The Boca Grande Swing Bridge (Gasparilla Island Swing Bridge) with a closed vertical clearance of 9ft crosses the GICW at statute mile 34.5 in the northern Gasparilla Sound. The new bridge, currently under construction adjacent to the old bridge, is expected to be completed by the end of 2015 (originally August) at which time the old swing bridge will be in permanent open position. See /?p=148775 and /?p=149719.

This 10/21 note is from our good friends at AGLCA:

South bound Loopers on the Florida West Coast ICW take note. The Boca Grande Swing Bridge (aka Gasparilla Causeway Swing Bridge) at mm 34.3 is NOT on its published Schedule. The books show it as every quarter Hour. The swing bridge (vertical clearance 9 ft.) is only opening at 2:00, 4:00, 6:00 and 8:00pm. From8:00am until 2:00pm it will open on the hour. There is a new bridge under construction (vertical clearance 26ft.) it will open at the same time as the old bridge if you need it. The bridge operators at the bridge before the Boca Grande bridge have not been warning boaters. The bridge was also shut down for one to two weeks recently (I got conflicting stories) and one boater was caught for five days with no way around. I would check with bridge operators as you get closer and schedule your
trip through.
Mitch & Carole Brodkin

Click Here To View the Western Florida Cruisers’ Net Bridge Directory Listing For Boca Grande Swing Bridge

Click Here To Open A Chart View Window, Zoomed To the Location of Boca Grande Swing Bridge