Can Irma Victims Find a Way Home? What Will They Find There?

After one of the most massive evacuations ever, it’s going to take a long time for Floridians to get back home.

Those returning home are already facing uncertain outcomes when they arrive. Now they may be challenged with a logistical nightmare, the possible closure of Interstate 75.

Kristen M. Clark writes for the Miami Herald that the entire stretch of I-75 from I-10 to 441 may be closed off.

As of early afternoon, the interstate remained open. The I-75 bridge over the Sante Fe River near mile marker 408 “remains safe and passable,” state transportation officials said early Wednesday — but they’re watching the river very closely as it continues to rise.

“The river is expected to crest at historic and unprecedented levels presenting a potential threat to the safety of travel on this bridge,” the Florida Department of Transportation said in a statement. “The Santa Fe River under I-75 has rapidly risen 15 feet within the past 36 hours due to the heavy rainfall over North Florida from Hurricane Irma.”

“If the river were to rise to an unsafe level, the bridge would become impassable both northbound and southbound, and would be closed immediately,” FDOT warned.

It’s an additional reason state officials urge residents not to drive home yet.

But if you do, they say you should plan accordingly for a long drive and keep one word in mind: Patience.

Cars Heading Home From Hurricane Irma. I-75 South In Florida

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Debbie Young

Debbie, editor-in-chief of Richardcyoung.com, has been associate editor of Dick Young’s investment strategy reports for over three decades. When not in Key West, Debbie spends her free time researching and writing in and about Paris and Burgundy, France, cooking on her AGA Cooker, and practicing yoga.