PENSACOLA, Fla. (AP) — A bridge in the Florida Panhandle that was damaged last month when construction barges broke loose and crashed into the structure during Hurricane Sally won’t be reopened for another six months.
Florida Department of Transportation officials said last week that repairs to the Pensacola Bay Bridge are expected to take a half year, according to the Pensacola News Journal.
The bridge’s closure has created financial hardship for local businesses and added significant driving time to the commutes of residents in the Pensacola area.
Local officials are considering starting a ferry service between Pensacola and Gulf Breeze to help commuters, and Escambia County announced last week it would add a public bus shuttle between the two cities.
“The problem we have right now is getting traffic back and forth,” said Jeff Bergosh, an Escambia County commissioner.
Five sections of the bridge will have to be completely replaced, and two sections will have to be partially replaced, according to the Florida Department of Transportation.
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