County Commissioners to Discuss Platt Street Bridge Project

The Board of County Commissioners will meet today to discuss a handful of  Tampa Bay projects, including the final contract with American Bridge Company for repairs to the Platt Street Bridge.

According to the agenda for the meeting, which begins at 9 a.m. today, the contract amount will be increased by $437,891 to "compensate the contractor for additional work associated with cutting future maintenance costs." The amount also includes a credit back to the county.

Repairs on the bridge, which was built in 1926, were completed earlier this year, said county spokesman Steve Valdez.

"It (the bridge) now has all new motors, new gears, and it has new electrical wiring and lighting on top," he said. "We took down the balustrade on top that was deteriorating, and rebuilt it."

The reason for the project?

"Saltwater and time had take its toll," Valdez said.

Other projects on the county commission agenda include:

• Approval of first modification to an agreement with Tampa Bay Performing Arts Center to provide $50,000 in funding to support marketing of the new Florida Opera Festival
• Approval of the agreement with Lowry Park Zoo to provide up to $30,000 in funding to support the out of area marketing and promotion of the "DinoQuest-A Jurassic Journey" exhibition

Are you going to the meeting? Which projects are you most interested in the commissioners discussing in south Tampa? Tell us in the comments.

The meeting will begin at 9 a.m. today at 601 E. Kennedy Boulevard in downtown Tampa.

Click here for a copy of the county commission agenda.