JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- As the City Council continues to debate tearing down the Fuller Warren Bridge, an emergency resolution will likely be passed next week to prevent dumping debris from the bridge into the St. Johns River.

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Mayor Opposed To Bridge Debris In River

Demolition of the bridge has been on hold while the state decides what to do with the concrete and other debris.

Mayor John Peyton is against keeping the old bridge and wants it gone by the Super Bowl. But his staff said he doesn't want to see it dumped into a river the city is spending millions to clean up.

"It's a valid concern and one that the mayor shares," said Susie Wiles, a spokeswoman for the mayor's office.

The fate of the bridge, described by some as an eyesore and an environmental hazard, has been unsure since the new span was built about four years ago.

The state was about to resume demolition and allow debris to drop into the St. Johns when the city stepped in and opposed the dumping.

Local resident John Nooney said the city is losing a treasure. He wants to save the old Fuller Warren and convert it to a public pier. But Nooney has been fighting a losing battle with the city, which has every intention of tearing it down.

The council is considering a new ordinance that would prevent the debris from the bridge to be dumped in the St. Johns River.

"If you are going to have to remove the bridge, don't blow it up and dump it in the St. Johns River," Nooney said.

When debris from the Fuller Warren Bridge was being dumped in the St. Johns River in 2002, federal authorities halted the work. Since then, the state and city have been trying to come to an agreement on how to tear it down.

The state was considering issuing a permit to contractors, allowing them to dump the concrete in the river, but that, too, is on hold.

In the past, dumping concrete in the river was not a problem. Now, the City Council ordinance suggests any concrete that has already been dumped should be removed and put in a landfill.