Shands Bridge Safety Improvements

By Deanna Fene' First Coast News

CLAY COUNTY, FL -- Construction on the Shands Bridge near Greencove Springs is underway. Crews started work this week to add new, higher railings. The project was added to the Florida Department of Transportation work program after two fatal crashes in 2003. Both cars went over the side of the bridge.

One of the victims was 39-year-old Sheri Hamilton, a wife and mother of two. Her husband, Jeff, is still grieving.

"It's still hard. There are times things remind me of her," he said.

Hamilton lost his wife in September of 2003 when the car she was driving was pushed over the side of the Shands Bridge. He doesn't blame the bridge for his wife's death; he blames the drivers of two separate trucks.

"The ladder in the road and then the big concrete truck who wasn't paying attention to where he was going was the cause of the accident," he said.

According to the homicide report, the accident happened when an Airmax truck dropped a ladder onto the bridge. Sheri Hamilton stopped her car to try to get around the ladder, but a huge Florida Rock cement truck did not stop in time and ended up rear-ending Mrs. Hamilton, pushing her car over the side of the bridge.

Jeff Hamilton says even if the sides of the bridge were much higher, it wouldn't have saved his wife's life.

"I don't think so. When you have a big truck hit you from the rear-end, the impact is going to push you over anything."

Hamilton knows he can never get his wife back, but he says he still wants justice and is suing the two trucking companies -- Airmax and Florida Rock.

Donald Maciejewski, his attorney, said: "They want to see drivers better trained and more alert. They want to see equipment aboard vehicles secured so it doesn't come loose and cause traffic hazards."

The trial was originally scheduled for April but was recently pushed back to January.

The cost to make the bridge safer is $1.5 million. Construction will last for the next five months.

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