State and local officials in Florida and Alabama have closed roads and bridges as Hurricane Sally continues to slam the Gulf Coast.
Florida
Due to flooding, the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) has shut down Interstate 10 from the Alabama-Florida border to the Escambia Bay Bridge in Florida. The Escambia Bay Bridge is closed because of high winds. The bridge runs east of Pensacola across Escambia Bay.
Winds jarred a construction barge loose Tuesday, wedging it under the Pensacola Bay Bridge (U.S. Highway 98) for a few hours. This bridge connects Pensacola and Gulf Breeze, Florida. A section of the bridge is now missing, according to state Sen. Doug Broxson.
Broxson told WEAR-TV Wednesday he plans to talk about the damage with Santa Rosa County Emergency Management Wednesday night. He will ask FDOT officials to join the call. Broxson also said he wants to ask FEMA to reimburse the cost of the damage.
The Theo Baars Bridge (State Route 292/Gulf Beach Parkway) and the U.S. Highway 98 bridge over Perdido Bay are also closed due to high winds.
Other portions of U.S. Highway 98, as well as parts of U.S. highways 90 and 331, are off-limits until weather conditions improve. Some state routes are also closed.
Alabama
Due to flooding, the Mobile Police Department has shut down the eastbound lanes of the I-10 bayway, according to WKRG-TV. All traffic is being rerouted to Exit 27 (Battleship Parkway).
The Alabama Department of Transportation (ALDOT) tweeted that the U.S. Highway 90/98 Causeway will remain open, but ALDOT officials “strongly urge the public to stay off the roadways.”