8 hours later, lanes reopen on Buckman Bridge after undergoing temporary repairs for damage

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Crews reopened southbound lanes on the Buckman Bridge after fixing reported damage that brought traffic to a standstill Thursday morning.

All southbound lanes of Interstate 295 at the bridge were closed for eight hours because of the damage.

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The bridge underwent an emergency structure inspection, according to the Florida Highway Patrol.

Sgt. Dylan Bryan with FHP said they received a call just after 7 a.m. about possible damage to the southbound structure of the bridge.

Crews work to assess reported damage to the Buckman Bridge

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When officials arrived at the bridge, Bryan said they noticed minor damage to the roadway surface.

Out of an abundance of caution, Bryan said a structural engineer deemed it necessary to shut down the bridge for a formal inspection.

Inspectors and personnel with the Florida Department of Transportation are currently on scene now to make sure the bridge is safe for travel.

It’s not known what caused the damage or who made the call.

FDOT told our news partners 104.5 WOKV that they have installed a temporary metal layer to fix a finger joint, from guardrail to guardrail. Officials did not give an exact time.

WOKV was told there is no structural damage to the bridge itself. Permanent repairs are expected to take place “in the future,” FDOT said in a tweet.

JSO said those who are headed into the Westside, NAS or Orange Park areas should seek an alternate route, such as Blanding and Roosevelt boulevards.

Alternate Routes

If you’re looking to avoid the Buckman there are two primary alternative routes:

• Continue Northbound on US-17 to I-10 EB and head over the Fuller Warren Bridge to 95 S.
• Head Southbound on US-17 toward Green Cove Springs where you can take the Shands Bridge over to St. Johns County.
• Some commuters reported taking I-295 around the Beltway and getting off at either the I-295 split or continuing all the way to the Dames Point Bridge and heading south. Not ideal, but certainly an option.

Interview with FHP on I-295 southbound at the Buckman Bridge

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