The Florida Department of Transportation is advising motorists that all northbound lanes of Interstate 75 will be closed overnight at County Road 484 in Marion County on Monday, March 13, while repairs are made to the SW 66th Street bridge over I-75.
The SW 66th Street bridge was damaged last month near mile marker 347 when a tractor-trailer with an over-dimensional load struck the overpass while traveling northbound on I-75.
The temporary closure on I-75 is expected to be in effect from 9 p.m. on Monday, March 13 through 6 a.m. on Tuesday, March 14. In addition, the SW 66th Street bridge over I-75 will also be closed from 3 p.m. on Monday, March 13 through 6:30 a.m. on Tuesday, March 14.
Detours will be in place for both temporary closures, and detour signs will be posted to guide motorists in the area.
The detour on I-75 will be as follows:
- Motorists heading northbound on I-75 will be directed to merge off the interstate at Exit 341 (County Road 484), head eastbound on County Road 484, continue onto SE 132nd Street Road, and head north on U.S. 301 before reaching where U.S. 301 and U.S. 441 meet.
- Motorists wishing to return to I-75 should stay on U.S. 301/U.S. 441 until reaching State Road 40 in Ocala, where they can head west to return to I-75.
The detours for the SW 66th Street bridge will be as follows:
- Motorists on the west side of the bridge will be directed to State Road 200/SW College Road. Head north on State Road 200/SW College Road to SW 43rd Street Road, and continue east on SW 43rd Street Road over the SW 43rd Street Road bridge.
- Motorists on the east side of the bridge will be directed to C.R. 475A/SW 27th Avenue, head north on C.R. 475A/SW 27th Avenue to SW 42nd Street, and continue west on SW 42nd Street. The roadway will become SW 43rd Street Road, and motorists will continue west over the SW 43rd Street Road bridge.
Following the overnight closures on Monday, March 13, the repairs to the bridge will continue for approximately 30 days. During that time, there will be intermittent lane closures on northbound I-75, and a single lane of the SW 66th Street bridge will be open with a temporary traffic signal on the bridge to assist with traffic flow. The bridge may occasionally be closed during overnight hours during the repair project, according to FDOT.
The schedule is subject to change due to weather or unforeseen conditions.
For more information, including updates on lane closures, visit the Florida Department of Transportation website.