Residents, businesses push back on Palm Harbor bridge replacement plan

PALM HARBOR, Fla. — A Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) plan to replace a bridge in Palm Harbor is drawing criticism from residents and small business owners who say it will cause major traffic delays and could slow emergency response times.

The project focuses on the Ridgemoor Bridge over Brooker Creek, located along Ridgemoor Boulevard — the main road and only entrance into the Ridgemoor community.

Resident Giesele Gobes said she supports replacing the aging bridge but is frustrated with how the state plans to handle construction.

“They want to shut down one side of the bridge and then put a street light to help people come in and out,” Gobes said. “The problem is, you’re going to have backed-up traffic — and when they take down one side of the bridge, they can’t guarantee that the other side will be stable enough to stay up.”

Built in 1985, the bridge was flagged during a recent FDOT inspection as needing replacement. The $6.7 million project is expected to take about two years to complete.

Many residents say that timeline is too long and that it could make it harder for first responders to reach neighborhoods throughout Ridgemoor.

Pinellas County, which is partnering with FDOT on the project, defended the approach in a statement:

“The proposed phased construction approach — replacing one half of the bridge while maintaining traffic on the other — is the most widely utilized method for bridge replacement projects. It is considered safe and is supported by a comprehensive set of protocols designed to ensure structural stability throughout the process.”

Nearby business owners share the community’s concerns. Rosina Madani, who owns a gas station just down the street from the bridge, started a petition urging the state to complete the project faster.

“As small business owners, we rely on our local community,” Madani said. “To have that big chunk of individuals that access our area on a day-in, day-out basis — it’s going to impact us greatly.”

Residents say they just want their voices heard. 

“We don’t feel like we’re getting validated,” Gobes said. “If you don’t live here, you don’t understand how big of an issue it is.”

The FDOT project is currently in the design phase and is slated to begin in the fall of 2026. While the bridge is being replaced, Ridgemoor residents will have an alternative route via Tarpon Woods Boulevard.