#ASKJAXTDY | Why are the lights off on half of the Hart Bridge?

Q. Jacksonville Today newsletter reader David M. can see the Hart Bridge from where he lives. And he noticed recently that the decorative lights on part of the 56-year-old truss bridge, nicknamed “the Green Monster,” are out on half of the span.

“The lights on the top of the Hart Bridge have been out on the right side (as you look east) for some time. What’s the story?”

A: In response, the Florida Department of Transportation says it is responsible for roadway illumination, the bridge’s safety lights, water-level navigation lights, and flashing red lighting on top of the bridge’s towers that serve as aircraft navigation warnings — but the FDOT does not handle bridges’ decorative lighting, says spokesman Hampton Ray.

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So we asked the city.

A city spokesperson says City Hall has been handling the Hart Bridge’s decorative lighting since the mid-2000s, but it has “deteriorated due to weather conditions.”

“(The city) is aware of this issue and has slated this project for the next fiscal year, when funding becomes available as part of a (Capital Improvement Project) for bridge lighting,” the city spokesperson says.

Have a question you’d like the Jacksonville Today team to look into? Email news@jaxtoday.org with #AskJAXTDY in the subject line, and you might see your answer soon.