Royal Park Bridge Project Development and Environmental Study, Palm Beach, Florida: E.C.Driver was the prime consultant for this bridge replacement study for S.R. 804 over the Intracoastal Waterway in Palm Beach County, Florida. The project included evaluation of environmental impacts, development and evaluation of bridge replacement alternatives, and preparation of an Environmental Impact Statement, a Preliminary Engineering Report and a Bridge Development Report.

The project focused on replacement of a 1924 vintage bridge eligible for listing on the National Register of Historic Places.  A bridge inspection in 1998 revealed that marine wood borers had eaten into the submerged wood pilings supporting the bridge. The severe deterioration forced the closure of the span to vehicular traffic and initiated the PD & E study.  Environmental issues were addressed since the bridge crosses Lake Worth Lagoon, a body of water containing Johnson’s seagrass, a threatened species, and is home to the West Indian Manatee, an endangered species.

Physical site constraints studied included limited right of way or adjacent property for construction staging operations and adjacent parks and historic facilities.  Alternatives studies focused on low and mid-level movable span and high-level fixed span bridge solutions.  Detailed aesthetic studies were performed to develop alternatives that would portray a similar environment as the existing arch bridge to lessen impacts to adjacent historic facilities.  Segmental concrete arches were chosen for the approach spans to replicate the appearance of the original bridge.

Client:   Florida DOT, District Four

Design Completion Date:  October 1999