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FDOT Weekly Update on The Little Pine Island Bridge

This article has been archived and is only available for historical reference.

MATLACHA, Fla. – To our valued community, we are pleased to share weekly updates on the ongoing construction of the Pine Island Bridge and the steps being taken to accelerate the project. We are committed to delivering this critical infrastructure as quickly as possible while ensuring quality and safety remain top priorities.

Hurricane Ian caused significant destruction in Pine Island and Matlacha. Our goal is to enhance safety, strengthen resilience, and reduce economic impacts for the community.

The new Little Pine Island Bridge is being built to withstand storm surges from a Hurricane Ian-level event, ensuring this critical roadway remains intact.

Once completed, the new bridge will strengthen infrastructure, enhance transportation safety, and promote long-term economic growth in the area.

Phase 1 Update

We aim to complete Phase 1 by spring 2025 and make significant progress on both the east and west sides of the bridge.

East Side Work

Construction crews have successfully completed all pile driving for Phase I.

Additionally, construction crews began forming and pouring concrete caps. Concrete caps, also known as pile caps, serve to distribute the load from the structure above evenly across the piles below

West Side Work

This week, crews completed the installation of the large rocks (rip rap) on the west side.

Work will continue with the installation of the slab beams, now that the large rocks (rip rap) are in place. Concrete slab beams are utilized to efficiently support vehicular loads over short to medium spans and rip rap will help protect the bridge and mitigate erosion.

Sign Up for Updates

We understand the importance of this bridge to the community and are dedicated to its timely completion. We thank you for your patience and understanding as we work to rebuild stronger and better than before.

Stay tuned for future updates as we make progress on this critical project.

To sign up for updates and access the weekly Road Watch, please visit the project website at 451937-2 Pine Island Causeway and Bridge Reconstruction Project. To access the bridge traffic cameras go to https://www.leegov.com/dot/traffic.

You can also contact the Communications Team by calling the project hotline at (239)-800-6391 or by emailing at pineislandinfo@exp.com.

Night operation showing workers managing concrete pump hose over bridge formwork; crane boom visible overhead.
Night operation showing workers managing concrete pump hose over bridge formwork; crane boom visible overhead.
Nighttime concrete placement at bridge deck; crew guiding pump hose over formwork beneath active traffic.
Nighttime concrete placement at bridge deck; crew guiding pump hose over formwork beneath active traffic.
Workers in PPE placing concrete within wood forms on bridge substructure; crane and materials staged on barge.
Workers in PPE placing concrete within wood forms on bridge substructure; crane and materials staged on barge.
Overhead view of workers installing concrete panels at bridge approach; barges and equipment positioned in water below.
Overhead view of workers installing concrete panels at bridge approach; barges and equipment positioned in water below.
Aerial view of marine construction barges and crane adjacent to bridge; crews and materials staged along shoreline.
Aerial view of marine construction barges and crane adjacent to bridge; crews and materials staged along shoreline.
Aerial view of bridge construction over water with barges, crane, and partial bridge deck; vehicles traveling on existing structure.
Aerial view of bridge construction over water with barges, crane, and partial bridge deck; vehicles traveling on existing structure.