Winter 2020 Project E-Newsletter
For an update on work underway and milestones over the last year, read the Pensacola Bay Bridge Winter 2020 E-Newsletter.  This issue includes an update on current work activities and another look at the first arch installation above the navigational channel last year. Also featured is the Pensacola Bay Bridge "Goes to School" program and what to expect for the 17th Avenue intersection project. — Read More

Re-purposing concrete and steel
The demolition of the old Pensacola Bay Bridge presents opportunities to reuse and recycle the concrete and steel components that have served the region since 1960. The old bridge included more than 47,000 cubic yards of concrete, all of which are being disposed of offshore for building fishing reefs. — Read More

Bridge demolition and disposal underway
Work to dispose of concrete debris from the old Pensacola Bay Bridge is underway. Crews are loading the debris aboard barges and transporting it offshore for disposal in areas managed by Escambia County’s Marine Resources Division. The reefs are sure to become favorites for fishing and diving in the Gulf of Mexico. — Read More

Pensacola Bay Bridge demolition begins
With all traffic shifted to the eventual eastbound bridge the focus of construction has turned to demolishing the former Pensacola Bay Bridge. To safely remove the concrete and steel components crews first drill cores into the bridge decks to attach the lifting apparatus so it can be attached to a crane. Once the leads are connected to the crane, the bridge deck is cut free using a concrete saw and lifted as a single piece onto a disposal barge. — Read More

Westbound traffic moved to new Pensacola Bay Bridge
U.S. 98 westbound traffic was transitioned to the new Pensacola Bay Bridge this morning (Sunday, Sept. 8) at approximately 5 a.m. CDT. Crews worked through the nighttime hours to transition two lanes of westbound traffic off the "old" Pensacola Bay Bridge and onto the new (eventual eastbound) structure. — Read More

New bridge opens to traffic
The new (eventual eastbound) Pensacola Bay Bridge opened to traffic Wednesday evening, Sept. 4 at approximately 10 p.m. Eastbound (Pensacola to Gulf Breeze) traffic is now using the new bridge while westbound (Gulf Breeze to Pensacola) drivers remain temporarily on the “old” bridge until approximately Sunday evening Sept. 8. — Read More

Traffic shift planned for the new Pensacola Bay Bridge
U.S. 98 eastbound traffic (Pensacola to Gulf Breeze) will be shifted to the new Pensacola Bay Bridge Wednesday evening, Sept. 4 and U.S. 98 westbound (Gulf Breeze to Pensacola) on Sunday, Sept. 8. — Read More

News Update
The traffic shift planned for U.S. 98 eastbound traffic to the new Pensacola Bay Bridge for Sunday Aug. 4 and U.S. 98 westbound on Thursday, Aug. 8 has been postponed. Also postponed is the planned August 4-8 closure of 17th Avenue, between Gregory Street and the CSX Railroad overpass (Graffiti B — Read More

Traffic shift rescheduled
The traffic shift for U.S. 98 eastbound traffic (Pensacola to Gulf Breeze) to the new Pensacola Bay Bridge has been rescheduled for Sunday evening, Aug. 4 and U.S. 98 westbound (Gulf Breeze to Pensacola) on Thursday, Aug. 8. (See accompanying graphic.) From 8 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 4 to 6 a.m. Thursda — Read More

Traffic shift planned for the new Pensacola Bay Bridge
U.S. 98 eastbound traffic (Pensacola to Gulf Breeze) will be shifted to the new Pensacola Bay Bridge Sunday evening, July 28 and U.S. 98 westbound (Gulf Breeze to Pensacola) on Thursday, Aug. 1. From 8 p.m. Sunday, July 28 to 6 a.m. Thursday, Aug. 1, 17th Avenue will be closed to through traffic — Read More

First of two arches lifted atop the new Pensacola Bay Bridge
Construction crews from Skanska USA Civil Southeast lifted the center arch into place atop the eventual eastbound span of the new Pensacola Bay Bridge on Thursday, June 27, 2019. This is a significant milestone for the project, which at $427 million is the largest transportation initiative in Northw — Read More

New interchange planned at 17th Avenue in Pensacola
Work is underway to reconstruct the intersection of State Road (S.R.) 30 (U.S. 98/Gregory Street) and S.R. 196 (Bayfront Parkway) at 17th Avenue.  The Florida Department of Transportation hosted an open house Tuesday, June 11 to unveil the planned improvements for the northern landing of the Pensacola Bay Bridge. — Read More

17th Avenue interchange project public information open house scheduled June 11 in Pensacola
The Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) will host a public information open house for the upcoming reconstruction of the State Road (S.R.) 30 (U.S. 98/Gregory Street) and S.R. 196 (Bayfront Parkway) intersection at 17th Avenue. The open house is scheduled for Tuesday, June 11 from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. at the Studer Community Institute, located at 220 West Garden Street, Suite 100 in Pensacola. — Read More

Pensacola Bay Bridge design-build contractor observed the organization’s 15th Annual Health and Safety Week
Pensacola Bay Bridge design-build contractor observed the organization’s 15th Annual Health and Safety Week, May 6-10. The week was highlighted by numerous training sessions, safety exercises, and workshops designed to raise awareness for construction work place safety. — Read More

Steel arch for the eastbound bridge is currently being constructed
The steel arch for the eastbound bridge is currently being constructed in Pensacola Bay. The 800,000-pound arch will be one of two erected above the navigational channel of the new bridge. Once in place it will serve as signature aesthetic element as well a key structural component. — Read More

Early hurricane forecast predicts “slightly below normal” season
The 2019 hurricane forecast is out from the Department of Atmospheric Science at Colorado State University. The meteorologists at school in Fort Collins, Colorado say the 2019 hurricane season should be less active than recent years. — Read More

Construction progress update
Here’s a look at progress through mid-January on completion of major construction elements for the new Pensacola Bay Bridge. — Read More

Local newspaper looks back at construction of the first bridge across Pensacola Bay
The thousands of motorists who cross the Three Mile Bridge each day are well-aware of the construction in progress, to build a new version of the bridge. The News Journal has carried details with fine photos to illustrate the story of this $400 million project which will carry traffic for probably the next 50 years and more. With the telling of this present story there also is a news trail that goes back a long way, for it was 90 years ago that the first engineering was in progress for the first version of the span. — Read More

Construction progress update
Here’s a look at progress through mid-January on completion of major construction elements for the new Pensacola Bay Bridge. — Read More

30th anniversary of the catastrophic barge strike
January 15 marks the 30th anniversary of the catastrophic barge strike that crippled the Pensacola Bay Bridge for 224-days in 1989. — Read More

Pensacola Bay Bridge “By the Numbers”
Crews are working to construct the new eastbound (Pensacola to Gulf Breeze) bridge and as much of the westbound (Gulf Breeze to Pensacola) bridge as possible. — Read More

Cranes do the “heavy lifting” for bridge project
Cranes are the “workhorses” of the Pensacola Bay Bridge replacement project. They’re used to load the heavy concrete construction components (e.g., piles, trophy pieces, beams, etc.) onto barges at the Bayou Chico casting yard and to lift them into place once they arrive at the bridge construction site. — Read More

Holiday traffic impacts
The American Automobile Association (AAA) is predicting that more than 51-million Americans will travel the nation’s highways during the upcoming four-day Thanksgiving holiday weekend. If the prediction proves true it would reflect the highest traffic volume in more than a decade. — Read More

Construction resumes following Hurricane Michael
Construction work on the new Pensacola Bay Bridge was suspended Monday, Oct. 8 due to the approach of Hurricane Michael. Crews began moving water-borne construction equipment to safe harbor and preparing travel lanes for a possible evacuation. — Read More

Bridge contractor relocates water line serving Pensacola Beach
Constructing a new Pensacola Bay Bridge required relocation of land based portions of the Emerald Coast Utilities Authority (ECUA) 24-inch diameter water line that connects Pensacola to Gulf Breeze and supplies water to ECUA customers on Pensacola Beach. — Read More

Progress snapshot
Here’s a look at construction progress through August 2018. — Read More

Pensacola Bay Bridge “By the Numbers”
Here’s a snapshot of Pensacola Bay Bridge construction progress through mid-July. — Read More

Pensacola Bay Bridge project reaches construction milestone
The Pensacola Bay Bridge replacement project reached a construction milestone this week as crews drove the final concrete piling for the new eastbound (Pensacola to Gulf Breeze) bridge. The 1,062 piles for the eastbound bridge range in length from 120- to 210-feet and weigh as much as 190,000-pounds. Crews have driven the piles to depths averaging 80- to 100-feet into the bay floor. — Read More

Local Student Scientists’ Findings Show Positive Environmental Impacts from Bridge Construction
A group of local student-scientists from Pensacola’s Booker T. Washington High School are studying the environmental impacts of the Pensacola Bay Bridge construction project. The students are part of the school’s Marine Science Academy, an intensive program that combines college-level oceanograp — Read More

Pensacola Bay Bridge “By the Numbers”
Crews are working to construct the new eastbound (Pensacola to Gulf Breeze) bridge and as much of the westbound (Gulf Breeze to Pensacola bridge as possible. The new westbound bridge will sit partially within the footprint of the current bridge, so it can’t be completed until all traffic is transitioned to the eventual eastbound bridge and the current structure demolished. — Read More

Pi-Girder placement underway
The first of 210 “pi-girders” are being placed for the new Pensacola Bay Bridge. Of all the components for the new bridge, these girders are the heaviest. Each Pi girder is 150-long and consists of two beams and a section of the multi-use path. The girders weigh approximately 202-tons, or 404,000-pounds. — Read More

Pensacola Bay Bridge “By the Numbers”
Crews are working to construct the new eastbound (Pensacola to Gulf Breeze) bridge and as much of the westbound (Gulf Breeze to Pensacola bridge as possible. The new westbound bridge will sit partially within the footprint of the current bridge, so it can’t be completed until all traffic is transitioned to the eventual eastbound bridge and the current structure demolished. — Read More

Crews test underground storm drains
Crews will be testing underground storm drains Friday, May 4 on U.S. 98 in Gulf Breeze near the Pensacola Bay Bridge. — Read More

Pensacola Bay Bridge “By the Numbers”
Crews are working to construct the new eastbound (Pensacola to Gulf Breeze) bridge and as much of the westbound (Gulf Breeze to Pensacola bridge as possible. The new westbound bridge will sit partially within the footprint of the current bridge, so it can’t be completed until all traffic is transitioned to the eventual eastbound bridge and the current structure demolished. — Read More

Escambia, Santa Rosa High School Students to Vote on Pensacola Bay Bridge Mile Markers, Benches
Public high school students in Escambia and Santa Rosa counties will be given the opportunity to vote on the mile marker signage and benches for the Pensacola Bay Bridge replacement project. — Read More

Pensacola Bay Bridge “By the Numbers”
Crews are working to drive concrete piles, place trophy pieces, install beams, and pour bridge deck spans for the new Pensacola Bay Bridge. Here’s a look at the progress on those activities through February of this year. Test and production piles driven: 98 — Read More

Pensacola Bay Bridge construction team reaches another milestone
The Pensacola Bay Bridge construction team reached a milestone Wednesday, Feb. 14 by pouring the first two concrete spans for the new bridge. The bridge spans are cast-in-place atop the Florida I-beams that are used to connect the trophy pieces. — Read More

Pensacola Bay Bridge “By the Numbers”
The project team is focused on driving the piles needed for the new bridges, placing the “trophy pieces,” and installing the beams for the new eastbound bridge. Here’s a look at the progress on those activities through January 2018. Contract days: 501 — Read More

U.S. Coast Guard Safety Zone Established
Effective immediately, the U.S. Coast Guard has established a 500-foot safety zone for all navigable waters of Pensacola Bay within 500-feet of the construction of the new Pensacola Bay Bridge. — Read More

Beam placement underway
The first of more than a thousand “Florida I-beams” have been placed for the new Pensacola Bay Bridge. The beams connect the trophy pieces one-to-another and will eventually support the bridge deck and riding surface. — Read More

Another milestone on the horizon
Construction crews continue to drive piles and place trophy pieces for the new Pensacola Bay Bridge, but a new milestone will be achieved soon with the placement of the first concrete beams. — Read More

Milestone reached for bridge construction
The construction team reached a milestone Thursday, Oct. 26 with the setting of the first "trophy piece." — Read More

Why the difference in pile heights?
An increasing number of concrete piles, many of varying heights, adorn the west side of the Pensacola Bay Bridge. These piles will eventually form the foundation for the new bridge. — Read More

Aesthetic lighting a signature bridge element
The new Pensacola Bay Bridge will serve as a gateway to the Pensacola/Gulf Breeze area. The design of the new bridge, complete with signature arches rising more than 150-feet above the bay, will present a striking visual image for travelers on U.S. 98, as well as residents and visitors along the bayfront. — Read More

Pile driving resumes for bridge project
The familiar sound of pile driving has returned to Pensacola Bay following the threat of Hurricane Irma. A statewide emergency associated with the hurricane stopped work on highway and bridge projects throughout Florida last week. — Read More

Barges, cranes and other equipment moved to “safe haven”
Barges, cranes and other equipment used in construction of the new Pensacola Bay Bridge will be moved to “safe haven” beginning today. — Read More

First “trophy piece” is ready
The first trophy piece for the new Pensacola Bay Bridge is complete. Others are being fabricated at the Bayou Chico casting facility. — Read More

Boater alert, pile trimming underway
Work is underway to trim the concrete piles driven on the west side of the Pensacola Bay Bridge. The piles are being trimmed at, or near the water line in advance of topping them with massive concrete components informally known as a trophy pieces because their resemblance to a trophy or award. — Read More

Pile driving work continuing in Pensacola Bay
Concrete test piles are being driven at each “bridge bent” location to determine the lengths and driving criteria for the production piles that will be driven at the location. The production piles will provide the foundation for the new bridge(s). More than 2,000 test and production piles are scheduled to be driven. — Read More

Construction team participates in bay clean-up
Twenty-four members of the Pensacola Bay Bridge construction team and their families participated in the recent “Project Greenshores” bay clean-up. The team collected 196 pounds of trash and debris along Bayfront Parkway and Wayside Park in Pensacola. — Read More

Lane Closures Planned for Week of July 17
Drivers will encounter alternating lane closures on U.S. 98 east and westbound between 17th Avenue and the bridge and on the Gulf Breeze approaches to the bridge from 8 p.m. to 5 a.m. Monday, July 17 through Saturday, July 22. — Read More

Shoreline area closed for 4th of July show
The shoreline area, beginning at the wayside park north of the Pensacola Bay Bridge and continuing west along Bayfront Parkway, is closed and will not be available to spectators for the July 4th fireworks show. — Read More

Boating and Pedestrian Restrictions near Pensacola Bay Bridge
Boaters and pedestrians are reminded to exercise additional caution near the Pensacola Bay Bridge construction site, particularly during the July 4 holiday period and the Blue Angels Air Show Friday, July 7 and Saturday, July 8. — Read More

Gov. Scott kicks off construction of the Pensacola Bay Bridge
State and local dignitaries gathered in Pensacola Monday, June 26 to kick off the construction of the new Pensacola Bay Bridge. The $398.5 million effort is the largest transportation infrastructure project in Northwest Florida history. — Read More

Pile Driving Begins
Construction crews have begun driving test piles for the new Pensacola Bay Bridge. Information derived from the test pile program will be used to determine the length and driving criteria for the permanent production piles that will provide the foundation for the new bridge. — Read More

Five Flags Sertoma Club Presentation
Bill Klepac, Roadway Senior Project Engineer, addressed the Five Flags Sertoma Club on May 17, 2017. — Read More

Road Ranger Service Patrol begins for Pensacola Bay Bridge construction project
The Road Ranger Service Patrol on the Pensacola Bay Bridge begins Monday, May 22. Service patrol vehicles will be stationed on each of the bridges between 5 a.m. and 8 p.m., Monday through Friday, and between 7 a.m. and 10 p.m. on weekends and major holidays. — Read More

Crane mobilized in Pensacola Bay
One of what will eventually be multiple barge-mounted construction cranes has been mobilized in Pensacola Bay. A Liebheer 1300 crane, with a lifting capacity of 330-tons is on-site, mounted atop a 150-by-50-foot barge. — Read More

Job Fair, Thursday, April 13, Pensacola State College
Skanska USA Civil Southeast, the design-build contractor for the new Pensacola Bay Bridge, will host a job fair Thursday, April 13 from 8 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. at Pensacola State College. The event will be held at the Jean and Paul Amos Performance Studio, Building 23, located at 1000 College Boulevard. — Read More

Pensacola Association of Realtors Presentation
The Pensacola Bay Bridge replacement project’s Senior Project Engineer, Glenn Peterson, spoke to approximately 150 members of the Pensacola Association of Realtors, Thursday, March 23 at the organization’s monthly luncheon. “It’s imperative that our local realtors are informed about proje — Read More

Open House Scheduled for Pensacola Bay Bridge
The Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) will host a public information open house for the upcoming Pensacola Bay Bridge construction project Tuesday, March 21 from 5:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. at the Pensacola Grand Hotel, 200 East Gregory Street, Pensacola. Work on the $398.5 million construct — Read More

Gulf Breeze Chamber of Commerce Presentation
CEI Program Director Brett Pielstick, delivered a presentation to approximately 75 members of the Gulf Breeze Chamber of Commerce Thursday, March 9 at the organization’s “rise and shine” breakfast. Pielstick provided an overview of the upcoming Pensacola Bay Bridge replacement project and e — Read More

Wayside Parks Closing for Pensacola Bay Bridge Construction
The Gulf Breeze Wayside Park and boat launch facilities, adjacent to the Pensacola Bay Bridge in Gulf Breeze, and the recreational area in Pensacola adjacent to the bridge on the west side of U.S. 98, will close Wednesday, March 22. These areas will be used for staging materials and equipment for co — Read More

Field surveys and analyses underway
Preliminary construction activities for the new Pensacola Bay Bridge are scheduled to begin this spring. Meantime, design work is underway along with various field surveys and analyses. Recently, construction crews performed soil penetration tests (SPT) across the bay to determine soil capacities. — Read More

Downtown Pensacola Rotary Club Presentation
Project Engineer Brett Pielstick delivered a lunchtime presentation to approximately 100 members of the Downtown Pensacola Rotary Club on Tuesday, Jan. 10 at the New World Landing. Pielstick provided an overview of the Pensacola Bay Bridge replacement project and explained current pre-construction and future construction-phase activities. — Read More

Preliminary activities underway
Engineers are busy designing the new Pensacola Bay Bridge. Construction work for the $398.5 million bridge is slated to begin in spring 2017. While work goes on behind-the-scenes to prepare the needed construction documents, construction crews are on-site working on the following preliminary activities. — Read More

Levin Rinke Realty Management Group Presentation
The Levin Rinke Realty Management Group of Pensacola Beach hosted members of the Pensacola Bay Bridge team on Tuesday, Dec. 13. Project engineer Brett Pielstick provided the group of approximately 25 real estate professionals an update on the project. — Read More