In late August 2020, tarps covered both fixed spans of the drawbridge at the south end of Por La Mar's barrier island. The Florida Department of Transportation was cleaning and repainting it, with plans to change its color from light blue to a darker blue called Federal Standard 15052. The Coastal Star reported that the contract went to Seminole Equipment Inc. for $802,818 and covered the bridge tender house too.
The job closed the bridge to cars. Boats kept moving, because FDOT held the bascule raised for the whole project so the painting would not touch the channel.
The next project on this bridge is built differently. FDOT District 4 has posted a rehabilitation plan for S.R. A1A/Ocean Boulevard Bridge #930060 over the Boca Inlet. The plan allows a full closure to cars, pedestrians and cyclists, and it also narrows the channel underneath. FDOT has scheduled a hybrid public meeting on Thursday, November 19, 2026, at 5:30 p.m., and you can register on FDOT's page. Construction is years away.
A Bridge Named for the Man Who Closed It by Hand
This span carries a name most drivers never see. In its bridge inventory, FDOT lists #930060 as the Haven Ashe Bridge. A 1998 Sun Sentinel piece on the stories behind Boca's place names said Ashe came from Georgia in the 1930s and worked on a road crew before he moved to tending bridges. The inlet bridge was named for him as its longtime tender.
The Coastal Star's 2020 account, which drew on a crowd-sourced mapping site, said Ashe became the inlet's tender in 1942. It also said the current bridge replaced the original wooden one and opened electrically, but Ashe had to close it by hand.
FDOT's records describe what stands there today. It is a 540-foot single-leaf, trunnion-style bascule with 11 prestressed-concrete girder spans. It was designed in 1958, and FDOT dates its construction to 1963. The Coastal Star put the replacement in 1964. FDOT's Q3 2026 inventory shows an inspection on May 27, 2026, a condition rating of "Fair," and a status of "Open."
For boaters, the useful numbers come from Waterway Guide's listing for the bridge:
- Closed vertical clearance: 23 feet
- Horizontal clearance: 45 feet
- Radio: VHF 09
- Openings: on signal
Waterway Guide warns that its clearance figures come from a mix of sources and may not be exact.
What 2020 Showed About a "60-Day" Closure
FDOT has closed this bridge to cars before, and the scheduling is worth remembering. The Coastal Star first described the August 2020 repaint as a 60-day job. FDOT then said the construction schedule was 80 days, not counting weather delays or holidays, and expected to finish by late fall. Drivers detoured along Palmetto Park Road, Federal Highway and Hillsboro Boulevard.
The next plan uses that same 60-day number, defined more tightly. The construction impacts section of FDOT's project page says:
"Full bridge closure, including pedestrian and bicycle access, will be allowed for a total construction time of 60 days."
FDOT's word is "allowed," and the 60 days are a total within a phased project. The page says work will be done in phases to limit the impact on the community. Some phases, like materials drop-off, need temporary lane closures, which FDOT plans for non-peak hours. Access to properties on both sides of the bridge will be maintained. The project itself has a longer timeline:
| Milestone | FDOT's estimate |
|---|---|
| Project letting | Fall 2027 |
| Anticipated start | Spring 2028 |
| Anticipated completion | Summer 2029 |
| Estimated construction cost | $10.5 million |
| Project length | 0.102 miles |
These are FDOT's anticipated dates and can change. The project's financial number is 450684-1-52-01, and the FDOT project manager listed is Vandana Nagole, P.E., CPM.
This Time the Channel Is Part of the Job
The 2020 project was cosmetic. It covered steel, concrete, the deck and the tender house, so FDOT could leave the leaf up and boats were untouched. The new plan works on the parts of the bridge that sit in and under the water. FDOT lists five improvements:
- Repairs to make the bridge more resilient
- Erosion control measures to protect the bridge foundation
- New mechanical and electrical systems, so the bridge stays usable for both motorists and boaters
- A 5-foot riding surface on both sides of the existing deck for cyclists
- Repairs to the pier protection system for boater safety
Fender and scour work happens at the waterline, and FDOT says marine traffic will be maintained with "a temporary closure of half the channel" while it happens. At a bridge with a 45-foot horizontal opening, a half-channel closure is something anyone running out through the inlet will feel.
The mechanical and electrical work has history behind it too. In January 2019, The Coastal Star reported six brief closures of the Boca Inlet bridge one late November, caused by electrical problems. FPL then installed a line monitor to track power surges. Under the new plan, those systems would be replaced.
Here is the 2020 job beside the new plan:
| 2020 repaint | 2028–2029 rehab, as planned | |
|---|---|---|
| Land traffic closure | Billed as 60 days, scheduled at 80 | Up to 60 days total, phased, including pedestrians and cyclists |
| Boat traffic | Bascule held raised, channel open | Half the channel closed during fender and scour work |
| Detour | Palmetto Park Road, Federal Highway, Hillsboro Boulevard | Hillsboro Boulevard, U.S. 1, Palmetto Park Road |
| Cost | $802,818 contract | $10.5 million estimate |
The Detour Ends on Por La Mar's Own Street
The Coastal Star describes Por La Mar as the neighborhood south of East Palmetto Park Road. When the inlet bridge is closed, FDOT's detour goes west on Hillsboro Boulevard, north on U.S. 1, and comes back east on Palmetto Park Road. The last leg uses the same stretch between the Intracoastal and A1A where the Riviera Civic Association, which includes Por La Mar, has spent years asking the city for improvements. In March, The Coastal Star reported that sidewalks on that part of East Palmetto Park Road were being improved and a pedestrian crosswalk was going in.
The same report covered emergency work on a failing seawall at the southeastern end of Southeast Wavecrest Way. The project pairs the seawall repair with stormwater improvements, including a new pumping system to help drainage during high tides. City Council approved $3.7 million for the work, the Florida Department of Environmental Protection added a $350,000 grant, and Cone and Graham Inc. is the contractor. The city moved the project up after repeated king tides added to the wall's problems. Katie Barr MacDougall, the association's president, thanked City Manager Mark Sohaney and Public Works and Engineering Director Zachary Bihr for responding, telling The Coastal Star, "We are very happy with the follow-through on their part."
The south side of the inlet had its own repair this year. South Inlet Park, at 1100 S. Ocean Boulevard, has beach access, saltwater fishing and a jetty open 24 hours. Erosion stripped much of its sand last winter. The Coastal Star reported that by late March more than 14,000 cubic yards of sand had been placed south of the inlet, fully restoring access to the jetty and the beach next to it. Erosion control for the bridge foundation is one of the five items in FDOT's plan.
The November 19 meeting is the only date on FDOT's project page before the 2027 letting. It starts at 5:30 p.m. and is hybrid, so you can attend online. Questions about the project go to the FDOT contact on the project page, by phone at (954) 777-4281 or by email at [email protected].
On Por La Mar's canals, the Boca Inlet is the route to open water, and FDOT's plan includes a stretch when half of that channel is closed. Pink Palm Properties follows changes like this one along East Boca's waterfront. If you want to talk through how the inlet timeline fits your plans for a sale, a purchase or a lease, schedule a private consultation.
