PUBLIC NOTICE | Center Hill Bridge Opening

This morning, the Hardee County Board of County Commissioners along with representatives of FDOT Southwest Florida and members of the community celebrated a ribbon cutting, bridge opening event.

Special thank you to FDOT Southwest Area Director, Wayne Gaither for speaking on this partnership as well as our local royalty, Miss Hardee County Harper Bellflower and Jr Miss Hardee County Lainey Kate Johnson.

Drive Safe Hardee County!

Check out this upcoming feature in the FDOT newsletter from ACM, Christopher Simpron to learn more about the project history and partnerships that brought this project to completion and today's opening ceremonies:

Partnership in Action: How Hardee County and FDOT Teamed Up to Rebuild the Center Hill Bridge

The successful reconstruction of the Center Hill Bridge stands as a testament to the power of state and local collaboration. For years, the closure and removal of this critical crossing presented a significant hurdle for local infrastructure, but a dedicated partnership between Hardee County and the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) has officially paved the way for its revival under Financial Project Number (FPN) 443374-1-54-01.

The original bridge, a vital component of the county-maintained roadway system, was completely removed from service in 2018 due to safety and structural degradation.

Following its removal, Hardee County leadership aggressively pursued every available avenue to secure funding for a replacement. County officials exhausted all traditional federal funding means and repeatedly submitted state legislative appropriation requests in an effort to relieve the local financial burden. Despite these exhaustive efforts, securing the necessary capital remained out of reach.

Recognizing the escalating need for community connectivity and safety, FDOT District One Management stepped up to bridge the funding gap. Demonstrating a deep understanding of local infrastructure challenges, state transportation leaders approved a total allocation of $1,827,531.00 in state funds in early 2025.

Rather than letting the project stall further, FDOT utilized the FDOT County Incentive Grant Program (CIGP) to fully fund the replacement structure. The CIGP program is specifically designed to grant facilities relief by improving transportation segments that relieve congestion or enhance critical local systems, making it the perfect vehicle for the Center Hill community.

With funding secured, the Hardee County Board of County Commissioners moved swiftly to execute the project, awarding the construction contract to E.O. Koch Construction. Work officially commenced on January 5, 2026. The comprehensive scope of work featured an entire replacement and raising of the bridge deck to 2 feet above the existing bridge deck elevation to avoid overtopping during significant storm events, advanced drainage infrastructure, and structural wing walls to guarantee a resilient, long-lasting corridor.

Thanks to the seamless operational coordination between Hardee County and FDOT District One, construction progressed efficiently through the year. The completion of the Center Hill Bridge Replacement Project, anticipated before the end of the year successfully restores an essential transportation asset to Hardee County residents, ensuring safer commutes and stronger local infrastructure for decades to come.