Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) officials said the collaboration with the City of Sweetwater and Florida International University (FIU) personnel yielded plans for a pedestrian bridge to aid safe, accessible campus crossing.
FIU’s Modesto A. Maidique Campus is located on the south side of SR 90/SW 8 Street just west of SW 107 Avenue, with student housing and residential towers located on the north side of the road within the City of Sweetwater.
In June 2017, an FIU student was struck and killed while crossing the road at SW 109 Avenue, which officials said prompted local and state personnel to find ways to address the safety element.
“FDOT has learned valuable lessons since the tragic events surrounding the FIU bridge collapse two years ago,” FDOT Secretary Kevin J. Thibault said. “The Department has worked closely with the NTSB and local partners to ensure proactive safety measures are included in the plans for this much-needed bridge. The Department will ensure all safety measures are in place and are followed so we may provide a safe option for pedestrians in this high-traffic area.”
Bridge design work is expected to begin early next year, with construction taking two years. FDOT will manage and oversee all aspects of the project, with officials adding the plans would incorporate additional enhanced safety measures, including recommendations from the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB).