MATLACHA, Fla. – To our valued community, we are pleased to share weekly updates on the ongoing construction of the Pine Island Bridge and the steps being taken to accelerate the project. We are committed to delivering this critical infrastructure as quickly as possible while ensuring quality and safety remain top priorities.

Hurricane Ian caused significant destruction in Pine Island and Matlacha. Our goal is to enhance safety, strengthen resilience, and reduce economic impacts for the community.

The new Little Pine Island Bridge is being built to withstand storm surges from a Hurricane Ian-level event, ensuring this critical roadway remains intact.

Once completed, the new bridge will strengthen infrastructure, enhance transportation safety, and promote long-term economic growth in the area.

Phase 1 Update

We aim to complete Phase 1 by spring 2025 and make significant progress on both the east and west sides of the bridge.

Construction crews have successfully completed the installation of the large rocks (rip rap) on both sides of the bridge.

Construction crews are actively forming and pouring concrete caps, aiming to complete the task by next week. Concrete caps, also known as pile caps, serve to distribute the load from the structure above evenly across the piles below.

Work will continue with the installation of the slab beams. Concrete slab beams are utilized to efficiently support vehicular loads over short to medium spans and rip rap will help protect the bridge and mitigate erosion.

Next week, crews will install drainage pipes and water lines as a part of the ongoing construction.

Sign Up for Updates

We understand the importance of this bridge to the community and are dedicated to its timely completion. We thank you for your patience and understanding as we work to rebuild stronger and better than before.

Stay tuned for future updates as we make progress on this critical project.

To sign up for updates and access the weekly Road Watch, please visit the project website at 451937-2 Pine Island Causeway and Bridge Reconstruction Project. To access the bridge traffic cameras go to https://www.leegov.com/dot/traffic.

You can also contact the Communications Team by calling the project hotline at (239)-800-6391 or by emailing at pineislandinfo@exp.com.