Matlacha Bridge on its way to becoming a reef
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Fox 4's John Rupolo has the story Video by fox4now.com
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MATLACHA - Driving over the new Matlacha bridge is like driving over the old one. But soon, what's leftof the original most fishingness bridge in the world will become an artificial reef.
Public opinion wasn't the problem about making the old Matlacha bridge a reef, raising the money to do it was. Tina Bush and a handful of others began tghe Matlacha reef project months ago.
"It was a shame the old bridge was going to be torn down and turned into rubble," said Bush.,
The contract for the construction of the new bridge didn't call for making the old landmark an artificial reef so members of the bridge reef project began raising money holding several fundraisers. So far, they've raised about 20,000 dollars.
Some 250 tons of material will be placed on barges and brought to Novak's Reef, about 3 miles off the Charlotte County coastline.
"It was a shame that the bridge that has been part of our community in excess of 4 generations was just going to be crumpled and thrown away," said Bush.
Crews are beginning the early prep stages of demolition.
JOHN RUPOLO
FOX 4 NEWS
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