Parts of Jacksonville's Main Street Bridge are slated to be closed at various times for at least the next year.Florida Department of Transportation crews have begun a multi-million dollar project to replace existing handrails with steel barriers to make the bridge less vulnerable to serious damage in the event of a vehicle crash.
“To do these crash barriers, we’re going to have to close sidewalks, one side at a time," said DOT spokesman Mike Goldman.
The sidewalks will reopen for events permitted by the city, like the Gate River Run or Fourth of July fireworks.
"For something like the River Run coming up in March, it may affect the training for runners,” Goldman said.
In addition to closing sidewalks, single vehicle travel lanes may also be closed to traffic on weekdays between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m.
Closing the entire bridge or both lanes in one direction is reserved for weeknights (Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday from 6 p.m.-6 a.m. and Sunday and Wednesday 9 p.m.-6 a.m.) and weekends (Friday at 9 p.m. to Sunday at 6 a.m.).
FDOT officials say there are only a couple dozen weekends where the bridge will be completely off limits to vehicles. The $11.1 million project is expected to be completed by the spring of 2015.
According to the FDOT, work on the Mathews Bridge, which has also been closed on a regular schedule for several years, could be wrapped up by May.
You can follow Cyd Hoskinson on Twitter @cydwjctnews.
