NEWS RELEASE
City Hall
1565 First Street
Sarasota, FL 34236

Mayor Palmer will propose to the City Commission that the resolution previously adopted July 21st, supporting the renaming of the bridge, be amended. The amendment provides that the City will purchase plaques honoring Mr. Waters. The plaques will be attached to the Ringling Causeway Bridge on the east and west sides. “This is what the City Commission intended initially,” said Mayor Palmer. “What we requested in the original letter the City sent to the Florida Department of Transportation last February, we will now be able to achieve,” said Palmer.

Mr. Waters was notified today of the proposed amendment to the resolution. He requested the plaques recognize not just himself but the “hundreds of supporters” who stood by him during the controversy to construct Sarasota’s well known fixed-span bridge. Each plaque would read, “This plaque acknowledges the leadership of Gil Waters and hundreds of supporters whose efforts were instrumental in building this Ringling Causeway Bridge.” Pending City Commission approval the plaques will be erected within a few months with assistance from FDOT.

Any adjustments which need to be made regarding the designation of the Ringling Causeway Bridge would have to be addressed by state lawmakers during the next legislative session.

For more information, please contact:
Jan Thornburg, Public Information Officer (941) 954-2613
jan.thornburg@sarasotagov.com