Platt Street Bridge Construction & Closure

History/Background
The Platt Street Bridge in downtown Tampa was constructed in 1926 at a cost of $400,000. The Platt Street Bridge, as well as the Cass Street Bridge, were designed by the Strauss Bascule Bridge Company, which also designed the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco. At 518 feet long, it serves as a vital link between South Tampa and the downtown business core. In 2006, the bridge was granted a historic designation. 

Construction Project
A complete rehabilitation of the Bridge is required as it has outlived its normal useful life span and needs to be upgraded to current standards. The major repairs include the reconditioning/replacement of mechanical bridge elements, replacement of the electrical bridge control system, replacement of the bridge roadway deck grating, structural concrete and steel repairs, painting of the bridge structure, and tender house repairs.                                                                                     

Schedule
The project will proceed in three phases:

• Phase 1 (which started in January 2011) - one lane will be closed for approximately the first four months of the project on the north (left) side of the bridge with an additional intermittent lane closure as necessary
• Phase 2 - one lane will be closed on the south (right) side of the bridge for the following approximately four months with an additional intermittent lane closure as necessary
• Phase 3 - in October, the bridge will close entirely for 105 days to allow the contractor to open the drawbridge and perform replacement work on its components

The full project is expected to be completed in the spring of 2012. The total budget for the project is $13.8 million, of which $11.4 million will be funded by Community Investment Tax proceeds. The remainder is coming from federal grants.

When the work is completed, the Bridge will be restored to its original functionality and historical appearance.