JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Repairs and lane closures have kicked off for the first weekend on the Buckman Bridge, which carries traffic over the St. Johns River on Interstate 295.
The bridge work will replace a damaged finger joint from late May.
Drivers will notice two of four southbound lanes closed this weekend through Monday morning.
“I wouldn’t want to be going over it if I knew there was some kind of problem with it," driver Kenny Foreacre said.
A damage expansion joint caused a closure of all southbound lanes over the Buckman Bridge on May 27 for eight hours. Florida Department of Transportation crews put in a temporary fix, and now they're working on a permanent one.
First Coast News drove along the Buckman Bridge at 8 a.m. Saturday and saw a long line of backed up southbound traffic.
“I think if it’s something necessary that they need to get done, then it needs to happen," Foreacre said. "Sure, it’s probably going to be annoying for a lot of people on their way to work or whatever, but it is what it is."
“You’ll see two-lane closures on the southbound side of the I-295 Beltway on the Buckman Bridge. That closure is really important because it allows crews to work safely on the bridge, and it’ll keep the bridge open," FDOT spokesman Hampton Ray said.
In addition to the lane closures on the Buckman Bridge, Route 17 ramps to southbound I-295 are being detoured to the Blanding Boulevard Interchange.
“If you’re planning on driving on the Buckman Bridge any of the weekends ahead, definitely prepare. Plan ahead," Ray said. "Expect double lane closures on the bridge as crews make that permanent repair.”
The bridge repair will take place over six to eight consecutive weekends, weather permitting, from 9 p.m. Friday to 5 a.m. Monday.