Press Releases

History Enhanced In Historical City

Contact:
Gina Busscher

Phone:
(386)758-3714

ST. AUGUSTINE –The Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) announced today that a contract has been awarded for $76 million to rehabilitate the historic Bridge of Lions on State Road A1A in St. Augustine.

Tidewater Skanska, based in Virginia Beach, Virginia, boasts extensive experience constructing bridges and marine facilities across the country.

"The St. Augustine Bridge of Lions is a sensitive historic site, and we are pleased to have such an experienced contractor working on this project," said Jeff Williams, P.E., project manager with FDOT District Two.

"We look forward to working with FDOT and the community as we begin construction on the Bridge of Lions. This unique project allows us the opportunity to improve the functionality and safety of the structure, while maintaining the historic value of this landmark," said Ed McLaughlin, President of Tidewater Skanska, Inc.

In order to ensure the preservation of the Bridge's historic value, part of FDOT's plans include replacing the existing hand rails, light poles and light fixtures with elements similar to the original style of these items as they were in 1927.

During construction, Tidewater Skanska's work will be supervised by URS Construction Services, a global planning and engineering firm with extensive experience in Florida. URSCS is the largest bridge design firm in the nation, providing unparalleled knowledge and experience in overseeing major bridge reconstruction projects.

"URSCS has maintained a respected presence throughout Florida for providing quality engineering on many FDOT projects, and we will be hands-on during rehabilitation of the Bridge of Lions to ensure the outcome of a superior final product," said Mike Yeager, P.E., Senior Project Engineer with URSCS.

Construction activities are anticipated to begin in early Spring 2005, following the Super Bowl celebration in Jacksonville, 40 miles north of St. Augustine.

The rehabilitation of the Bridge of Lions is expected to take approximately five years, providing for special requirements during construction to maintain the historic value of the structure upon completion. Originally opened to traffic in 1927 with two lion statues placed at the west end, the Bridge of Lions connects the historic heart of St. Augustine to Anastasia Island over the Matanzas River.