Opening of new Matlacha Bridge postponed a week
The switch in traffic from the old span onto the new Matlacha Bridge has been postponed another week due to testing.
Lee County Department of Transportation Project Manager Sarah Clarke said functional testing is taking place for the new bridge to ensure the equipment is working correctly. Right now, she said functional B testing is taking place, which means the new bridge has to go through a series of opening and closing procedures before opening to the public.
The bridge, Clarke said, has to open 240 times to ensure all the equipment is functioning before the switch in traffic is allowed. If issues are found they have to stop and fix them.
The tentative switch in traffic will occur the weekend of Sept. 14.
Updates on the bridge will continue to be provided once they become available.