Structure was closed to boaters on May 4 so repairs could get underway
On May 26, the Blackburn Point Road swing bridge reopened to pedestrians and vehicle traffic, as well as marine traffic, Sarasota County staff announced.
The bridge will open every hour, on the hour, through Saturday morning, and then it will return to its normal operating schedule, county staff noted. The U.S. Coast Guard says on its Gulf Coast Intracoastal Waterway webpage that the bridge normally opens upon request; however, a note on the Coast Guard chart points out that, on weekends, the bridge reportedly opens only on the hour.
On May 4, the swing bridge was closed to boaters as repairs to the structure were scheduled to get underway. At that time, county staff estimated that the work could take 30 days.
A chart provided to the Sarasota County commissioners during their May 2021 budget workshop said the project would involve the rehabilitation of the structural steel components, gears, motors and electrical equipment “essential to the operation of this moveable bridge.” The cost of the work was estimated at $555,000.
The bridge is located east of Casey Key Road.