Did you notice that the Donald Ross Road bridge is partially closed? Here's why.
JUNO BEACH — The eastbound lanes on the Donald Ross Road bridge are closed for maintenance until April 27, creating a traffic detour for those traveling between Jupiter, Palm Beach Gardens and Juno Beach.
The bridge, which opened to traffic in 1999, is getting new high-pressure cylinders — the parts that move the bridge up and down — and electrical controls, said Zach King, the chief construction coordinator for Palm Beach County. The project costs the county $28 million.
King said no functions on the bridge are broken, but the Intracoastal Waterway span is due for these upgrades because it is over 20 years old.
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The bridge sees average daily traffic of 11,000 vehicles, about 10% of which are trucks, according to 2022 state data. Traffic will be rerouted south on Military Trail, east on PGA Boulevard, and then north on U.S. Highway 1, which lies just east of the bridge, while the eastbound lanes are closed.
Construction started April 17 and is expected to last 10 days, but King said the work could finish early.
When crews finish, the county will wait 10 days until the next phase of work on the bridge: the same upgrades, but for the two westbound lanes. The county staff will alert the public in advance on their website and the digital boards near the bridge.
After the two phases of work are done, King does not expect the bridge to need maintenance for another 25 years, saying it will be in “tip-top shape” with the improvements.
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Maya Washburn covers northern Palm Beach County for The Palm Beach Post, part of the USA TODAY Florida-Network. Reach her at mwashburn@pbpost.com. Support local journalism: Subscribe today.
This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Traffic detour in Jupiter, Gardens due to Donald Ross bridge closure
