As reported last month in The Culebra Calendar, the Puerto Rico Roads and Highway and Transportation Authority (ACT from the Spanish acronym) is working on plans to construct a new road and to build a proposed new bridge at the waterfront over Lobina Lagoon.

According to ACT, the latest design proposes a bridge that will angle across the channel with the south side having a maximum height of 20 feet above sea level. A new road will be built connecting the south end of the bridge to the existing bridge in front of the fire station. The estimated cost of the project is $7,000,000. The bridge will be approximately 49 feet long and 43 feet wide. The road will consist of two 13-foot wide one-way lanes with 8-foot sidewalks on each side. Design considerations were based on the ease of construction, available materials and environmental considerations including the preparation of an Environmental Evaluation, Archaeological Study and requests for permission from the Corps of Engineers. It will require a minimum loss of trees and provide for the planting of new trees. State, Federal and local municipal agencies are all being consulted.

ACT says they are in the preliminary design stages while conducting environmental studies and evaluating the considerations before making final decisions to complete the project designs.