City reacts to Coon Key Bridge traffic concerns

At the tail end of tourist season, motorists traveling across the John Ringling Causeway are still experiencing significant traffic congestion as a result of a Florida Department of Transportation project to repair the westbound segment of the Coon Key Bridge.

With residents complaining about the backups, city and FDOT officials are asking for patience — and explaining why the construction began this week. City Manager Tom Barwin said FDOT crews discovered critical structural issues with the bridge last summer, and sought to begin repairs that September.

Given the four-month construction window, FDOT received concern from merchants that the project would extend into the beginning of season, according to FDOT spokesman Robin Stublen. As a result, the state agency settled a new start date of April 4 — a change endorsed by local stakeholders, Stublen said.

The project was not put off any longer for a series of reasons: the impending start of hurricane season, the need to complete the project in this fiscal year and the deteriorating state of the bridge, officials said.

Stublen said FDOT employees are monitoring the traffic conditions on the bridge and evaluating their options for improving the congestion issues. An update on their findings should be available early next week, he said.

“We’re looking at that so we can possibly take some other action that can help with the traffic,” Stublen said.

The project is expected to continue through July. The repairs, which necessitate the closing of one lane of traffic, will be limited to the west side of the bridge.