WESTON, Fla. (WSVN) — All northbound lanes of Interstate 75 have reopened near the Sawgrass Expressway in Weston, after a construction mishap prompted officials to shut down the roadway, backing up traffic for miles during rush hour, Monday.
According to the Florida Highway Patrol, some machinery being used on a bridge under construction came off its track, at around 4 p.m. The machine then knocked down several pieces of wood that had been erected as part of a temporary guardrail, causing pieces of it to fall onto the lanes below, just after the split, where I-75 curves west to Naples.
7Skyforce HD showed part of the guardrail dangling over the roadway. Troopers and road rangers shut down all northbound lanes and began to divert traffic onto Interstate 595.
At around 5 p.m., northbound traffic was backed up all the way south to Griffin Road.
Crews brought out a special crane to remove the machine from the ramp and secure the wood. It took about four hours to remove the machinery and reopen the roadway.
No injuries were reported. The bridge is intact and nothing collapsed, but the support pieces that fell halted construction and damaged a pickup truck.
The bridge under construction will link I-75’s express lanes to those of Interstate 595.