Highway 4 Bridge Opening Delayed By Wrong Paint

August 21, 2024

It’s been delayed again.

The Highway 4 bridge over Canoe Creek will not open this week as originally anticipated.

The Florida Department of Transportation told NorthEscambia.com last week that that the bridge is complete, but there were a just few minor items that need to be fixed prior to traffic being allowed across the bridge. But it’s turning out to be a little more complicated.

Tuesday, Escambia County officials said they had been notified that the bridge likely won’t open until next week. They said the wrong type of reflective paint was used on the bridge and the roadway approaches, and it must be corrected to meet FDOT requirements and pass inspection. The painted lines are also not straight, and there is spilled paint along in the area.

And that will require contractor Murphree Bridge Corporation to move equipment back to the site in order to grind away the wrong paint and repaint the lines.

With previous contract extensions due to weather, the contractor has until September 1 to open the $4 million bridge without penalty.

The new bridge replaces an 81-year-old structure that hat was closed on July 10, 2023, with traffic between Bratt and Century detoured.

Pictured: The Highway 4 bridge over Canoe Creek on Tuesday afternoon, August 21. NorthEsscmabia.com photos, click to enlarge.


Comments

16 Responses to “Highway 4 Bridge Opening Delayed By Wrong Paint”

  1. Alex on August 23rd, 2024 9:09 pm

    What about thenew lines on CR196 and the lines on Schaag Rd off of 196. Likely must have been same crew

  2. CDPJR on August 22nd, 2024 8:46 pm

    George…. Me too!!!!

  3. dubz on August 22nd, 2024 5:00 pm

    Union jobs pay better and give better results.
    Look for the Union label!

  4. Sharlene Kersey on August 22nd, 2024 8:54 am

    That is nothing new. I remember when they painted YIELD On the road and misspelled it.

  5. @ A. Ard on August 22nd, 2024 2:11 am

    Fun fact: when contractors bid on government jobs, it’s often the lowest bidder that receives the work contract.
    So, yes, they literally picked the guys that were ok with the lowest pay grade. I’m sure you can see the flaws in this system that are glaringly obvious to me! You get what you pay for!

  6. Wow on August 21st, 2024 10:12 pm

    Bridge ain’t even open and it’s already got a spot for a pothole to form within 3 months. LOL

  7. Chris on August 21st, 2024 7:37 pm

    Typical “good enough” work ethics.

  8. A. Ard on August 21st, 2024 2:08 pm

    When hiring doesn’t someone check if potential employees can read? We all make mistakes. But in most public jobs as this one, even within the paving company usually there’s a backup pair of eyes for such a big in-the-public job paid by our tax dollars. Double check and Triple check. It looks good in the pictures, though!! Very BRIGHT!!!

  9. Paying Attention on August 21st, 2024 2:07 pm

    Lol Correcting a horrible painting job for the lines in the middle of a highway must be a Florida thing because the lines on Hwy 41 in the Wallace area look like a toddler painted them, and it’s been left like that for quite a while. And near the interstate, there’s even a section of dotted lines going around a very sharp curve where no one should be trying to pass anyone. I guess the standards are almost none here in Alabama!! Shocker.

  10. Carmen Antone on August 21st, 2024 1:09 pm

    You had one job dude….

  11. Well now on August 21st, 2024 1:07 pm

    So the remedy is to grind it and thin it thus needing replacement quicker.

  12. Elijah Bell on August 21st, 2024 10:51 am

    What a bunch of crap the citizens have been given with the building of this bridge.
    The paint job is just the latest. Until some folks are held responsible and accountable
    then fired look for more of the same.

  13. Oversight on August 21st, 2024 9:46 am

    Get what you pay for with a lowest bid contract. SMH.

  14. Florida man on August 21st, 2024 8:43 am

    Guarantee somebody said “can’t see it from my house”

  15. George on August 21st, 2024 8:35 am

    I hope the bridge construction is better than the paint job.

  16. Denbroc on August 21st, 2024 6:48 am

    Sloppy work. I’m glad the company is being held responsible.