FORT WALTON BEACH — Officials with the Florida Department of Transportation estimate that the permanent repairs to Brooks Bridge will take about a month to complete.
Repairs to the sidewalk and guardrail will take three to four weeks and will be scheduled during the shoulder season between spring break and the start of the summer tourist season, DOT spokesman Ian Satter said.
Temporary repairs were made last week after a crane sitting on top of a barge struck the eastbound side of the bridge on Wednesday, completely shutting down the bridge for several hours.
Take a look at photos of the collision. >>
The impact took down several feet of the concrete guardrail and ruptured a water pipe that runs underneath the eastbound sidewalk of the bridge. Concrete and water from the pipe poured into Santa Rosa Sound.
No one was hurt and no vehicles crossing the bridge were damaged.
It is not clear yet how traffic over the bridge might be disrupted once the permanent repairs get under way.
“We’re still in the planning process as far as the repairs go,” Satter said. “We’re working with Okaloosa County to make sure the water line will be secure.”
Okaloosa County Water and Sewer Director Jeff Littrell said Okaloosa Island is not experiencing any problems with water flow or water pressure in the wake of the accident.
“The water supply is 100 percent restored,” he said.
The pipe ruptured by the crane has been repaired and reattached to the bridge, using a steel beam and chains, he said.
He said the pipe wasn’t completely severed, but a large section was torn.
Littrell said his crews will wait to make further repairs until the DOT has repaired the bridge railing and sidewalk.
“We’ll have to wait until they get their work done, and then we’ll get back up under there and re-hang it with the same system the rest of pipe is hung with,” he said.
Littrell said his department is currently discussing changing the way it moves water to the island in the future. One possibility is to run a pipe underground and under Santa Rosa Sound to connect the water system on the island. The county had such a system in place years ago, but the pipe was damaged during Hurricane Ivan and could not be repaired.
An official estimate of the damages has not been determined, but the DOT could have that number later this week, Satter said.
“We’re also going to be making sure the party who is responsible for the damages will be held liable for cost of repairs,” he said.
The Coast Guard is currently investigating the accident.
Contact Daily News Staff Writer Kari Barlow at 850-315-4438 or kbarlow@nwfdailynews.com. Follow her on Twitter @KariBnwfdn. Contact Daily News Staff Writer Angel McCurdy at 850-315-4432 or amccurdy@nwfdailynews.com. Follow her on Twitter @AngelMnwfdn.