Preservation or replacement? Sarasota County looks at options for Blackburn Point Swing Bridge
Sarasota may replace Blackburn Point swing bridge
The Blackburn Point swing bridge has been operating for nearly 100 years, but there is concern that it may be time to replace it as some say it’s a piece of history that needs to be preserved. FOX 13’s Kimberly Kuizon reports.
SARASOTA COUNTY, Fla. - In South Sarasota County, you will find a piece of history that will take you back to old Florida.
The Blackburn Point Swing Bridge has been in operation for nearly a century.
There are concerns its time could be coming to an end.
Sarasota County said over the last four years, they’ve spent more than $200,000 on repairs.
Now the county is looking at options for its future.
The backstory:
It’s one of less than a handful of swing bridges left in the state of Florida.
John Lewis has a lifetime of memories made at the bridge.
"I’ve been going to this bridge since I was 12-years-old. I’ve fished here, shrimped here. It’s been here so long I just don’t want it to change," he told FOX 13’s Kimberly Kuizon.
Lewis is one of hundreds who’ve now joined an effort to save Blackburn Point Swing Bridge.
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"We are trying to save this. We want to keep this here. It’s very important to a lot of people," he said.
The bridge will celebrate its 100th anniversary next year.
For the last several years, Sarasota County engineers have worked to make sure it remained in operation.
"It has basically served us for two lifetimes, and we have invested a lot in the bridge to make sure it could do that," said James Stock Transportation Structures, Engineer with Sarasota County Public Works.
What they're saying:
County Engineer James Stock points out problems on the surface of the bridge.
"You can see the corrosion holes," he pointed out.
Under the bridge he says there are even more issues.
"This is a crack in the stringer that we’ve had to repair," said Stock.
He said the swing bridge is at the end of its service life.
"Alot of corrosion and structural problems, it causes problems with the machinery, mechanically and electrically," he said.
Sarasota County is in the early stages of looking into options.
That could mean replacing it with another swing or draw bridge or continuing to repair it.
If a new bridge was built and raised to 17 feet, Stock said 95 percent of boats could pass under the bridge without requiring it to open.
"I like to say that we are putting Band-Aids on Band-Aids if we continue with a no-build option," he said.
District 4 County Commissioner and Commission Chair Dr.Joe Neunder said it’s a piece of history that needs to be preserved.
"This bridge right now is on the historical registry. It is a very integral part of the residents that live here on Casey Key, but all the residents who live in Sarasota County who frequently come to either the Casey Key Fish House or for a scenic drive," said Neunder.
Neunder, like many others, hopes the future of the swing bridge continues on.
"It’s part of Sarasota culture, it’s part of Sarasota history and I feel very adamant about protecting it and preserving it," said Neunder.
Sarasota County said the design phase for a new bridge could take up to three years.
What's next:
Some are concerned a new bridge would force the Casey Key Library and a tiki bar out.
Sarasota County engineers said it's their goal to make sure those businesses would not be pushed out.
The Source: Information was gathered by FOX 13’s Kimberly Kuizon from Sarasota County.
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