Demolition of the old South Bridge should be completed in 10 days.
Construction of the new South Bridge should begin by July 1 and be completed by Christmas.
The switchover to the temporary bridge next to the soon-to-be demolished South Bridge began Thursday, June 7.
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The demolition of the South Bridge will be complete by the end of June.
The Gasparilla Island Bridge Authority reports work on the new Center and South bridges was 14.5 percent compete on Day 94 of the 630-day bridge project schedule. GIBA Executive Director Jim Cooper said work remains on schedule.
Temporary road access paving has been completed for two-lane traffic and the 15-mph limit should be strictly observed as the detour bridge is only 24 feet wide with no safety shoulders.
The finish date for the new South Bridge remains March 2013 and the completion date for the new Center Bridge remains December 2013.
Speed bumps will remain as long as the detour bridge is in place. No pedestrian traffic will be allowed on the detour South Bridge.
Center Bridge progress
Traffic at the Center Bridge will shift to new asphalt paving on the west side of the road at the north and south end of the bridge. This will provide a work area for Orion crews to remove material for the new Center Bridge bulkhead configurations with slightly wider channel area and for Orion to finish required sheet pile installation.
Orion crews will continue to install sheet piles on the north end and the east side of the Center Bridge, with some single-lane traffic during this period.
Twelve new Orion Concrete Production Center Bridge concrete pilings arrived May 24. Twelve pilings will be driven 100-feet deep and set for each pier.
Several Australian exotic pine trees at the north end of Cole Island, which conflict with Gasparilla Island Water Association utilities, have been removed.
