Miami-Dade County commissioners voted unanimously last week to approve an agreement that moves the Bear Cut Bridge closer to repair or replacement. The bridge is the only road connection between Key Biscayne and the rest of the county.
The vote commits the county to a project development and environmental study, which federal law requires before any federal money can go toward work on the span. County Transportation and Public Works Director Stacy Miller told commissioners the bridge is deteriorating but is not unsafe. The study will weigh a no-build option, a repair option and several replacement options.
Repairs in 2014 were expected to keep the bridge working for about 10 more years. Earlier estimates for rehabilitating or replacing the structure on the Rickenbacker Causeway ranged from $60 million to $100 million. Tolls collected from causeway users are expected to cover most of the cost, and the county is also looking at grants and bonds.
The county has not set a timeline for construction after the study is finished. Rising sea level projections could also shape whether crews rehabilitate the 1944 bridge or build a new one. Repairs will continue in the meantime, Miller said.
