Sebastian Inlet Bridge expected to cost nearly 75% more than original $60 million price tag
INDIAN RIVER COUNTY — Traffic between the county and Brevard County may get a bit more congested in 2026 as the Florida Department of Transportation is eyeing replacing the Sebastian Inlet Bridge, and it may be more expensive than originally thought.
The 1,548-foot James H. Pruitt Memorial Bridge was deemed structurally deficient — but safe — in 2019, following a routine inspection completed after Hurricane Dorian.
"The purpose of the project is to address the structural and functional deficiencies of the existing bridge," said FDOT Project Manager Binod Basnet. "The existing bridge will be demolished, and a taller bridge will be constructed."
Built in 1964, the bridge was upgraded in 1978 and 2003.
Scope of the project
In 2022, FDOT stated that the expected cost of the project would not exceed $61 million. Now, they anticipate the project to cost $103.4 million in state and federal money.
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"FDOT is building a newer, better bridge," said FDOT District Four Communications Manager Billy Canedo. "The shared paths mean pedestrians and bike riders will finally be able to cross the bridge safely instead of turning around."
The construction zone runs from Sand Dollar Lane, south of the bridge, into Brevard County.
The new bridge is expected to be shifted east of the current bridge and include two 12-foot traffic lanes, two 12-foot shared use paths, two 8-foot shoulders and two fishing piers under the bridge.
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FDOT is also expected to add a crosswalk and reconfigure the north and south entrances to Sebastian Inlet State Park.
"The project is still being designed," said Canedo. "But we are emphasizing that the new bridge will be safer for bicycles to cross."
Timeline and next steps
Work is slated to begin spring 2026 and run through fall 2030, according to FDOT.
"FDOT does want to maintain two-way traffic across the inlet at all times," said Canedo. "Every effort is going to be taken to minimize issues for commuters who use the bridge."
FDOT will hold a meeting at 5:30 p.m. Wednesday at the Sebastian Community Center, 1805 N. Central Ave.
"It's our opportunity to showcase the project design and also the expected traffic impacts of the project," said Canedo. "There will be a presentation with things like diagrams and renderings, to give people a good idea of what might happen."
"Community is the focus of everything we do here. We value the input and hope we can answer all questions and concerns."
Nick Slater is TCPalm's Indian River County Watchdog reporter. You can reach him at Nick.Slater@tcpalm.com and 224-830-2875.
This article originally appeared on Treasure Coast Newspapers: Sebastian Inlet Bridge cost jumps from $60 million to $103 million
