ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — The Howard Frankland Bridge has recently undergone a transformation, with a new pedestrian path, express lanes and sailboat-inspired artwork on the side.
While the $973 million new bridge was essential to get drivers across Tampa Bay, some were left questioning the new sail design, which people voted for in an online survey.
Deloris Brown used to live in the area and cross the bridge frequently.
“Just came down from Crystal River, and it’s awesome. It really is awesome. I love the sailboat, you know, it’s like so cool,” she said.
There’s a thread on Reddit that featured a variety of reactions about the sail design, with some wondering what they were, and others saying, “Those things will look gorgeous in people’s windshields in a year or two.”
A viewer reached out to 10 Investigates about how much those sails on the side of the bridge cost. So, we asked FDOT. They told us:
“We do not have a total dollar amount allocated to just the sail structures, as this contract is a lump sum contract. We have a ‘schedule of values’ breakdown for the overall contract, however that is not broken down detailed enough to separate out the sail structures. The lump sum amount we have on this project is for all aesthetics, which includes items such as aesthetic lighting, drilled shaft foundations, concrete caps for structures, pediment structures (the outlook areas along the shared-use path), and sails/secondary features. This amount is $8M.”
FDOT used a combination of state and federal funds to pay for the bridge and that art, so odds are, whether you like the sails or not, you probably helped pay for them.
Now, here’s what FDOT says is left in the coming weeks and months — sign installation, final striping of roadway and thermoplastic installation — that’s the logos that you see on the road. The agency also has to test the tolling system and do some punch list items, but work is expected to be finished this summer.
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