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Joint effort to repair pedestrian bridge
1st Special Operations Wing Public Affairs
Airman 1st Class Amanda A. Flower-Raschella
HURLBURT FIELD, Fla. – After over a year of planning, Air Commandos, the Florida Department of Transportation and Okaloosa Sheriff’s Department worked together to refurbish the pedestrian bridge running from base housing to the Soundside at Hurlburt Field, Florida, Oct. 23, 2021.
The pedestrian bridge stretching across U.S. Highway 98 allows Air Commandos and their families to travel a direct route from base housing to the Soundside on foot as an alternative to driving. The Soundside includes activities ranging from Outdoor Recreation to The Hooch Restaurant and Bar. The bridge is also used by individuals participating in physical activity.
The bridge has been exposed to a number of tropical storms and hurricanes over time. Immediately following Hurricane Sally, the bridge was inspected by a Florida-certified bridge inspector. During the inspection, it was discovered that flooding had caused erosion in the area surrounding the bridge’s north support structure and undermined the foundation of the bridge and entrance ramp supports, causing the support structure to settle and experience some cracking. It was recommended that the use of the bridge be prohibited until repairs could be made. Since hurricane Sally, the 1st Special Operations Civil Engineer Squadron has regularly surveyed the elevations of the support structure to verify no further settling was occurring.
Following fiscal year 2020, Airmen with the 1st SOCES and the 1st Special Operations Contracting Squadron began making plans to refurbish the pedestrian bridge. These plans consisted of creating a design, planning and market research, soliciting the project and receiving proposals, cost analysis and negotiations, and the award phase.
After negotiating a fair price, the 1st SOCONS awarded the contract to Wright Brothers LLC out of Andalusia, AL, via the 8(a) Business Development Program. Small businesses that are at least 51 percent owned by one or more individuals who are socially or economically disadvantaged qualify for this program.
The next step was to begin the approval process with the Florida Department of Transportation. Providing all required documentation and plans is typically a lengthy process. Thankfully, the FDOT was extremely accommodating and helpful, resulting in a faster approval than originally anticipated.
The FDOT wasn’t the only civilian partner that was involved in the process. The Okaloosa Sheriff's Department was present to assist in traffic control for the safety of the public and Air Commandos.
The bridge was temporarily placed south of U.S. Highway 98 while the north support structure is being replaced. Additionally, preventative maintenance will be performed on the bridge structure itself to better preserve the bridge and limit future traffic interruptions.
The estimated time for completion is approximately six months. Following completion of the pedestrian bridge, another shutdown of U.S. Highway 98 will be required to place the bridge back on its support and across the highway.
This joint effort is just one of the many examples that shows how quickly and efficiently things can be completed when the military and civilian sector work together with a shared objective.
| Date Taken: | 10.23.2021 |
| Date Posted: | 10.25.2021 14:33 |
| Story ID: | 407933 |
| Location: | HURLBURT FIELD, FLORIDA, US |
| Web Views: | 350 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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