FORT PIERCE, Fla. — People who have fished for years along a popular Fort Pierce observation walk are sounding off after officials visibly closed it to the public.
For more than a decade, John Mobley and his relatives have fished in the waters around the Peter B. Cobb bridge.
“All kind of fish -- simpers, snook. This is a good spot to fish,” said Mobley.
It is a popular destination to fish for even the recent transplant.
“Well, I got to enjoy it before I start working. So, once I start working, I can’t do it, so I’m just enjoying it now,” said Donathan Rodriguez, who recently relocated to Fort Pierce from Massachusetts.
There are fishermen who anticipated the removal of barricades and authorized personnel signs along the bridge’s observation walk. It's part of a $9.9 million rehab and replacement project that started in October 2017 and is anticipated to be completed sometime this spring.
“On any given day this thing would be full,” said Mobley.
It's a hope now crushed after "no fishing" signs at the entrances of the observation walk went up last week.
“All of our tax money, we helped build all of this here. Why can’t we fish up here,” Mobley said.
”It doesn't matter to me. I can fish right here and be fine with it,” added Rodriguez.
WPTV sent the Florida Department of Transportation questions about the completion date and the reason for the new signs. A community outreach specialist says a response would come on Thursday.