Pensacola Bay Bridge Replacement Project, Escambia & Santa Rosa Counties
As the largest transportation infrastructure project in FDOT District Three’s history, the Pensacola Bay Bridge Replacement Project has major significance, not only for FDOT but for communities in the region.
ABC Group provided comprehensive public information support for the project that began in 2016.
With a final cost of more than $440 million, the project included replacing the 1960s structure with a new bridge featuring six travel lanes, wider shoulders, multi-use paths for pedestrians and cyclists, an aesthetic lighting system, and improvements to the design and parking at the Wayside Park in Gulf Breeze.
During construction, a supplemental contract was added to the bridge replacement effort for the reconstruction of the U.S. 98/17th Avenue interchange on the western side of the bridge in Pensacola. The new interchange included a flyover bridge and a single-lane roundabout to facilitate seamless travel between U.S. 98 and 17th Avenue.
Throughout this project, ABC Group developed and maintained a website dedicated to construction progress, utilized e-newsletters and news releases for area media and elected officials, and established a speaker’s bureau program that delivered nearly 100 community presentations. The team also managed the project’s social media pages, which attracted for than 30,000 followers.
Midway through construction, Hurricane Sally destroyed portions of the structure requiring a nine-month closure for repairs and reconstruction. The closure resulted in a more than 50-mile detour for the estimated 60,000 daily drivers that travel between Pensacola and Gulf Breeze. ABC Group worked with FDOT and the CEI team to develop and implement a crisis communication plan to focus on reconstruction and repair efforts.
