Bridge and road closure updates after winter storm

On January 22, 2025By Littum

PANAMA CITY, Fla. (WJHG/WECP) – When winter weather hits the panhandle, roads and bridges can close.

Here are the latest updates on local bridges:

BAY COUNTY

Effective immediately, roadways and bridges in Bay County should be considered unsafe and closed to the public until further notice.

Bay County Sheriff Tommy Ford also urged everyone to stay off roadways if possible, noting that any bridge closures will be determined by the Florida Highway Patrol in cooperation with local law enforcement and emergency services.

As in hurricane situations, law enforcement and barricades will NOT be set up at the base of the closed bridges, he said, but crossing a closed bridge is extremely dangerous.

Announcements of bridge closures will be made through AlertBay, social media and on the county website at baycountyfl.gov. If major bridge closures happen in the middle of the night, the alerts will only get through via email or text, so make sure you have notifications set up to receive them. Alertbay is available at www.alertbay.org.

According to the City of Panama City Beach, the Churchwell Drive Bridge will be temporarily closed due to hazardous weather.

In addition, Churchwell Drive between Front Beach Rd and Middle Beach Rd will also be closed.

Bay County officials are asking the public to stay off the road until conditions improve.

WALTON COUNTY

Interstate 10 eastbound and westbound are closed from Exit 70 (Mossy Head) EAST to Exit 5 in Pensacola
Baldwin Avenue Bridge in Defuniak Springs

OKALOOSA COUNTY

Baldwin Avenue and the 331 South Overpass will remain closed.

Per FDOT: I-10 is closed from mile marker 5 in Escambia County to mile marker 70 in Okaloosa County
The entire Eglin Parkway is down to 2 lanes only due to poor visibility.
Both northbound and southbound lanes of SR 85 in Crestview stop between John King Road and Mirage Rd. due to road conditions.
The Shoal River Bridge on US Hyw 90 in Crestview is impassable.
OCSO: The I-10 bridge at Antioch Road is iced over and impassable
OCSO: Wilkerson Bluff Rd. overpass over I-10 is icy and impassable.
OCSO: Hwy 2, Peaden and Sherman Kennedy bridges will be closed due to being completely iced over.

LIBERTY COUNTY

Sheriff Dusty Arnold says the Apalachicola River Bridge will not close at 3 p.m

HOLMES COUNTY

All roads in Holmes County are closed. “The decision is being made to prioritize safety due to dangerous conditions caused by ice and snow.”

GULF COUNTY

Highway 71 South near the Gulf/Calhoun County line is also temporarily closed due to a motor vehicle accident.

CALHOUN COUNTY

All roads in Calhoun County are officially closed.

The Apalachicola River Bridge on State Road 20 is closed. Highway 71 South near the Gulf/Calhoun County line is also temporarily closed due to a motor vehicle accident.

JACKSON COUNTY

All roads are now closed.

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