Cow Key Bridge repair timeline cut in half

BY PRU SOWERS

KONK LIFE STAFF WRITER

Catastrophe averted? Or maybe at least reduced?

That was the hope Feb. 20 when Key West City Commissioners received a report from the state Department of Transportation (DOT) on the repair of the Cow Key Bridge, the only road onto and off the island. DOT officials said that because of the alarmed outcry over the proposed construction, which would have narrowed the four-lane bridge to one lane each way, the estimated time to complete the project has been brought down from 480 days to a possible 220.

There are some caveats to the timeline. The shortest amount of time DOT engineers can estimate for the project, which will repair crumbling concrete on the sides and bottom of the bridge span reportedly caused by salt water corrosion from jet skis and other water craft spraying water as they pass under it, was 265 days. But Harold Desdunes, DOT Director of Transportation Development, said a $500,000 bonus has been added to the $4.7 million project as an incentive to contractors to speed the project along. They are hoping to get the number of construction days down to 220.

“We realize this is the only way in and out of Key West,” he said. “We heard that one lane in and out just won’t work.”

The more than-halving of the project timeline was accomplished by other methods, as well, including allowing 24/7 construction, instead of stopping at night, and experimenting with lane closures. The initial plan was changed from one lane each inbound and outbound to one lane inbound and two lanes outbound. Based on DOT traffic estimates, that would result in adding 27 minutes to the morning rush hour. If that was changed to two lanes inbound and one outbound, the projected delay added 36 minutes to the afternoon rush hour.

The latest idea is a “reversable lane solution,” meaning that during the morning rush hour, there would be two lanes in and one lane out. In the afternoon, that would be reversed to two lanes out and one in as a way to more swiftly move drivers off the island.

“The increase in delays will be negligible. But we have to confirm we are not decreasing safety for drivers and construction workers,” said Pablo Orozco, DOT Structures Maintenance Engineer.

Further tweaking will be done before a contractor is hired by the end of October. Construction will begin April 13, 2020, and DOT is hoping it will be finished by Nov. 18, 2020, if the $500,000 bonus incentive is successful, and Jan. 2, 2021, if it is not.

Key West City Commission Sam Kaufman practically begged the DOT officials to further reduce the construction days to 180, finishing the project before Fantasy Fest next year when tens of thousands of visitors flock to the island.

“That would help us tremendously,” Kaufman said.

Orozco said he couldn’t commit to 180 days but said the construction contract can be written to require work to stop during Fantasy Fest weekend.

Commissioner Billy Wardlow said he liked how DOT was responding to the alarm the bridge lane closings have caused.

“I like the 24/7 deal. Get it done because it has to be done,” he said.

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