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Council delays decision on $3.7M Alligator Creek bridge project after MPO brief on safety and deadlines
Summary
MPO staff briefed council on a design-funded project to add a South Fork Alligator Creek bridge on US-41 to complete the city's multiuse pathway. Design funding exists but construction estimates rose to roughly $3.7 million; council tabled an LAP execution decision pending cost and maintenance clarifications.
MPO staff told council the South Fork Alligator Creek bridge project is part of the Punta Gorda Pathways program and would fill a critical gap in an 18-mile network for walkers and cyclists. The design phase already has about $821,000 programmed; the present-day cost for full construction and CEI is estimated at roughly $3.7 million, staff said.
The MPO presenter said the project would upgrade non‑ADA features, patch stormwater systems where needed, and remove a dangerous three-foot-wide bridge path that currently brings pedestrians and cyclists uncomfortably close to 50 mph vehicle lanes. "These statistics underscore the urgent need for safety improvements," the MPO representative said, citing crash and fatality counts on the corridor.
Council members expressed concern about long-term maintenance costs and staff resources to oversee design and potential construction. Commissioners noted prior projects had doubled initial estimates and questioned whether guardrail or other lower-cost interim measures could be pursued while the city, FDOT and MPO finalize a LAP (Local Agency Program) agreement. Staff warned a LAP agreement must be executed by June 2026 or the MPO funds could be reallocated. Council concluded by tabling immediate authorization and asking staff to return with detailed realistic cost estimates and options such as guardrails or phased work.
