OVIEDO, Fla. – The last of Oviedo’s lingering leftovers from Hurricane Ian is moving forward - finally.
If you’ve been wondering why one lane of a bridge on a busy cut-through street still hasn’t been repaired three years later, you’re not alone.
During Ian in 2022, Sweetwater Creek swelled into a raging river powerful enough to dislodge the culverts that run under the E. Magnolia Street bridge, leaving a dip in the roadway.
In a Jan. 18 Facebook post, Oviedo City Administration said geotechnical crews discovered a “cavity” under the bridge.
“There is a collection of pipes that convey the creek under the roadway and a geotechnical consultant evaluated and discovered the cavity,” the post reads. “Many technical issues need to be addressed...”
In a presentation to residents in February, Oviedo City engineers detailed a fix:
- New 6’x10′ Box Culvert will be installed underneath roadway
- Reconstruction of the existing roadway (Approx. 200′)
- Additional roadway improvements included (i.e. sidewalk, drainage, etc.)
- City of Oviedo Water Main and additional utilities relocated
The sidewalk will run over the top of the box culvert but alongside the bridge, similar to how it is currently.
According to the presentation, “East Magnolia Street has undergone engineering and design plans, which are now complete.”
City of Oviedo Communications Manager Lisa McDonald said the hold-up now is securing easements from neighbors.
“We are working directly with two homeowners to secure two separate easements for the project and once that is completed we can start the bid in the next month or two,” McDonald said.
The East Magnolia Street bridge connects S.R. 434 (Central Avenue) and Division Street.
During construction vehicle and pedestrian traffic will be detoured around the bridge onto East Franklin Street.
“Access to all driveways will be maintained during construction,” according to the city’s presentation.