Repair work starts on the George Bush Boulevard bridge over the Intracoastal Waterway in Delray Beach on June 1. Motorists and pedestrians are advised to detour to the Atlantic Avenue bridge, via Federal Highway or State Road A1A, to cross the Intracoastal. Graphic provided
By Larry Barszewski
The George Bush Boulevard bridge will be closed to traffic for seven weeks starting at 7 a.m. June 1 so that essential deck repairs can be made.
The closure will affect vehicle and pedestrian traffic, but no closures for maritime traffic on the Intracoastal Waterway are expected. The bridge, built in 1949, is expected to return to normal operations on July 20.
The recommended detour is to cross using the nearest Intracoastal bridge, on Atlantic Avenue in Delray Beach to the south, either via Federal Highway or State Road A1A. The next bridge to the north is on Woolbright Road in Boynton Beach.
Officials said the needed work had been anticipated. Temporary measures have been implemented to keep the bridge operating safely until the upcoming closure.
Palm Beach County Engineering and Public Works, which is overseeing the maintenance work, considered alternatives to the complete shutdown, but officials said they found no ability to safely reopen the bridge at any time while the work is being done.
The closure may provide a taste of things to come. The county is currently studying what to do with the 77-year-old bascule bridge, which “has surpassed its useful life and is considered functionally obsolete due to the substandard roadway width,” according to the county’s description of the study.
Public hearings on the study are anticipated in 2028, with the study’s expected completion targeted for 2029.
“Palm Beach County is considering repair, rehabilitation, and replacement alternatives to improve the bridge’s capacity, reliability, and overall safety while maintaining its critical role as a designated hurricane evacuation route,” according to the project's online site. “Alternatives include a new bascule bridge with enhanced facilities for vehicles, pedestrians, cyclists, and transit users, designed in accordance with Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA) requirements. Wider shoulders, sidewalks separated by raised barriers, and traffic operation enhancements along the corridor will also be evaluated as part of the study.”
Information about the study is available at georgebushblvdbridge.com.
Anyone with questions about the study, or wanting to be added to the project mailing list, can contact Michael Sileno, the consultant project manager, at (954) 495-0566, or by email at msileno@hardestyhanover.com.
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