Tubby’s Creek Bridge Replacement on Card Sound Road Begins Feb. 9, 2026

Tubby’s Creek Bridge, built in 1969, is slated for replacement beginning Feb. 9, 2026, a project that will change travel conditions on Card Sound Road and affect residents who travel to and from the Ocean Reef community. Officials announced Jan. 22 that construction crews will begin preliminary work the week of Feb. 9.

Preliminary work will include clearing vegetation from roadway shoulders and widening the pavement at Tubby’s Creek Bridge. That phase will take four weeks to complete. During the preliminary period, roadway shoulders will be closed but both lanes will remain open for two-way traffic.

On March 9 the contractor will close the eastbound lane and install temporary traffic signals to alternate bi-directional traffic through a single lane so demolition of the eastbound span can begin. Traffic signal timing will be altered in the morning and afternoon to accommodate additional traffic heading to and from the Ocean Reef community. The bridge will remain one-lane with alternating traffic for the duration of the project.

The construction schedule calls for approximately 18 months of work, weather dependent. Updates will be provided throughout the project’s construction phases. Project organizers have emphasized that signal timing, lane closures, and shoulder restrictions are intended to balance construction progress with continued vehicle access along Card Sound Road.

For local residents and regular users of Card Sound Road, the immediate impacts will be tighter shoulders during the preliminary phase and alternating one-lane traffic once demolition begins. Morning and afternoon peak periods are likely to see adjusted signal cycles and potentially longer travel times as the single-lane configuration handles both directions. Vehicle access to Ocean Reef will be maintained, but drivers should expect operational changes at the Tubby’s Creek crossing for much of 2026 and into 2027.

From a governance perspective, the planned staging - initial shoulder work followed by phased lane demolition and use of temporary signals - reflects a strategy to keep the corridor open while replacing a half-century-old structure. Accountability questions for project managers will include regular public updates, clear advance notice of lane closures, and coordination with emergency services and community stakeholders in Ocean Reef to limit disruption.

This replacement will be a long-term presence on Card Sound Road. Residents should plan for sustained traffic control, allow extra travel time during peak periods, and watch for official updates as work progresses and weather affects the schedule.