04/17/25 Update. You may recall that a section of this bridge in North Palm Beach fell into the canal.
The plans for the bridge replacement are below but basically the bridge is being raised to 11.22 feet above Mean High Water from 9.61 feet, adding 1.61′. The existing canal bottom within the FDOT right of way is being dredged, which will happen after the bridge is demolished. The existing canal bottom is around elevation (-)8.44, and the new bottom will be at elevation (-)14.5, an additional depth of approximately 6’.
Florida DOT paid of the Schwenkee family for some sort of clarification on the right to go over the C-17 that the plans for to replace the US-1 bridge over the C-17 in North Palm Beach by Frigates is moving forward. I got a letter from the Coast Guard as sort of a notice to abutters. THE BRIDGE IS GOING TO REMAIN OPEN DURING CONSTRUCTION. The plans now have the ‘opening’ for a boat to get both wider by about 10′ and taller by about 1.61′ but honestly though, who knows. The CURRENT mean high water clearance of that bridge is a little under 8′. I go under every time I’m out in the boat and I drop my bimini so I can but I can reach over my head and touch the beam no problem. They are reporting that Bridge Clearance is NOW 9.61′ ABOVE MHW. Maybe to the bottom of the deck but not the beams holding it up. The section they provide below shows the ‘Low Member’ Elevation at +11.58 (NAVD) and the MHW at +0.35′. Call it 11′ clear at MHW under the new bridge or 3′ more clearance than the now +/-8′. Someone important must live behind that bridge.
