Pinellas County is applying for a $79 million grant from the Federal Highway Administration to replace the Dunedin Causeway Main Bridge. County commissioners unanimously authorized staff on October 29 to pursue this grant for the long-discussed project among officials, stakeholders, and users.

According to the county’s August project overview, the main bridge will be replaced with a new two-lane mid-level movable bridge. The current bridge, which has become structurally deficient due to aging, does not meet current engineering standards for resisting high waves during significant storms and vessel impacts.

Construction is expected to begin in 2028 and be completed by 2030, with no right-of-way acquisition required.

County Commissioner Dave Eggers, a former Dunedin mayor, expressed hope that this funding attempt will be more successful than previous efforts. “We haven’t been able to find that source of funds yet. That’s been a tough one. I’m hesitant to say that we’re closer because each fund is kind of a new venture,” Eggers said. He added that officials are more optimistic about this grant fitting better with their request.

Mechanical failures of the bascule bridge have disrupted vehicular and boat traffic, and vessel collisions with the bridge structure have occurred. Emergency services efficiency has also been impacted due to the limited right-of-way.

The replacement bridge will include a 5-foot-wide sidewalk on the north side and a 15-foot-wide multiuse trail on the south side, part of the Pinellas Trail spur. The new bridge will be a two-lane mid-level bascule bridge with 35 feet of vertical clearance over the navigation channel when closed.

Eggers highlighted the importance of replacing the bridges for both residents and visitors. “This has been on the docket for some time,” he said. “But the cost is so extraordinarily high that we can’t possibly fund it just with local funds. It has been truly a grant search process.”

The causeway attracts visitors to Honeymoon Island, one of the top state parks. “Anybody that goes out there nine months out of the year, at least, if not 12 months out of the year, the park itself and whole causeway are packed,” Eggers said.

With the current bridge structure, conflicts between pedestrians, bikers, and cars have been common. Eggers emphasized the need for a new bridge that spans the park to the mainland and serves the many people who live in the area. “It’s an important bridge for many reasons,” he said.

New access to parking locations along the causeway will be provided at each bridge approach, and a vehicle turn-around will be available underneath each end of the bridge.

To date, approximately $12.5 million has been invested or committed by the county for planning, preliminary engineering and design, permitting, and construction engineering. The remaining project’s construction cost estimate is $98.8 million.

Although some costs are covered by the county’s Penny for Pinellas sales tax funds, the bulk of the funding will need to come from grants. The county’s $79 million request represents 80% of the total project-eligible costs.

“Right now we are just hopeful we can get something going in the next couple of years and start dealing with that bridge. It is an old, old bridge that is struggling, obviously,” Eggers said.

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(Image credit: Pinellas County)