Riverside Heights: Walkway closed on Columbus Drive span
A sidewalk on the north side is closed. That and other problems are budgeted for repairs. The south side is okay.
By RON MATUS
Published December 19, 2003
Sturdy as it might look, the Columbus Drive bridge isn't what it used to be.
It's old. It's rusty. Pieces are falling off.
And now, Hillsborough County officials have decided it's too risky to let people walk on parts of it.
A few months ago, the county closed the sidewalk on the north side of the bridge because of structural damage beneath it, a move that highlighted how badly the 77-year-old bridge needs repair.
"There's corrosion there that's not so good," said Scott Cottrell, who manages design and engineering for county public works. "So rather than take some chances, we decided to close it."
County officials oversee major repairs for the bridge because Columbus Drive is a county-maintained road. For now, they say the structure remains safe for cars and the sidewalk on the south side is okay.
But for how long? Nobody knows.
In the spring, Cottrell brought a thoroughly rusted piece of the bridge to a meeting with neighborhood leaders. The shoebox-sized chunk was a small part of a brace that had fallen off into the Hillsborough River.
Fixes are coming.
In October, the Hillsborough County Commission approved $1.2-million for "urgent repairs" that will extend the life of the bridge until it can be overhauled or replaced, Cottrell said.
Besides shoring up braces, the money will be used to replace the bearing that allows the bridge to swing open for boats. Because the bearing is not working properly, the bridge takes longer to open and close and sometimes gets stuck.
With more than 18,000 cars crossing the bridge every day, "we don't want to let that go on," he said.
The repair work could begin as early as summer.
In the meantime, the county will continue seeking money for a long-term solution.
County officials lean toward a new bridge, which they estimate could cost up to $21.8-million. But neighborhoods prefer the Mediterranean-style features of the existing bridge and would rather see it rehabilitated. "We don't want a modern span," said Sharon Keene, president of the Riverside Heights Civic Association. "We want something that reflects the character of our neighborhoods."
Five neighborhoods are seeking historic status for the bridge.
Consultants will look at that issue when they begin a $400,000 study of the bridge early next year. Their report should be ready by early 2005.
