EXPERTS TO EXAMINE NEW FLAGLER BRIDGE FOR GLITCHES
After the Flagler Memorial Bridge malfunctioned at least five times within the past five weeks, the Florida Department of Transportation has brought in experts to perform an independent review of the bridge.
The experts began inspecting the bridge on Tuesday, spokeswoman Angel Streeter Gardner said, and will try to prevent future malfunctions. Gardner said the inspection is expected to be completed by the end of this week.
“Their analysis should provide some direction on what adjustments are needed to ensure the new bridge operates reliably,” Gardner said in an email.
The new bridge has experienced problems dating back to a few months after it officially opened in July. Malfunctions have been reported since at least December, causing cars to turn around and find other routes across the Intracoastal Waterway. The malfunctions have closed the bridge anywhere from a few minutes to a few hours.
Gardner said the contractor for the Flagler Bridge project, PCL Construction, has identified “mechanical and electrical irregularities,” causing the bridge to be misaligned and preventing it from being lowered.
The most recent malfunctions happened Friday and April 20, when officials closed the bridge to traffic for about an hour each. The bridge also malfunctioned two days in a row on March 26 and 27, forcing cars sitting in the westbound lane to turn around.
Mayor Gail Coniglio said she — along with the town — has been frustrated with the bridge’s recent malfunctions, and said she has spoken with the governor’s office and the deputy secretary of transportation about fixing the problem.
“(There is) a dire need for a dependable and operable bridge,” Coniglio said. “The voices are getting louder and angrier.”
She said the Town Council will be discussing the malfunctions at its meeting May 8 and will hear a presentation from a DOT representative.
The Flagler Bridge was a multimillion-dollar project that took five years to build with the intention of lasting 75 years.
In January, the bridge experienced issues with a breaker on the southeast leaf, which prevented the bridge from fully closing. Gardner said the issue with the breaker was fixed and is unrelated to the bridge’s recent malfunctions.
Palm Beacher Philip Metlin said he has noticed problems with the bridge since the day it opened. He said he constantly receives alerts from the town about the bridge not working.
“Clearly there is something wrong with that bridge,” Metlin said. “Someone knows and someone is not telling us.”