PINE ISLAND, Fla. — The future of the Little Pine Island Bridge and what to do with it after the damage from Hurricane Ian is the focus for Lee County commissioners on Tuesday.
Commissioners plan to discuss options for the bridge at a workshop that starts at 1:30 p.m.
The two possible solutions are to make recommended repairs to the existing bridge or replace it.
After Hurricane Ian the Little Pine Island Bridge was inaccessible.
Parts of the bridge were washed out and there were massive amounts of debris surrounding the area.
The only way to get on the island was by boat.
Both the East and West ends of the bridge had damage.
The entrance of the bridge collapsed and there was also significant seawall and soil that was lost.
Option A is to keep the bridge and add new seawalls. Option A would take about six months and it’s also the most cost-effective.
It would cost about $4.3 million dollars.
Option B is to pay more and replace the bridge altogether. Option B would cost more than $7 million dollars. It would take about 8 months to complete construction, but it is the most durable option and would withstand a future storm.
