PUTNAM COUNTY, Fla. — Neighbors in a Putnam County community are on edge after they learned two of the bridges they cross every day are in serious need of repair.
Those bridges had a weight restriction placed on them within the last week.
Now the school district and first responders in the area are scrambling to work around the problem until the issue is resolved.
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One on the bridges is on Bardin Road over the Etoniah Creek.
The other bridge is on 310 over the Oklawaha River.
Documents show the inspection was done back in February but the Department of Transportation just alerted county officials about the issue last week.
Due to the weight limits four local schools were forced to reroute their school buses. Diana Ward is one parent who said this has caused her and her family a huge inconvenience.
"I have to come a pretty good distance to come way down here so it is aggravating very aggravating. I was kind of surprised. I really didn't know there was that much damage," Ward said.
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An inspection in February found out the water from the creek has carried away some of the sand around the piers of the bridge.
County officials said the recent storms and rainfall that's heavier than normal caused the water beneath it to flood. Leaders believe that's what caused those bridges to deteriorate.
Chief deputy Joseph Wells said the weight restrictions are anywhere from 4 to 7 tons depending on the vehicle.
"The 4-ton limit would be what applies to school buses, as well as firetrucks and ambulances," Wells said.
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That's why these vehicles cannot drive over the bridges. Now parents are worried about what that will mean in the event of an emergency.
"Yeah because if it does break down or it collapses how are we going to be getting in and out?," Ward said.
The way around that bridge is about a 45-minute commute.
Officials said more testing needed to be done after the inspection was completed in February, that's why it took so long to release that information.
These bridges were built in the 1960s so they are very old and in need of repairs.
Now county leaders said they're exploring options on how to quickly repair these damages.
The cost and time frame to completion is unknown but they are again asking the community to be patient and follow all posted signs to ensure everyone's safety.
Some Putnam County school buses were forced to change their bus stops and routes because some local bridges now have weight restrictions.
— Brittney Verner (@BrittneyVerner) September 26, 2019
Find out why parents are concerned and how long it was before this issue came to light. Only on @ActionNewsJax at 5:00 pic.twitter.com/XH1vxgnk5Y
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