Bay County bridge to Tyndall Air Force Base struck by vessel

The News Herald/USA TODAY NETWORK
·2 min read

BAY COUNTY — A vessel struck Bay County’s bridge to Tyndall Air Force Base Wednesday evening.

According to a post from Tyndall’s Facebook page, DuPont Bridge was closed completely at about 9:30 p.m. to everyone so it could be inspected and deemed structurally sound. The bridge was reopened a few hours later. Tyndall has since returned to normal operations.

There were no reports of injuries due to the vessel strike. The bridge is under the Florida Department of Transportation’s jurisdiction.

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The DuPont Bridge, seen in this April 23 file photo, connects Panama City with Tyndall Air Force Base and beach communities Mexico Beach and Port St. Joe.
The DuPont Bridge, seen in this April 23 file photo, connects Panama City with Tyndall Air Force Base and beach communities Mexico Beach and Port St. Joe.

"Please be prepared for possible alternating lane closures on DuPont Bridge in the near future," a statement on Tyndall's Facebook page reads. "Bay County and the Florida Department of Transportation are working closely with Team Tyndall leaders to minimize the impact to base operations. More information on changes to traffic patterns will be provided as it becomes available."

According to a statement from the U.S. Coast Guard Station in Panama City, DuPont was struck by a spud barge being pushed by a tug allied with the bridge.

Also, Tyndall Academy was closed Thursday because of the bridge strike, Bill Husfelt, superintendent of Bay District Schools, said in a Wednesday evening statement.

“Plans will be released later for a regular return,” Husfelt said. “All Tyndall Academy employees should pay attention to email communications for further information.”

Meanwhile, plans have already been underway to replace DuPont Bridge.

Last year, FDOT announced the $178 million project to replace the bridge starting in 2024. Officials estimate the project will take three to four years to complete.

A recent FDOT study determined the bridge should be replaced even though it was still structurally sound.

Some of the first renderings of the proposed bridge show that speed limits will increase to 50 mph from 45 mph. The new bridge will be built a little bit higher than the DuPont Bridge and will meet U.S. Coast Guard clearance requirements of 65 feet.

When the new bridge is completed, FDOT crews will demolish the DuPont Bridge.

This article originally appeared on The News Herald: Bay County Florida bridge to Tyndall Air Force Base hit by vessels