JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Nearly two years after part of Liberty Street collapsed into the St. Johns River and part of Coastline Drive and a neighboring city parking lot were closed to traffic and pedestrians, the city has awarded a $31 million contract to rebuild the area.
The road collapsed along the Northbank of the river between the old courthouse and the Berkman Plaza condominiums in February 2015.
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After the Florida Department of Transportation declared the structures suspended over the river unsafe, the city made plans to tear it all down. Mayor Lenny Curry made repairs to the area a priority in his first budget. Work was initially expected to begin in October 2015. After soliciting bids, the city awarded a contract to Superior Construction Southeast, and recently issued a notice to proceed.
Seeing cranes and barges in place this week, News4Jax learned that a pedestrian corridor behind the riverfront Hyatt Hotel will be built, then the pile-supported structures will be demolished early this year. Replacement of the Coastline Bridge between Newnan to Market streets will be completed by early 2018, with rebuilt, rerouted elements of the Northbank Riverwalk and Liberty Street Bridge to be completed by summer 2018.
The contract gives Superior Construction 630 days to complete the project. Florida DOT has agreed to reimburse the city $7.5 million of the cost in fiscal year 2021.