge in Palm Coast is a tolled structure. FDOT would not have allowed this because the BOL is an official Hurricane Evacuation bridge.

[buckethead]

It is not only the actual materials of the bridge to consider, but the cost in terms of natural resources and labor to manufacture and deliver those building products, along with the need for the use of natural resources and labor to dissasemble the temporary bridge and deliver those materials elsewhere.

My 2 cents.

[reednavy]

Ok, but that was factored into the overall cost of the rehab.

Using the concrete to create an artificial reef in addition to the bridge being reused is a win-win IMO. At the same time though, it cost money to bring in the temporary span in the first place, and considering how long this project took, the temp span was pretty much required. This is just like building a new bridge to replace the old, except when it is done, the temp span will be used elsewhere and not demolished completely.

I honestly don't understand what the deal is, but whatever. The cost of a totally new bridge would've been much more than this rehab because they would've had to purchase properties, demolish buildings, and move existing infrastructure to start with.

Also, I honeslty think you don't grasp how historically significant this bridge is to the historic character of St. Augustine. A plain, bland bridge like the Fuller Warren or Acosta would not have been feaseable. That doesn't even take into consideration the downright outrage historical societies, the citizens of St. Augustine, the City of St. Augustine, and Visit Jacksonville would've raised. FDOT knows that this is a one of a kind structure, and everything should be done to preserve it.

[tufsu1]

I honestly don't understand what the deal is, but whatever. The cost of a totally new bridge would've been much more than this rehab because they would've had to purchase properties, demolish buildings, and move existing infrastructure to start with.

actually no....FDOT originally wanted to build a new bridge and had 2 options...go high (like most of their new bridges)...or build a new one where the temp. bridge is now...the rehab w/ temp. bridge was the most expensive option....that said, it was also the right decision

[Dog Walker]

Dern right!   

There is another saving coming too.  Seems that rip-rap reinforcing is needed at a nearby area that is eroding so much of the concrete from the temporary bridge is going to be moved a very short distance and used by the City of St. Augustine.  I think the story about it said that it was dropping the disposal costs (offshore reef) from $500,000 to $100,000 because it can be trucked a short distance rather than barged a long one.

[Jason]

This is going to be a big issue until the bridge approaches are finished....

Bridge plagued by traffic woes

Crews work to open a right turn lane onto Avenida Menendez as drivers wait in long lines

Posted: March 23, 2010 - 12:29am

By KATI BEXLEY
The beautiful new Bridge of Lions was supposed to put smiles on peoples' faces. Instead, it is getting a lot of grimaces from people stuck in long lines waiting to get over the bridge from Anastasia Island.

Drivers could get relief soon from traffic piling up on the Bridge of Lions after St. Augustine City Commissioners urged the contractor on the bridge project to resolve the issue.

Laurie Sanderson, Bridge of Lions rehabilitation project spokeswoman, said now at the foot of the Bridge of Lions heading to downtown St. Augustine there are two lanes, one that allows traffic to go straight and turn left and the other sends traffic straight and right.

So if cars are going straight they sit at the stop light, leaving traffic to back up while they wait to turn right.

The Florida Department of Transportation will work this week to open a right-turn-only lane for drivers entering downtown from Anastasia Island, she said. Without that lane, traffic is often backing up a mile on Anastasia Boulevard.

"We know this is causing an issue, and we are working to change it as soon as possible," Sanderson said.

When the Bridge of Lions reopened last week, the lane allowing drivers to turn off the temporary bridge and head north on Avenida Menendez was closed for construction crews, Sanderson said.

Sanderson hadn't received many complaints from residents about the issue, but City Commissioners asked the Department of Transportation to do something about it.

Another culprit for the traffic congestion is the Bridge of Lions drawbridge taking longer to go and up down than did the temporary bridge, Sanderson said. She said the antique gates on both sides of the Bridge of Lions' drawspan open one at a time and delay the drawbridge.

The gates were added to the Bridge of Lions during its rehabilitation because they were on the original bridge in 1927, Sanderson said. The Department of Transportation is looking at either keeping the gates open at all times or having them open faster, she said.

Sanderson the DOT is still looking into the malfunction that caused the Bridge of Lions to shut down Friday.

The two bridge's roadways, or drawspan, connect and lock for additional safety as drivers travel over them. The drawspan was not connecting completely, so it could not lock and the bridge was closed for about an hour.

Sanderson the bridge began having the same problems late Friday evening, but it again corrected itself. She said a small part on the bridge has been replaced and they believe that will solve the problem.

"We believe this issue may be related to that part," Sanderson said. "... We are not completely certain and we are still conducting inspections and testing."

On Monday night, she told the City Commission that the bridge was tested for four days before the opening, but then a valve in a lock system malfunctioned and its replacement had to be found.

"We are under warranty, just like a new car would be," she said.

The span is supposed to open in 72 seconds, not including the pedestrian gates. The entire sequence should be 4-1/2 minutes to open and 3-1/2 minutes to close.

"This is all still under construction," Sanderson told the commission. "It will function more like it did before we started construction."

Senior Writer Peter Guinta contributed to this story.