Some residents want old Matlacha bridge as artifical reef
-
Artificial Reef? Video by fox4now.com
video
The Matlacha Bridge is know as the most fishingest bridge in the world but it will be torn down and scrapped. A new one is almost ready to take its place.
"How can you have all this rubble from the old bridge and not us it for the community?", said local business owner Rod Mazzoli.
Mazzoli wants the scrap from the old bridge to become an artificial reef.
"I think that bridge has played such an important part to the community for local people fishing that it's just kind of a tragedy that it doesn't continue its life as an artificial reef," said Mazzoli.
Cape resident Tina Bush works in Bokeelia and has been travelling over the bridge for years. She's putting pen to paper in hopes of keeping the old Matlacha bridge in service.
"Why not make it into the most fishingest reef in the world," said Bush.
Tina has been calling local Chamber of Commerce folks, state agencies, and even the governor's office.
So we went to work making phone calls and found it in just a few weeks the contractor will be dismantling this Matlacha landmark piece by piece and recycling most of it. According to the Lee County DOT, there are no plans to preserve the bridge as an artificial reef because there was no pre-agreement in place.
Bush says her quest to make the old bridge a reef will continue.
JOHN RUPOLO
FOX 4 NEWS
.png)
This site uses Facebook comments to make it easier for you to contribute. If you see a comment you would like to flag for spam or abuse, click the "x" in the upper right of it. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use.