NSBNews.net videos and photos by Henry Frederick / Volusia County Council Chairman Frank Bruno and New Smyrna Beach Vice Mayor Jim Hathaway discuss what was involved in getting the Turnbull Bay Bridge reopened Tuesday after 56 days. Nearby residents had to detour six miles out of their way to get to U.S. 1.
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County Council Chairman Frank Bruno stands front and center for the ribbon cutting celebrating the Turnbull Bay Bridge reopening. With him from left to right are New Smyrna Beach Mayor and Commissioner Jim Hathaway, Commissioners Lynne Plaskett and and Jack Grasy, Edith Little Representing State Rep. Dorothy Hukill, the afford-mentioned Bruno, County Councilwoman Joie Alexander, Frankie Roberts representing State Sen. Evelyn Lynn, behind her county bridge engineer Gerald Britton and Mayor Adam Barringer.NEW SMYRNA Beach -- They waited 40 day and 40 nights in Noah's Ark. For those who live near the Turnbull Bay Bridge, the wait was 56 days and then the county reopened it.
To celebrate the bridge's reopening, the county held a ribbon cutting ceremony led by Volusia County Councilman Frank Bruno, which included city officials, other dignitaries and about 50 residents who live nearby.
Jim Towers, who was there with his yorkie, Calloway, was presently surprised the bridge was finally reopened with the 9 a.m. ceremony.
"It's been a major inconvenience," said Towers, who lives 1 1/2 miles from the bridge. "I had to go six miles out of my way with the detour to go north to U.S."
"It's been a major inconvenience," said Towers, who lives 1 1/2 miles from the bridge. "I had to go six milies out of my way with the detour to go north to U.S."
The residents' nightmares started 56 days earlier when the state ordered the 1967 bridge closed because of structural problems. The detour was set up and nearby residents were notified that the bridge would be closed for at least two years until federal funding becomes available for a $4 million replacement.
The phones started ringing off the hook at City Hall, county government offices and State Rep. Dorothy Hukill's Port Orange and Tallahassee offices.
So Hukill called for a meeting at the Brannon Center that drew at least 250 angry residents demanding answers.
After hearing the usual rhetoric from the elected officials and county engineers, including a slide show, resident Shira Beth Wild nearly blew her top midway through the Sept. 6 meeting called by Hukill.
"I don't think you realize we're not going to be quiet about this," said Wild, who lives near the bridge. "It's up to the people we voted (for) to fix this, otherwise what good are you?"
From there it got worse with others wanting to know why money the county was putting so much into the Ocean Center, which Bruno, said was financed through bed tax monies.
Seeing the situation deteriorating, Bruno took to the microphone and jumped on a temporary fix -- replacement of a dozen or so support beams at a cost of $200,000 with repairs to be done with two months. He then offered the county would pay $100,000 if the city matched that amount.
Mayor Adam Barringer said he believed the city would, a proposition that was reinforced by Vice Mayor and Commissioner Jim Hathaway, who had been been to the bridge several times with engineers assessing what could be done to speed things up either with structural repairs or by finding some other funding mechanism.
New Smyrna Beach Vice Mayor and Commissioner Jim Hathaway claps as traffic flows once again on the Turnbull Bay Bridge as County Council Chairman Frank Bruno waves traffic by dressed in a full business suit.
"I believe 100 percent the the city of New Smyrna Beach will find the money," even it has to to "dip into the reserves," said Hathaway, an announced candidate for the County Council seat held by outgoing incumbent Joie Alexander.
Two months of work became 45 days and then as little as seven days as the construction went into overdrive, leading to the ribbon cutting and motor vehicles once again crossing the 200-foot span just after 10 a.m.
With a daily incentive of $1,000, the construction company, Seig and Ambachtsheer of DeLand, completed the job 11 days ahead of schedule.
Alexander, who is not seeking re-election to her district 3 seat, told the excited residents to enjoy the access because next year, they could find themselves in the same boat unless a new bridge is built parallel to this one.
"We do know this is a temporary fix -- brace yourself," she cautioned. "Take your vacation next year after we close it."
For the moment though, the elected officials were basking in the glory of the hot Florida sun, the mayor and Bruno in full suit and tie. Bruno even directed traffic for a few minutes as the residents began to leave and motor vehicles once again were rolling across the 44-year-old bridge over scenic Turnbull Bay in the northern part of the city near the New Smyrna Beach Municipal Sports Complex and the airport.
Before cutting the ribbon, Bruno said it was "only through the partnership between the county and the city" that this able to occur so quickly.