ST. JOHNS COUNTY, Fla. — When the State Road 206 Bridge in St. Johns County was shut down to traffic Tuesday afternoon, viewers said they wanted to know more about it.
So First Coast News checked into the history of the bridge.
Darrell Meade fished from under the State Road 206 bridge Wednesday. It was his first time to fish from that spot.
He knows a lot more about traveling over the bridge which connects the mainland over the Intracoastal Waterway to Crescent Beach.
"I use it five days a week to get to work," Meade said.
And so he, like many, have to reel in their patience when that draw bridge in Crescent Beach goes up for boats. But when it gets stuck in the up position, then it’s a bigger delay.
"Sometimes it’s an hour or two hours, and then I have to turn around and drive up to the 312 bridge," Meade said.
That 312 bridge is the nearest bridge, and it’s 11 miles away. It makes for a lengthy detour.
Tuesday when the 206 bridge’s crossing arms got stuck in the down position for more than two hours, many people did U-turns on the actual bridge.
And while the 206 Bridge is not as busy as other bridges in St. Johns County, when it closes, it causes travel delays through St. Augustine and St. Augustine Beach.
According to the Florida Department of Transportation, the 206 Bridge was built in 1975. Since 2017, it has been repaired three times including a paint job, work on the concrete, and a mechanical part for the moving bridge was repaired.
First Coast News asked the Florida DOT how many times the bridge was shut down in the last two or five years. The agency is still working on that request.
According to the DOT, the problem Tuesday on the 206 Bridge was not the fault of the bridge itself, but rather of the power company which had a problem getting power to the bridge.
Commenting on the delays, Meade said, "It can be really frustrating at times."
But he notes that usually, it’s not that bad. And the view is a pretty one.
"I actually look forward to going over the bridge," Meade said.