Justice · Hart Bridge closureHart Bridge crane strike: Both directions closed pending safety inspectionWritten November 5, 2026 at 7:18 AM UTCTranscript0:07A crane on a barge struck the Hart Bridge.0:10Jacksonville drivers have lost the crossing in both directions, and sheriff's0:14officers are redirecting traffic.0:17Inspectors still have to determine whether the bridge is safe to reopen.0:20The barge was heading south beneath the bridge when its crane struck the span.0:25The crossing runs over the St.0:26John's River near Everbeck Stadium, where the Florida Department of Transportation0:31shut both directions as a precaution.0:34The collision happened about seven Wednesday evening, an hour later than the earlier0:39estimate.0:40By nine, crews were still waiting for an additional engineer.0:44Some inspection personnel were already there, but they hadn't completed their0:48examination.0:49The sheriff's office advised motorists to find another route.0:53It hadn't given an estimate for how long the inspection would take, leaving drivers0:58without a reopening time to plan around.1:00State transportation officials are keeping the crossing closed until inspectors can1:05ensure its safety.1:06Spokesman Hampton Ray described the shutdown as a precaution while crews assess1:12any damage and decide whether motorists can safely return.1:17Inspectors had seen the strike location, but couldn't get close enough to examine it1:21fully.1:22An underbridge inspection machine had been mobilized to help crews reach the span.1:28The strike was on the side toward the Matthews Bridge.1:30The extent of any damage still hadn't been determined.1:34Crews needed that closer examination before making a safety decision about traffic1:39returning to the bridge.1:40Both directions remained closed at the nine o'clock inspection update.1:44Reopening depends on the safety assessment, and crews hadn't finished it.1:49Officials hadn't announced when drivers could use the crossing again.Read the articleStory timelineHeyDex
