Beginning next week, the SW 66th Street bridge over Interstate 75 will be closed for approximately one year while crews demolish and replace the structure to help prevent future bridge strikes.
Beginning next week, motorists in Marion County will face a major traffic shift as a frequently struck overpass over Interstate 75 is scheduled to be closed for a complete replacement.
Starting on June 15, the SW 66th Street bridge over I-75 will close for reconstruction as part of the Florida Department of Transportation’s Moving I-75 Forward project. According to a statement issued by Marion County, the bridge is expected to remain closed for approximately one year.
During the extended closure, crews will demolish the existing structure and replace it with a higher and wider bridge. The new overpass is being specifically designed to better serve motorists, pedestrians, bicyclists, and mobility device users.
While the bridge is out of service, motorists needing to cross I-75 in that area will be detoured to the SW 43rd Street Road bridge. County officials advise drivers to review local detour maps and plan for additional travel time when navigating the area.
In addition to the main bridge closure, SW 38th Avenue will also be closed at SW 66th Street for approximately two weeks.
Residents living in that immediate area are instructed to follow the posted detour route via SW 80th Street and SW 49th Avenue Road.
The complete replacement of the SW 66th Street bridge comes after a long history of commercial trucks and oversized loads striking the overpass, resulting in costly repairs and massive traffic jams.
Over the past few years, the I-75 corridor in Marion and Sumter counties has been repeatedly impacted by bridge strikes.
The SW 66th Street bridge itself has been the victim of multiple impacts, alongside the County Road 484 and County Road 475 bridges, often due to oversized loads or equipment failures.
Ocala-News.com previously reported on incidents involving the bridge in February 2023, July 2025, and September 2025. Earlier this year, additional repairs began on the bridge.
By replacing the aging structure with a significantly higher bridge, state and local transportation officials hope to eliminate the frequent bridge strikes and improve safety and traffic flow for the thousands of motorists who travel through the corridor every day.
What are your thoughts on the upcoming bridge closure and the new design? Share your perspective in a comment below or write a letter to the editor.