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Bridge board to meet March 2

STAFF REPORT – The Gasparilla Island Bridge Authority will hold a pre-bid meeting to detail key elements of the design plans for the center and fixed bridges on Tuesday, March 2 at 10 a.m. in the GIBA administration building.

Jim Cooper, GIBA’s executive director, said they have had 25 requests from design firms since early February, when the board approved the RFP for design services for the two bridges. While he doesn’t know how many representatives will show up at the meeting, he said he was surprised at the amount of interest garnered so quickly.

“We’ll be doing a physical site walk, to show everyone who represents these firms what they will be dealing with,” he said. “It’s not like we’re just building a new bridge next door, so it’s important for them to come out and see exactly what we’re working with, how much room they’re going to need for construction and equipment, things like that.”

A representative from Kisinger, Campo and Associates will also be present at the meeting, as GIBA has hired them as a design consultant.

Cooper said he thought it would take about a year to come up with the final fixed bridge designs, and if the project stays on schedule after that they could have both bridges replaced by 2015.

“We have some very unusual situations on our causeway as far as ability to place equipment and operational situations,” he said. “We have already been contacted by several design firms … there seems to be a lot of interest in our bridges.”