FDOT plans Stickney Point Bridge lane closures

The Florida Department of Transportation begins preliminary work on a $4 million rehabilitation project Wednesday, which will require lane closures from 9 p.m. through 5 a.m. the following day.

“The contractor will be doing some coring,” said FDOT spokesman Robin Stublen. That will give the firm samples to study the roadway’s condition for the upcoming work.

Eastbound and westbound lanes will close intermittently throughout the night.

“Delays shouldn’t be longer than 15 minutes,” Stublen said. “It’s not really a major issue.”

The project, which is slated to begin after Easter, is aimed at adding 10 years to the 46-year-old bridge’s lifespan. Without the rehabilitation, the moveable bridges will continue to deteriorate due to an “extremely aggressive” coastal environment, according to the staff presentation.

FDOT will recondition the bridge’s electrical system and machinery, fix concrete, including the attached seawall and refurbishing the control house, among other repairs. The contractor may have to close down the entire bridge for 15-minute intervals to work on steel portions that need to be rehabilitated, said FDOT project manager Brian Loeser during an Oct. 7 presentation to Sarasota County commissioners.

“I live on Siesta Key, and when you did the repairs to the north bridge your contractor was fantastic about managing the traffic," said former Commissioner Nora Patterson during the meeting. "I had all kinds of comments about how well it was managed."