County engineer: 96th Street Bridge larger replacement delayed to 2027; emergency repairs planned

County Engineer Robert Church told the Board of County Commissioners that the planned construction of the larger 96th Street Bridge will not begin this September as previously expected because of a Coast Guard-related delay, and he now expects work to start in September 2027. Because the current bascule span must remain in service during the delay, Church said he has directed the consulting engineer to design emergency repairs to keep the bridge functional and safe in the interim.

Church listed other roadway work completed or underway across the county, including paving on Fishing Creek Road, Bayshore Road between Stimson’s Lane and New England Road, and New England Road south of the canal, and said paving on Magnolia Drive will begin the day after the meeting and be finished by Friday. He also said the department reviewed a revised Avalon Manor traffic signal design and plans to circulate it to the municipality for review. Church asked to present a comprehensive overview of the county’s road and bridge programs at an upcoming caucus meeting to outline accomplishments, current projects, and pending bids.

The board was given a timetable that folded the bridge delay into near- and long-term planning: Church said the larger bridge project is now expected in September 2027 and emphasized the need for interim repairs “to keep the bridge functional and safe” while the bascule span remains in service for approximately two more years. The board did not take formal action on the bridge at the meeting; Church requested a dedicated presentation in August to review the status of each bridge project and recommendations for next steps.