ST. AUGUSTINE, Fla. -- Starting the morning of Friday, August 24, motorists driving southbound on U.S. 1 will be able to cross the new bridge over the San Sebastian River.
The new bridge is between Saragossa Street and Kind Street. The plan is for the Florida Department of Transportation to finish work for the traffic shift by closing lanes starting at 7:30 p.m. Thursday night.
For people traveling on U.S. 1 Northbound, they will still use the existing bridge. The FDOT's plans are for that bridge to stay in use for a month while construction continues on the new bridge. The original bridge was built in 1960.
The plan is for northbound travelers to transition into using the new bridge in late September or early October.
The new bridge has new foundations and concrete and will have decorative lighting, a two-tone paint scheme on the exterior wall, an ornamental railing and a safety barrier wall between the roadway and the sidewalk.
Both the sidewalk along the new bridge and the turn lane from eastbound King Street to southbound U.S. 1 will be closed until the Spring of 2013 when the project is finished.
The traffic shift may be affected by bad weather. Motorists are asked to drive with caution during and after the shift due to commuters and travelers adjusting to the new traffic pattern.
If you have any questions, you may visit www.northfloridaroads.com or contact Laurie Sanderson at 1-800-465-0044.
Follow FDOT on Twitter @MYDOT-NEFL for the latest updates.
First Coast News