SR 10 (US 90) over Yellow River Bridge Replacement

FDOT District Three Three needed a firm to provide environmental permitting services for this project to continue in plans and construction.  The project challenges included scour, constructability issues with shallow water depths, existing remnant pile removal, and environmental constraints due to the presence of critical habitat within the project area. 

DRMP permitted the replacement of the existing 1,617-foot bridge over the Yellow River, which is considered a navigable sovereign submerged land.  The environmental team obtained an Individual Permit from the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP) and a Section 404 Dredge & Fill Permit from the US Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) and coordinated with the US Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) to obtained a Biological Opinion for the Gulf sturgeon, its critical habitat and three species of freshwater mussels.  These sensitive areas required our team to develop a Mussel Relocation Plan and construction plans with methods that would not impact the Gulf sturgeon during the migration season.

FDOT District Three and Okaloosa County, Florida residents will benefit from the new bridge’s enhanced lifespan and structural strength.  The permits ensured both the client and the community that the new bridge was built with the most accurate environmental information that would minimize impacts to protected resources.