Pensacola Bay Bridge Now Driveable End To End, Still Expected To Open Next Week

May 25, 2021

The Pensacola Bay Bridge is now drivable from end to end for construction vehicles, and the Florida Department of Transportation says the bridge will open next week.

All decks needed to restore at least two-lanes of traffic are now in place, although there are multiple additional tasks to complete. Construction vehicles and equipment are now able to cross the bridge from end-to-end as crews work to finalize remaining repairs.

On the flyover structure at the intersection of U.S. 98 and 17th Avenue in Pensacola, several layers of asphalt have been placed along with concrete curb on the 17th Avenue ramp.

The initial restoration will temporarily accommodate four-lanes of traffic for approximately two-miles, along with an approximately one-mile, two-lane segment near the Pensacola shore.

All construction, which consists of two three-lane bridges  is currently estimated for completion in early 2022.

Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.

Comments

13 Responses to “Pensacola Bay Bridge Now Driveable End To End, Still Expected To Open Next Week”

  1. DCClark on May 27th, 2021 8:32 am

    Recently moved here from Charleston SC where there are bridges everywhere and not one has ever been shut down in 30 years not even after Hurricane Hugo and there is no interstate to detour around. Cooper River Bridge main span is eight lanes wide with an additional 12-foot-wide bicycle and pedestrian lane and is tall enough for Navy ships to pass under on they way to the ship yards. If that bridge ever closed it would completely cut off Charleston from Mt Pleasant. They need that company who built it to come to Pensacola

  2. Rickey Dodson on May 26th, 2021 1:23 pm

    They should have the motorcycle parade on Sunday open the bridge. Run to the wall.

  3. Jane on May 26th, 2021 1:04 pm

    It would be better if open BEFORE Memorial Day!!’

  4. Lou on May 25th, 2021 9:38 pm

    Awesome. Make sure you bring a life vest, gum or duck tape in your car. Also don’t take garçon point bridge its going to ten dollars each way. Fl dot contracts a dream come through. Pensacola beach and gulf breeze we are coming back.

  5. Willis on May 25th, 2021 8:25 pm

    Where have the conspiracy theorists been.
    Has anyone considered how much easier it has been for them to work the 17th Av tie in without all the daily traffic to deal with.

  6. Stephen on May 25th, 2021 7:59 pm

    I’ll wait a few months to see if it collapses before I attempt to cross it.

    May the odds be ever in your favor.

  7. Bridge Master on May 25th, 2021 7:37 pm

    Looks like the flyover is going to become a new, larger graffiti bridge. Can’t wait to see it.

  8. gibson_mel on May 25th, 2021 7:05 pm

    It’s going to turn my 1-hour commute down to 15 minutes again. Can’t wait!

  9. j in perdido on May 25th, 2021 11:20 am

    Ann Gulf Breeze has six lanes of traffic. The narrowing has to happen at some point. They said before that the traffic engineers preferred it to happen on the bridge as opposed to in front of businesses and the schools. There is no intersection on the bridge like there is in Gulf Breeze so there is no cross choke points. Similar to I-10, notice it goes to two lanes after exit 17 when heading east. It allows for some relief before the merging.

  10. ensley boy on May 25th, 2021 11:11 am

    Wonder who will be the first drunk to crash on the new bridge and cause a backup both ways on the bridge?

  11. Deborah Daugherty on May 25th, 2021 9:38 am

    Yaaaaahoooo,grab my bikini and here I come beaches..

  12. Henry Coe on May 25th, 2021 8:51 am

    It will be interesting to see what the first thing is that gets painted on the wall of the flyover.

  13. Ann on May 25th, 2021 8:10 am

    Sounds like a back up of traffic going from four lanes of traffic for two miles then merging into two lanes for a mile. Why not just have two lanes all the way without people fighting to merge. Get ready to see some hot heads out there.