CLAY COUNTY/ST. JOHNS COUNTY, Fla. — The Shands Bridge reopened to traffic after being hit by a barge around 7 a.m. on Wednesday.
The Florida Department of Transportation reported that the barge was not associated with construction going on in that area. But to be safe, the agency temporarily closed the bridge to inspect it and make sure it was safe.
“It’s our standard operating procedure that if a vessel hits the structure in any capacity we close down the bridge and make sure that it’s safe before we reopen the bridge,” said Hampton Ray with FDOT.
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The bridge reopened around 10:30 a.m.
The closure was an inconvenience for Breanna King, who drove all the way from Georgia to the area. “We drove six hours to get here, so not really the best right now, “ King said.
According to an FDOT news release, all bridges in Florida are inspected at least every two years as part of a federally mandated program.
FDOT is also working on the new First Coast Expressway bridge over the St. Johns River. The new bridge will be wider and higher.
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