The new liftspan is in operation on the temporary Southern Blvd. Bridge and Michael Reiter, a Civic Association Director, video captured it as it was opening and closing.
“The liftspan takes about the same as a typical bascule bridge opening and closing,” said Mr. Reiter. “It’s photographically boring at normal speed so I sped it up.” Note the bridge tender walking back and forth out of the trailer-like bridge tender’s house.
The operation of the temporary bridge is more manual than the permanent ones. The bridge tender walks out on the catwalk and uses a megaphone for the opening and closing instructions. You can see that happening in the video.
You can see the counterweights drop within the bridge support infrastructure and that lifts the span above the channel. After the boats have passed safey, the liftspan lowers and the counterweights return to the top of the bridge supports.
The project is continuing at a brisk pace. June plans:
- Partial demolition of the tide relief bridge near Mar-a-Lago
- Demolition of old main bridge’s bascule leaves
- Install temporary construction walls
- Install gravity wall on the south side of the Southern Boulevard Causeway
- Exploratory drilling for replacement bridge foundations
FPL Permit Work:The eastbound right-turn lane on Southern Boulevard between Washington Road and Flagler Drive will be closed daily from 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. starting Tuesday, May 29, until Friday, June 29, as FPL performs utility work in the area.
Marine Restrictions:
The navigable Intracoastal Waterway (ICCW) through the Southern Boulevard Bridge will have half-channel closures from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Saturday.
A double-span opening (full channel open) may be requested during those times if four-hour notice is provided by calling Project Superintendent Clay Bores at (407) 488-0738.
During half-channel closures, the horizontal clearance through the bridge is 40 feet. The Southern Boulevard Bridge opens for marine traffic twice per hour at 15 minutes and 45 minutes past the hour.
