New wall will make Howard Frankland stronger, safer

By Times staff writer

© St. Petersburg Times, published July 28, 2000

Since 1959, chain link fences have separated drivers on the Howard Frankland bridge from the water of Old Tampa Bay. But the fences failed to stop erosion and offered little resistance to cars veering toward the water.

Now, work crews have begun replacing those fences with 32-inch-high concrete walls at the approaches on both sides of the bridge. Ruben Bergara, above, assembles the steel rods Thursday morning that will support the walls.

Although the work started June 19, the idea of concrete walls along the bridge originated in March 1993 with the no-name storm. That storm started an erosion problem that, if left unchecked, would eventually threaten the highway.

The concrete walls are supposed to stop that erosion.

Although not intended to act as a barrier to cars plunging into the water, the wall will have that effect, too. Since 1998, at least five people have driven through the chain link fence into the bay, though none were hurt.

The $4-million project is expected to be completed in December.

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