Gulf County commissioners voted to allow a developer to replace the Buddy Floral bridge while the county will construct the bridge abutments and the developer will provide and maintain a temporary bypass during construction. The board also voted to reject a previously bid grant that would have paid for county work on the bridge.

The board’s action followed a presentation from a developer representative and discussion of temporary traffic access. “The developers agreed to replace the bridge. We're gonna do the abutments. They're gonna pave the road in, and we needed a either a temporary bridge or a bypass, while the bridge is being replaced,” a county speaker told the commission. The developer representative described safety and environmental concerns with building an additional bridge and proposed using a pass road on Deseret as the bypass, with the developer maintaining the road and working with Deseret’s attorneys and the county attorney to formalize access.

Why it matters: replacing the existing bridge will change local traffic patterns for residents who use the road daily; the board and emergency services staff asked that dispatch and EMS be informed about the temporary routing so responders can navigate the bypass.

Commission discussion and timing: Commissioners asked about a construction timeline for the bypass; the developer representative gave a rough estimate of about four months for demolition, removal and installation of the new pilings. Commissioners and the developer noted that the bypass will be an inconvenience for several families who will need to access homes from Pleasant Rest and the dirt road during that period. Commissioners also requested coordination with EMS and dispatch so emergency responders know the temporary routing.

Formal actions: A motion to approve the bridge plan and developer-provided bypass passed with an abstention; the chairman announced, “Motion passed 4 and o 1 with 1 abstention.” Later the board voted to reject the earlier grant solicitation related to the bridge work; Commissioner McCrone moved to reject the grant and the motion passed unanimously.

Next steps and conditions: County staff said they will continue negotiating an access agreement with Deseret’s attorneys and coordinate with EMS and dispatch. County staff also said the county will pay for the abutments, and if the developer prefers, the developer may instead give the county funds to pave the bypass; that option was offered but not required.

Public-safety note: During discussion Commissioner Hilsman asked staff to ensure that emergency services would have reliable access while contractors perform brush burns or other seasonal work, saying, “we have to have access in there because people get in there, start clearing and the fire gets out of control and we are struggling to get through there.”

No new funding appropriation for construction work on the bridge was approved at the meeting; staff said rejecting the earlier grant would return those funds to DOT and that the county expects the developer to fund the temporary bypass and bridge construction beyond the county-built abutments. The board directed staff to finalize the legal agreement with Deseret and to keep commissioners informed.