The Florida Department of Transportation has signed a $398.5 million contract with Skanska USA to re-build the Pensacola Bay Bridge in Escambia and Santa Rosa Counties, Florida. The 3.7-mile long structure will replace the existing four-lane bridge with two new, three-lane bridges connecting the communities of Pensacola and Gulf Breeze. In addition to building the bridges, the project will also include new roadway approaches, retaining walls, shore protection, roadway construction and a wishbone-tied arch supporting the shared paths adjacent to the main bridge span. Leading the project’s design is engineering and design firm WSP | Parsons Brinckerhoff. Skanska will also be responsible for removal and disposal of the existing bridge. Construction is slated to begin in September 2016 with a completion date set for August 2020.
The Pensacola Bay Bridge replacement is the latest in a series of high-profile FDOT infrastructure projects in Florida that have been awarded to Skanska. The firm is currently leading the joint venture of Skanska, Granite and Lane, known as SGL Constructors, which is building the $2.3 billion I-4 Ultimate project in Central Florida. Skanska is also constructing the $118 million design-build Choctawhatchee Bay Bridge (US331) in Walton County, Florida and recently completed the $225 million design-build, rebuilding and widening of Interstate 275 in Tampa.
“The Pensacola area is one of Florida’s fastest-growing regions, with a rising number of residents and tourists and a clear need for new infrastructure investment,” says Jim Goyer, Vice President of Florida operations for Skanska USA Civil. “The reconstruction of the 50-year-old Pensacola Bay Bridge will improve the chief gateway to the area’s popular beachfront destinations, while creating new jobs and positive economic impact.”
