UPDATE – SW 66th St. bridge to be one lane for time being

UPDATE: 4:10pm

A tractor-trailer traveling northbound on I-75 with an over-dimension load struck and damaged the Southwest 66th Street overpass near the 347-mile marker on Wednesday, according to the Florida Highway Patrol.

Traffic was detoured off of the interstate for most of the day as the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) assessed the damage.

Late Wednesday afternoon, Cindi Lane, the public information director for FDOT District 5, which covers nine counties, including Marion, said that one of four beams on the overpass will have to be replaced.

“There are four beams on that overpass. One was severely damaged and will be replaced,” Lane said. “We are wrapping the damaged beam and I-75 will reopen.”

Lane said one lane of Southwest 66^th Street will be open and a “flagging operation” will be in place to allow traffic to pass one side at a time, “starting tonight.”

“We have started the design work plans for one of the four beams to be replaced. The beam will be pre-cast. In the meantime, I-75 should reopen this evening and 66^th Street will remain one lane,” she said. “Safety is our top priority, and then restoring mobility.”

UPDATE: A tractor-trailer traveling northbound on I-75 with an over-dimension load struck and damaged the Southwest 66th Street overpass near the 347-mile marker on Wednesday, according to the Florida Highway Patrol.

At 1:28 p.m. FHP issued an update that the left lane of I-75 southbound is closed near the I-75 northbound rest area to facilitate the turnaround of northbound traffic that was stopped due to the crash in the I-75 northbound lanes.

The advisory states that northbound I-75 lanes are closed at County Road 484. The detour is in place to divert traffic around the site of the crash.

“Motorists are advised that all northbound lanes along northbound I-75 are closed at County Road 484 in Marion County, northwest of Lake County, due to a crash in the area. The following detour is active until further notice: Motorists heading northbound on I-75 will be directed to merge off the interstate at Exit 329 (State Road 44), head eastbound to U.S. 301, and continue north along U.S. 301 before reaching where U.S. 301 and U.S. 441 meet. Motorists wishing to return to I-75 should stay on U.S. 301/U.S. 441 until reaching State Road 40 in Ocala, where they can head west to return to I-75,” stated the release.

Southwest 66th Street (the overpass) is closed as well.

To learn more, go to flhsmv.gov/florida-highway-patrol/traffic-incidents

A tractor-trailer traveling northbound on I-75 with an over-dimension load struck and damaged the Southwest 66th Street overpass near the 347-mile marker on Wednesday, according to the Florida Highway Patrol.

All northbound lanes are closed. Motorists should seek other routes until further notice.

Northbound traffic is being diverted at Exit 341/CR 484.

Southwest 66th Street (the overpass) is closed as well.

“We currently have about 8-miles of northbound congestion and 4-miles of southbound congestion from onlookers,” FHP officials noted in the release.

To learn more, go to flhsmv.gov/florida-highway-patrol/traffic-incidents