Construction crews worked through the night in chilly temperatures to reconstruct the Little Pine Island Bridge in Matlacha.
Crews were on site starting at 1 a.m. Tuesday, with concrete mixer trucks arriving just before 5 a.m. Crews were pouring more than 300 yards of concrete for the bridge deck slab.
The bridge is being fully replaced due to damage from Hurricane Ian.
Once completed, it will have enhancements to drainage, utilities and safety. The Little Pine Island Bridge will also feature a reinforced structure designed to withstand future storms.
Concerns about the cold weather affecting the concrete were addressed with guidance from the American Concrete Institute. The institute considers “cold weather” as when the average daily temperature drops below 40 degrees and stays below 50 degrees for at least 12 hours.
WINK News meteorologist Zach Maloch confirmed that these conditions have not occurred in the area and are not expected as temperatures will rise throughout the day.
The American Concrete Institute advises heating the water, not the cement, and keeping the concrete warmer than 40 degrees for 48 hours when strength development is critical.
The Florida Department of Transportation previously announced that the project would be completed this winter. Crews are working to stay on track to meet this timeline.
Motorists in the area should plan for extra traffic due to the ongoing construction.