Members of a newly-formed task force say the 72-year-old bridge needs upgrades for future generations
The city of Harper Woods, which conducts testing of tap water in homes for lead and copper yearly, collected water samples from 30 homes this past summer, which indicated high levels of lead and copper.
Freeze Watch Issued as another Cold Snip slips across the Southeast– If you’ve ever driven over the Mathews Bridge that connects downtown Jacksonville to the Arlington neighborhood, then you’ve likely seen some beautiful views of the city from high above the St. Johns River. City councilman Ken Amaro - whose District 1 represents Arlington - says while the bridge is structurally sound, it’s outdated and needs a new design to meet the needs for the next generation that drives over it."I just believe a possible replacement, possible expansion, something about this structure which is important to one of the most important river crossings because it connects downtown to not just Arlington but to the Beaches - so it’s time to have this conversation and have a serious conversation," Amaro said. The Mathews Bridge opened on April 15, 1953. Over 7,000 feet long, it’s named for John E. Mathews, a former Florida state legislator and State Supreme Court justice who helped raise cash to build the bridge.was killed after she was thrown out of her Jeep and into the water. Her death sparked a change in the bridge’s grating system - and the grating was later fully replaced.Amaro also noted whenever there’s an incident on the bridge, JFRD and JSO response times are impacted by the limited mobility on the bridge. In turn, the overall travel times for drivers on the bridge are also affected.“A road way that bikes can do over, and there are shoulders where if a car breaks down, there is not grid lock,” Amaro said. “I think the time is now to begin having a conversation about this important structure which is critical a crucial piece of our infrastructure.” However - these changes take time. When Amaro was still a reporter, he recalls discussions about the Napoleon Bonaparte bridge. He says the conversation took 10 to 15 years before it was ever built. That bridge was later named the “I’m not anticipating anything within the next decade, to be honest,” Amaro said. “Hopefully what we may accomplish in the next 5 to 10 years is some concrete approaches as to what do we do, where do we go from here.” Amaro wants Jacksonville History Center CEO Alan Bliss to lead the task force, with hopes of updating the bridge to accommodate future decades of drivers in Jacksonville. Amaro says many key community stakeholders - the Florida Department of Transportation, the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles, maritime partners and local drivers - will take part in discussions to shape a long-term plan for the historic bridge.Erin Seaton is the Nightside Executive Producer at News4Jax. She joined Channel 4 in September 2021 as an Associate Producer.'Disgusting': Attorney announces lawsuits by 2 DCPS educators alleging First Amendment violationsVIDEO: Mom captures driver ignoring school bus stop signal as children prepare to cross streetWoman describes finding truck partially submerged in pond behind her homeVigil for high school senior killed at Westside Burger KingJacksonville mother, 2 young children homeless after apartment fireNews4JAX wraps up its 2025 Toy DriveNew fire station coming to Clay County for the first time in over 25 yearsLocal man shares warning after catching rare bacteria while fishing in St. Johns CountyVoices of the 904 Ep. 7 - The one-man army cooking with a passion to feed the city that raised himVoices of the 904 Ep. 7 - The one-man army cooking with a passion to feed the city that raised himSt. Johns County sheriff explains what led to deadly deputy-involved shootingFinal full moon of 2025 expected to be supermoon
Downtown Arlington Mathews Bridge
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