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Jul 21, 2023

Dump truck damages CR 214 bridge over I

Brie Isom, Reporter Ashley Harding, Reporter/Weekend Anchor ST. AUGUSTINE; Fla.

Brie Isom, Reporter

Ashley Harding, Reporter/Weekend Anchor

ST. AUGUSTINE; Fla. – The overpass bridge for County Road 214 across I-95 was struck by a dump truck Wednesday morning and damaged, according to St. Johns County deputies.

Two southbound lanes on I-95 near exit 315 were closed because of debris in the road. They had reopened by 1:30 p.m.

The dump truck was heading southbound when it hit the overpass around 3 a.m., causing major delays and backups throughout the morning rush. The clearance for the overpass is just over 13 feet.

Video from the scene not only showed the damage but also parts of the dump truck, which appears to have turned over.

The St. Johns County Sheriff's Office said CR 214 eastbound and westbound lanes across the overpass will be closed throughout the weekend and possibly into early next week, according to the Florida Department of Transportation.

Engineers were called out to assess the damage and make sure the overpass is still safe to use.

Per FDOT, CR214 east and west will remain closed through the weekend and possibly into early next week. All lanes on 95 are re-opened. https://t.co/I1sennMyOQ

FDOT spokesman Hampton Ray said crews responded immediately after receiving notification of the crash. As is standard operating procedure, engineers are inspecting the bridge to make sure it is structurally safe to drive over. Unfortunately, there is no time frame on when the lanes will reopen just yet.

"It's incredibly frustrating because there's no quick way to get around," said driver Peter Friedrich, who uses the overpass several times a week. "You either have to go all the way around 16, come up and around, which is probably a half an hour, if not longer."

FDOT's data shows the last time the overpass was inspected was in 2017

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