Construction barge breaks loose, strikes Three Mile Bridge during Hurricane Sally – Pensacola News Journal

Uploaded by on September 15, 2020 at 4:19 pm

A Skanska construction barge broke loose Tuesday, struck the fishing pier and lodged itself under the brand new Three Mile Bridge, forcing the closure of the bridge until crews can assess any potential damage to the structure or pilings.

The barge broke loose sometime around 8 a.m. Tuesday as Hurricane Sally began a steady assault on the Pensacola area. The Three Mile Bridge was closed just before 9 a.m. due in part to the barge breaking loose and in part to sustained tropical storm force winds. It will not reopen until the winds die down and the bridge is inspected for safety from the barge hit.

Ian Satter, spokesman for the Florida Department of Transportation, said the construction barge remains underneath the bridge, and it’s too dangerous for crews to attempt to move it right now.

Latest update:Hurricane Sally: Coastal areas along Northwest Florida may see up to 30 inches of rain

“The next step anytime there’s an incident where something makes contact with the bridge is we send an inspection team out, but due to the surf levels of 6 to 10 feet, it makes it hazardous for us to inspect the bridge at this point,” Satter said.

The Pensacola Bay is experiencing wave heights of up to 10 feet, and heavy wind and white caps are making marine conditions on the bay treacherous.

Brad Baker, the emergency management director for Santa Rosa County, said the barge is currently being held in place by a tow boat so it doesn’t break loose again and do any more potential damage.

There’s no exact timeline for when crews might be able to safely inspect the potential damage, but it could be until Thursday, Baker said.

Source Article from https://www.pnj.com/story/news/2020/09/15/hurricane-sally-winds-close-pensacola-bay-bridge-three-mile-bridge-3-mile/5802732002/

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