Crane on a Barge Hit the Hart Bridge Nov. 4, Closing It About 4 Hours; State Inspectors Call the Dent "Cosmetic" for Now

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. - A crane mounted on a barge struck the Hart Bridge on Wednesday evening, Nov. 4, prompting the Florida Department of Transportation to close the span over the St. Johns River in both directions. The bridge reopened within about four hours after state inspectors checked it, according to FDOT. An FDOT spokesman described the damage found so far as "cosmetic," though the agency has not announced any follow-up repairs.

What happened

According to Action News Jax, the strike happened around 7 p.m. as the barge was heading south beneath the bridge near the downtown stadium district. Jacksonville Today reported the impact came between 7:15 and 7:30 p.m. while the crane was being maneuvered on the barge. Action News Jax reported that the crane hit the span on the side closer to the Mathews Bridge. The two outlets differ slightly on the exact minute, so this story says only that it was shortly after 7 p.m.

FDOT closed the bridge to traffic in both directions as a precaution. FDOT spokesman Hampton Ray said, "Out of an abundance of caution, we are closing the bridge until inspectors" could confirm it was safe, according to Action News Jax. The Jacksonville Sheriff's Office redirected traffic and advised drivers to use an alternate route, though the reports did not name specific detours.

How the inspection went

FDOT said its crews arrived with an under-bridge inspection machine within 20 minutes of the strike. The response, according to the department, included safety boats, engineers, bridge inspectors and maintenance staff. Inspectors worked from beneath the road deck and looked for cracks, dents and anything out of place, Action News Jax reported. As of about 9 p.m., crews were still waiting on an additional engineer, the station reported.

Jacksonville Today reported that state crews found minor damage to a beam under the center section of the bridge. Ray told the outlet that inspectors spent a significant amount of time looking at the dent and checking it for cracks or fissures. "Basically it's just cosmetic at this juncture," he said. FDOT said the bridge was reopened within four hours of the incident, and it reopened to traffic in both directions late Wednesday night.

What is still not known

As of Thursday, Nov. 5, the reports left several basic questions open. It was not clear how the collision happened, or who was operating the vessel and the crane. Jacksonville Today reported that the company that owned the crane and barge was not identified Thursday, and that Ray said it did not appear to be a local company. The U.S. Coast Guard, according to FDOT, was still completing its incident response on the circumstances of the strike, and Jacksonville Today reported the Coast Guard let the barge continue its voyage after an initial inspection.

FDOT also has not said whether the dented beam will need repair work, or whether that work would require lane closures. Drivers who use the bridge may want to watch FDOT District 2's traffic notices at nflroads.com for any future announcements. Because the department described the damage as cosmetic "at this juncture," its assessment could change if further review finds something more serious.

About the Hart Bridge

The Isaiah D. Hart Bridge carries U.S. 1 Alternate and State Road 228 across the St. Johns River, linking downtown Jacksonville and the Southside. According to Wikipedia's entry on the bridge, it opened Nov. 2, 1967, is about 3,844 feet long and has four general-purpose lanes. The same entry lists a main span of about 1,088 feet and roughly 141 feet of clearance for ships below.

Wikipedia's entry, which cites earlier traffic counts, puts average use at about 52,000 vehicles a day. Because that figure is an older estimate, current counts could differ. Jacksonville Today described the structure as a 141-foot-tall steel bridge, which matches the clearance figure for vessels passing below.

Other Jacksonville bridges struck by vessels

The Hart Bridge crane strike is not the first time a vessel has hit one of the city's river crossings. Jacksonville Today listed three earlier cases that caused much longer disruptions. In September 2013, a towed U.S. Navy vessel hit the Mathews Bridge, causing about $4 million in damage and a monthlong closure.

In November 2016, a river cruise ship struck the Main Street Bridge, which closed it for months, and on Aug. 19, 2025, a ship hit the Main Street Bridge again and damaged multiple components. The Main Street Bridge stayed in the down position, closed to river traffic, until repairs were finished months later. By comparison, the Hart Bridge was back in service the same night, and FDOT reports only a dented beam so far.

What to watch next

Several answers are still pending, and they will be reported by FDOT and the Coast Guard rather than by the city. The most important is whether FDOT's ongoing review confirms that the dent is only cosmetic. Others are the identity of the barge and crane owner, the cause of the collision, and whether any repair work will be scheduled.

Readers who drive the bridge daily should not expect changes based on what has been announced so far, since the bridge was fully open to traffic after the Wednesday night inspection. Any future lane closures for repair work would come from FDOT, which posts District 2 notices at nflroads.com. As of Friday, Nov. 6, no further details from FDOT or the Coast Guard had been found in published reports.