The Florida Dept. of Transportation scrambled to award an emergency contract for repairs to a downtown Jacksonville bridge after a U.S. Navy cargo ship struck the 60-year-old, steel-truss structure's central span on Sept. 26. FDOT announced on Oct. 1 that Superior Construction, Jacksonville, submitted the apparent low bid, with a price of $1.07 million, plus a potential $500,000 in bonuses. FDOT estimates the total cost of repairs at $3 million.
The USNS 1st Lt. Harry Martin was passing underneath the Mathews Bridge on the afternoon of Sept. 26 when an elevated structure located on the ship's stern struck the main span. The impact damaged a main structural beam and shoved metal plates that support the deck an estimated two to three inches out of position, which eventually could have caused the structure to fall off the supports, agency officials stated.