PALM BEACH COUNTY, Fla. — Contact 5 learned Tuesday that Palm Beach County is spending $2 million to outfit all eight of its movable bridges with a new artificial intelligence camera system meant to aid bridge tenders.
Cato's Bridge, which spans the Intracoastal Waterway in Jupiter, is slated to become Palm Beach County's first county-owned and operated moveable bridge to be outfitted with an artificial intelligence-capable camera system.
According to Palm Beach County, once installed and operational, it will continuously monitor activity above and below all eight county-owned bridges and trigger an audible warning if anyone or anything is detected.
County Engineer David Ricks told Contact 5 that the technology is meant to provide an additional tool on the bridges to monitor pedestrians, vehicles, vessels and people under bridges in the waterway.
"This technology will help the bridge tender to become better operators," Ricks said. "Safety is our No. 1 priority."
The county's decision to install the technology comes after Contact 5 also learned about the state's $14 million plan to install Lidar and thermal camera technology on all its 80-plus moveable bridges statewide through 2024.
The Florida Department of Transportation told Contact 5 that at least four of its bridges around the state, including the Fifth Street Bridge over the Miami River, are now equipped with the technology.
State-owned bridges located in southeast Florida are in the initial design stage, according to state transportation officials.
As WPTV reported, just over a year ago, Carol Wright died when a bridge tender employed by a contractor opened the state-owned Royal Park Bridge in West Palm Beach while the 79-year-old woman walked across it with her bicycle.
Following Wright's tragic death, Contact 5 also discovered other frightening incidents on bridges in Palm Beach County.
"As the public is well aware, last year we had multiple incidents on our bridges and because of that, we, the county, took a look at all of our existing systems and our procedures and realized we need to update the technology," Ricks said. "The key thing is to provide a very safe environment for all of our citizens and use the technology that's available to provide the best safe environment that we have."
Ricks told Contact 5 that the new technology will be integrated with each bridge's mechanical operations. He said the county is talking with the vendor but couldn't provide an exact timeline for installation and operation.
Palm Beach County Owned and Operated Bridges:
Location and name of drawbridge
- Jupiter, Jupiter Island (County Road 707)
- Juno Beach, Donald Ross Road
- Lantana, Ocean Avenue
- Boynton Beach, Southeast 15th Avenue
- Delray Beach, Northeast Eighth Street (George Bush Boulevard)
- Delray Beach, Linton Boulevard
- Boca Raton, Palmetto Park Road (State Road 798)
- Boca Raton, East Camino Real Road (Boca Club)