Update: May, 2010

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 also added 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.

A Record of Decision was signed by the Federal Highway Administration in late 2003 finalizing the decision to rehabilitation the bridge.

The contract for the rehabilitation was awarded in 2004 to Skanska with Reynolds, Smith and Hills as the design consultants. Construction began in February, 2005 and the bridge was scheduled to reopen for traffic in Winter, 2009.

After a few delays the newly rehabilitated Bridge of Lions opened on March 17, 2010. The date fell, coincidentally, on St. Patrick's Day; quite appropriate for the predominantly green metalwork of the original paint color.

A ceremony hosted by The City of St. Augustine, Save Our Bridge and the Florida Department of Transportation was held that morning which included brief remarks, a special ribbon cutting, a designated group of citizens crossing as the first pedestrians and a parade of cars representing each year the bridge has been in service. The bridge officially opened to traffic at noon.

Removal of the temporary bridge and corresponding roadwork will take approximately nine months. Extensive landscaping on both the east and west approaches will reflect the original 1927 plans.

In the Spring of 2011 the return of the bridge's signature pair of guardian lions will signal the completion of one of the most extensive and unique projects of its kind. The magnificent lions, carved of Carrera marble, were removed at the beginning of the project and placed in storage where they underwent cleaning and restoration.

The City of St. Augustine is planning an additional celebration at that time.