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THE PALM BEACH POST • TUESDAY, MARCH 9, 2010 56
RICHARD GRAULICH/Staff Photographer
Lt. Gov. Jeff Kottkamp (center) views construction progress on the Tequesta Drive bridge Monday morning with Mayor Pat
Watkins and village Councilman Jim Humpage. The original bridge was closed in October. The new span may be open by July 4.
New Tequesta bridge ahead of schedule
Lt. Gov. ,Jeff Kottkamp tours
the site, now projected to open
by the Fourth of July.
By BILL DIPAOLO
Palm Beach Post Staff Writer
TEQUESTA — Along with the
village's first-ever visit by a sitting
Florida lieutenant governor came
good news Monday — finishing
of the new $2.4 million Tequesta
Drive bridge is ahead of the Aug. 6
projected completion date.
"We're hoping to have village
residents driving over the bridge
by the Fourth of July," Councilman
Jim Humpage said.
Lt. Gov. Jeff Kottkamp donned
a hard hat and toured the west
side of the new stationary bridge,
which will be about 5 feet higher
than the old bridge.
The 50 -year-old original span
was closed in October by the
Florida Department of Transporta-
tion because of unsafe conditions.
Federal stimulus money is paying
for the job, which is being done by
Indiantown-based Sheltra & Son
Inc.
"Florida sends more money to
Washington than we get back. We
need to keep pushing for more
projects like this," said Kottkamp,
who then attended a public recep-
tion at the Tequesta Country Club
and visited the public safety me-
morial at village hall.
Some businesses on the east
side have told village officials
business is down since the bridge
closed. Residents on the west side
of the bridge now drive along Is-
land Way and shop in Jupiter, said
Tequesta Drive Country Club resi-
dent Gary Gustafson.
"It takes me an extra 30 min-
utes," Gustafson said. "I'm happy
to hear the new bridge may be
done soon."
O bill_dipaolo@pbpost.com