Summary

The FDOT is designing a replacement for the Flagler Memorial Bridge. The Flagler Memorial Bridge is one of the three bridges that connect the Town of Palm Beach to Florida’s mainland and the City of West Palm Beach (see Project Location Map). The other two bridges are the Royal Park Bridge and Southern Boulevard Bridge which are located 0.8 miles and 2.9 miles, respectively, south of the Flagler Memorial Bridge. All three bridges span the Lake Worth Lagoon as well as the Intracoastal Waterway (ICW). Each bridge has a movable bascule over the ICW. The Royal Park Bridge was recently reconstructed by the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT).

The Flagler Memorial Bridge was constructed in 1938 and is part of SR A1A. Recent bridge inspections conducted by the FDOT show that the bridge is structurally deficient for the following reasons:

  • The bridge sub-structure was graded a 4 on a scale of 10
  • The remaining bridge structure was graded a 32.4 on a scale of 100
  • Previous inspections have noted exposed steel at several bridge locations

Additionally, the bridge does not meet current FDOT and US Coast Guard standards and is functionally obsolete for the following reasons:

  • Lane widths are 10 feet. The current standard is 12 feet
  • Handrails do not conform to current design standards for impact loading
  • Vertical clearance over the ICW is 17 feet. The current standard is 21 feet
  • Horizontal clearance at the navigable channel is 80 feet which is less than the current standard of 125 feet. [Existing Typical]

The Project Development and Environment (PD&E) phase concluded with Location Design Concept Acceptance (LDCA) on April 9, 2008. The LDCA selected alternative is a four lane bridge with a curbed median, shoulders along the travel lanes and sidewalks on the outsides separated by traffic barriers from the roadway. The new bridge will provide increased vertical clearance over the ICW of 21 feet. It will be shifted to the south of the existing bridge to allow traffic to be maintained while the new bridge is constructed. The FDOT has determined that the construction will be by "Design/Build" Contract, wherein a construction contractor will team with an architecture/engineering firm to perform the final design and construction. To prepare the advertisement for the Design/Build Contract, the FDOT is preparing Preliminary Plans and a list of Design Criteria that must be followed for the engineering and architectural components.

[Proposed Typical]