As Hurricane Dorian approaches, Putnam County’s important infrastructure will be monitored by local and state officials.
There are no plans to close any roads or bridges in the county, Putnam County Emergency Services Battalion Chief Paul Flateau said, but officials will monitor roads and make determinations as conditions warrant.
Florida Department of Transportation-monitored bridges, such as Memorial Bridge and the Dunns Creek bridge in San Mateo, are expected to remain open but could close if weather is severe enough, said Troy Roberts, a spokesman at the state Department of Transportation.
If a Department of Transportation-owned bridge is closed, it is done so at the request of the Florida Highway Patrol, Roberts said.
“They would close it if the bridge is in danger of being flooded or if the wind speed makes it unsafe to drive on,” Roberts said.
The FHP’s criteria for unsafe winds is a 40 mph wind sustained for more than one minute.
The bridge across Dunns Creek in San Mateo will remain open unless the highway patrol requests its closing, Roberts said.
The adjacent construction project of a second bridge will be shut down by the contractor before the storm, he said.
“They would button everything up as best they can to make sure things are secured and shut down the site,” Roberts said. “After the storm, they’ll assess and see if there’s any damage and move from there.”