The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1921-07-06
ASKS GOVERNMENT
TO REPLACE BRIDGE
Representatives of Local Organization
Send Letter to Senator Fletcher

over Bayou Grande on the highway
connecting the navy and military
reservations, in a letter forwarded to,
Senator Duncan u. Fletcher and sign
ed by representatives of the city,
county and various organizations here.
The bridge is on the government
reservation and was built by the gov
eminent some fifteen years ago. 1t has
deterioated until 1t has been pro-
nounced dangerous for traffic. The
threatened closing of the bridge would
be a great inconvenience to persons
in the city and on the reservations and
would greatly interfere with ans
portation between the two points.
Representatives of the various or
CARNATIONS appointed as a committee
to investigate the condition of the
bridge made the following report which
was submitted to the board of county
commissioners at its meeting yester-
day. A copy of the report with the
following letter was forwarded to Sem
ator Fletcher requesting his aid in
bringing the matter before congress;
Hon. Duncan U. Fletcher,
Senate Building,
Washington, d. c.
Dear Senator:
The undersigned representatives of
the city and county government, the
chamber of commerce and other civic
bodies, after reviewing the report of
the special committee appointed to
Investigate the physical conditions of
the Bayou Grande bridge, urges your
support in an effort to secure appro
priations necessary to replace the
Bayou Grande bridge, under such plan
as you may deem expedient in the
matter, assuring you of our ablest CO.
operation in this endeavor.
Herewith is the report of the special
committee in which we heartily con-
cur:
Report of Committee
your committee, appointed for the
purpose of investigating the physical
condition of the Bayou Grande bridge
the city of Pensacola and county OF
Escambia's relationship in the matter, |
begs leave to report as follows:
THAT the Bayou Grande bridge Is |
really a menace to life and property |
and should be replaced at the earliest !
possible moment with modern con-
crete structure, sufficient to carry in
safety the heavy traffic between the
naval air station, Fort Barrancas and |
the city of Pensacola.
2-That this replacement is predi-
Gated upon the following discovered !
facts:
(a)-That the Bayou Grande bridge |
is a wooden structure and even If re-
n Ia oh +oIx
safe for highway travel.
(b)-That the pilings of the bridge |
for it's entire length of approximately |
1900 feet are worm eaten. We figure /
that the supporting strength Of these |
pilings have been reduced so per cent |
in the aggregate and much more in
individual cases.
(c)-That the cap timbers are rotten
in many places.
(d)-That the superstructure is in /
very bad repair, stringers and cross |
sections in many cases being in very
bad condition. This applies also to the
ratings of the bridge.
(e)-The repairing of the bridge is
uneconomica1 and cannot put it INTO
an absolutely safe condition.
6)-That replacement is necessary
because of the extremely heavy traf-
freight truck and passenger vehicles. |
(g)-That there is always the inn |
minent danger of this weakened bridge
being carried away in part at least, /
during storm periods.
(h)-That if restrictions of traffic
are imposed as they evidently must /
be, it will seriously affect the facile
between the government
and the city; the BRIDGE
being the link of the only paved high
way between the city and government
3-The Bayou Grande bridge is
government property, and was built
by the government over Is years ego
to provide access to the national GEM
etery.
The bridge and highway leading
from the bridge is under the jurls-
diction of the national cemetery Of
although we find upon inves-
tigation that its repair, ETC., has been
made by the army and navy depart
ments, because Of their great use of 4
this bridge. The jurisdiction of this
bridge might well be placed Jointly in
the hands of the army and navy de-
partments.
4-The county and city governments
have provided paved highway lead
ing to the east approach of the bridge
and Of course, have no moral or fl
nancial obligation in its replacement,
but will cooperate within their power
and Jurisdiction in backing any move
ment to consummate this needed i'm
provement.
The committee therefore urges that
immediate action be taken by such
governmental agencies which may havei
and in event that appro-
priations are not available out of such
funds in the hands OF governmental
agencies having or who will have ju-
risdiction, that we urge such legisla-
ton as Will make Immediately avail
able funds to erect modern, safe
bridge structure over the Bayou