JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Drivers should prepare for brief afternoon delays near the Shands Bridge this week as construction crews begin receiving massive bridge beams for the next phase of the project.
The Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) announced that deliveries of very large bridge beams will arrive daily from Monday through Friday. The beams, which range from 86 to 114 feet in length, are being trucked in from Tampa to construct the next three spans of the new Shands Bridge.
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Locals we spoke with say they don’t mind the delay as they patiently wait for the new bridge
“The noise they make when they’re driving those posts in the ground is kind of annoying, but other than that, I’m happy to see it,” said local Mac Mizell.
According to Sara Pleasants, a Community Outreach Specialist for FDOT, approximately five beams will arrive each day.
To safely guide the massive trucks into the construction site off State Road 16, crews will temporarily halt traffic near the State Road 13 intersection. The stoppages are required to allow the oversized trucks to turn against the normal flow of traffic to negotiate the tight intersection.
“We expect the stops to be very brief, you know, maybe between 5 and 15 minutes, just long enough to get the span through that turn,” Pleasants said. “Then they’ll reopen everything and traffic will be good to go.”
Due to transit restrictions, the trucks cannot leave Tampa until 9:00 a.m., making exact arrival times unpredictable. However, FDOT estimates the deliveries will reach the local intersection daily between 1:00 p.m. and 2:00 p.m.
While the existing bridge will remain open, transportation officials advise commuters to plan. Drivers who have time-sensitive afternoon commitments are encouraged to seek alternate routes or add an extra 15 to 30 minutes to their travel time.
“We do apologize for the inconvenience,” Pleasants said, noting that the temporary disruptions are a necessary step forward for the long-term benefits of the new bridge structure.
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