Ribbon cutting ceremony for new Ninth Avenue Bridge

A ribbon cutting ceremony to celebrate the opening of the new Ninth Avenue West Bridge over Wares Creek and unveil a historical marker is scheduled for 2 p.m. Wednesday in Bradenton.

The new bridge reopened Dec. 20 after months of construction to better facilitate water flow as part of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers flood control project of Wares Creek. Construction on a new bridge began in July and it was remodeled to have a slightly higher elevation in order to reduce flooding. The City of Bradenton received a $1 million stimulus grant to rebuild the 67-year-old bridge.

The city will also replace bridges at 12th and 14th avenues to ease the flow of water in Wares Creek. Rebuilding of the 12th and 14th avenue bridges will begin in February.

Quality Enterprises USA Inc., a Naples-based construction company, was awarded the bid to replace the 12th and 14th avenue bridges and the city will pay the company $2.38 million for the work, as well as for drainage improvements on 20th Street West.

The Wares Creek flood control project, a $51.8 million project led by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, began in January of 2012. The Corps of Engineers' contractors finished dredging 37,000 cubic yards of material from the flood-prone creek in early August and the next phase, designated Phase III A, will consist of channel widening and retaining wall construction.