Highway 4 Bridge Set To Close July 10 For Replacement; 330 Day Detour Planned

June 29, 2023

Work is expected to begin next month to replace the Highway 4 bridge over Canoe Creek, about halfway between Byrneville and Bratt, according to the Florida Department of Transportation. A detour is set to start Monday, July 10 and be in place for nearly a year.

The state budget included $3,837,105 to replace the structurally deficient bridge  The bridge and roadway are owned by Escambia County, but the work will be done under a locally funded agreement with FDOT.

For more photos, click or tap here.

A 330-day detour is planned from Highway 4 to Bratt Road (the eastern end of Bratt Road closer to Century) to Pine Barren Road, to Highway 4 (near Northview High School).

The county said the road closure will reduce construction time and costs, minimize the purchase of rights-of-way or construction easements, and will minimize wetland impacts.

The portion of Highway 4 to be closed is 4.14 miles; the detour will be 5.67 miles. The average daily traffic count is 1,800 vehicles per day.

The bridge constructed in 1942 is 225 feet long and has wood supports, some of which were failing and were later reinforced with steel.

A smaller Highway 4 bridge located just to the east of the Canoe Creek bridge is not set for replacement at this time.

For more photos, click or tap here.

NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.

Comments

5 Responses to “Highway 4 Bridge Set To Close July 10 For Replacement; 330 Day Detour Planned”

  1. Swamp Gas on July 3rd, 2023 2:40 pm

    Dear Concerned. How dare the Department of Transportation make a decision to replace a bridge built way back in 1945 without first consulting you about it. Woe Is Me

  2. Resident on June 29th, 2023 10:05 pm

    Hopefully while they are building a new bridge they will consider making it wider, hate meeting another vehicle on this bridge! And agree with RaD, why not repair the smaller bridge at the same time!

  3. straightshooter on June 29th, 2023 9:40 pm

    If I remember correctly, the I10 bridge was rebuilt in a year after Ivan. Ridiculous it takes a year to build a 200′ bridge.

  4. Concerned on June 29th, 2023 1:16 pm

    I live across that bridge. This is NOT good for us that live there. I WILL appreciate the non traffic as it’s crazy but it’s a long way around. Any suggestions to get to Century, Flomaton, Brewton and Pensacola other than the LONGER AND MORE TIME CONSUMING ROADS???? And a WHOLE YEAR. WHO decided to do this?????

  5. RaD on June 29th, 2023 11:44 am

    If there is a smaller bridge just to the east of this one located in the closed portion of the road and it will require replacement in the near future, why not do it now so you don’t have to close the road again at that time.

    As far as it taking 330 days, that includes an estimated number of delay days, which rarely agree with reality. I would expect it to be 15 months minimum.