The closure has forced neighbors to take a more than one-mile detour for the past three years.

"We're grateful for anything if it gets us to get across to where we don't have to be making these drastic detours, it would be great," neighbor Dominique Byrd said.

"We're looking forward to it," neighbor Windell Goode added.

When the bridge first closed in 2022, residents expected repairs to take only a few weeks. Instead, the closure has stretched into its third year, creating community frustration.

While the temporary bridge provides access, the city plans to design a new permanent bridge that will look distinctly different from the original structure.

"The new, permanent bridge will be, not a high-rise bridge but it will have a lot more height to it," Petersburg Deputy City Manager Kene

See Full Page