History of the Fight to Save Our Bridge

In the early 1970's the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) began to study the possible replacement the Bridge of Lions. The Friends of St. Augustine Architecture, which was formed in 1979 to advocate the preservation of significant structures throughout the city, made the fight to save the bridge their primary focus. For over two decades the 'Friends', and Save Our Bridge, Inc. have worked to maintain public awareness of the issues surrounding the Bridge of Lions. Through newsletters, bumper stickers, postcard campaigns, press kits, public speaking and an award-winning web site we have made sure that the voice of preservation is heard in defense of this bridge.

In 1998 the debate heated up with the release of the FDOT's draft Environmental Impact Statement (EIS). Save Our Bridge hired a strategy consultant as well as a professional engineer and attorney who have had extensive experience with the FDOT. The result was a series of comprehensive reports and official comments to the draft EIS that made a strong case for the rehabilitation of the bridge.

The final public hearing conducted by the FDOT and the Coast Guard on June 7, 1999 demonstrated overwhelming support for the preservation of the bridge on a local, state and national level. Save Our Bridge presented a petition to this effect with over 6,000 signatures. Three months later, the FDOT held a press conference to announce that rehabilitation of the Bridge of Lions was the preferred alternative. This was a giant step in the fight to Save Our Bridge!

For the next few years the FDOT continued to conduct a federal review process for their chosen alternative. They met and corresponded with participating agencies including the State Historic Preservation Officer, the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation, and the Federal Highway Administration (the lead agency). In May, 2002 a Memorandum of Agreement was executed.

FDOT contracted with Reynolds, Smith & Hill, a Jacksonville engineering firm, to design for the rehabilitation. The design process has revealed ways to preserve more of the original bridge structure. They are also adding replicas of the previously removed light fixtures and railings bringing the bridge back to its original 1927 appearance. They held a series of design meetings in 2002 and again in 2003 to inform and get comments from the public. FDOT released the final EIS in July, 2003. Once the comment period ends for this document participating agencies will sign a Record of Decision.

The construction contract is scheduled to be awarded in Spring, 2004 and the rehabilitation will take approximately two years.