Closure of Hillsboro Inlet bridge for repairs is shortened to 19 days
HILLSBORO BEACH — After commissioners here objected to a planned twomonth closure of the Hillsboro Inlet bridge for repairs in 2015, the closure has been reduced to 19 days.
Starting after Easter next year, the bridge will be closed to vehicle traffic, reducing the number of ways in and out of Hillsboro Beach from two to one.
That’s much better than having only one way in and out of the city for 56 days, which was the original closure length, said Mayor Claire Schubert.
“From our point of view, obviously, 56 days was impossible,” she said. “This is much better. Everybody understands there’s got to be a certain amount of closure, and the bridge is badly in need of repair. But this is a better solution.”
Hillsboro commissioners worried about emergency vehicles being slowed down because they would have to go all the way around the town up to the north entrance. They alsoworried about the general inconvenience to those who live orwork in Hillsboro Beach.
The trade- off
is that the
Hillsboro Inlet will now be closed to boat traffic for more hours per day than it was originally supposed to be while the Florida Department of Transportationworks on the bridge, said Michael Lieberum, chief of the operations section for the Miami Coast Guard District Bridge Branch.
It was going to be closed for four hours per day, but will now be closed for four hours in the morning and another four hours every afternoon. That means the Coast Guard will have to try to make the closure times work for charter boats and day cruises so they don’t have to stop while the repairs are going on, Lieberum said.
FDOT also will need to keepworking for four hours per day for about four weeks after the 19- day closure. Everything but large boats will be able to pass in that time.
But the marine industry was willing to take that hit because they need the bridge open, too, Lieberum said.
“They’re business is directly impacted twice,” he said. “If the bridge is closed, people can’t get to the marina to go out on the boat anyway. Either way, they’re going to get itworse than anyone else.”