Morning drivers between Clay and St. Johns counties got an unwelcome surprise Wednesday when a barge struck the Shands Bridge, forcing a full shutdown of State Road 16 in both directions and grinding the commute to a halt.
FDOT sent inspectors to check for structural damage, and officials say the bridge will stay closed until it is officially cleared as safe to use. Until then, anyone who usually crosses the St. Johns River at Shands is being urged to find another way across.
According to News4JAX, the Florida Department of Transportation confirmed the strike Wednesday and said crews were already on scene. FDOT spokesperson Hampton Ray told the station the shutdown is “out of an abundance of caution” while inspectors go over the structure. The bridge will reopen only after it is cleared for travel.
Traffic and detours
Drivers should brace for delays on SR 16 while the span is blocked. In a press release via FDOT, the agency has previously laid out recommended detours that send traffic to State Road 13, I 295 over the Buckman Bridge, and U.S. 17 during closures. The agency has also advised motorists to build in extra time, which today is less a suggestion and more a survival strategy.
What this means for the Shands span
The hit comes as the Shands Bridge is already living on borrowed time. FDOT’s First Coast Expressway project calls for a new four lane bridge with 65 feet of clearance, just south of the current span. “FDOT will demolish most of the existing Shands Bridge,” the agency’s project handout notes, while select sections are expected to remain for pedestrian access and fishing.
The new crossing, priced at about $595 million, is scheduled to wrap up around 2030, and FDOT’s project materials include maps and a timeline for both the replacement bridge and the recreational sections that will stay in place.
FDOT says it will post updates as inspections wrap up. Until then, anyone who relies on the Shands Bridge should keep an eye on traffic reports and give themselves some extra cushion on drive times. We will update this story if FDOT or local agencies release new information on reopening plans or detours.
