Some information for anyone that will be driving to the cruise port or to WDW using Interstate 95 South from Georgia and going through NE Florida:
There was a major accident earlier this weekto a bridge on I-95 South in St Johns County, which is south of Jacksonville and a little south of St Augustine in North East Florida. A flat bed truck that was hauling some large earth moving equipment tried to go under a bridge that carries I-95 over St Route 206 and it collided with the bridge and damaged the structure of the bridge. It will take 2 to 3 weeks to repair it . This will most likely result in severe traffic congestion because motorists on I-95 south will have to get off the Interstate and get back on after the bridge, using the exit and entrance ramps.
The accident is at I-95 South, exit 93 and St Route 206. Florida has not migrated to the practice of labeling exits with the mile posts as most states do, so it is difficult to judge without a map (we need more of your tourist dollars and gasoline taxes, please!). If you are driving on I-95 South, you will need to allow more time for the traffic delay, or you will need to consider getting off of the highway and using St Route 1 closer to the coast for a few miles to bypass it.
If you hate sitting in those long traffic jams like I do, you might consider the route I plan to take. I'll be exiting I-95 at Exit 95, which is St Route 16, in St Augustine. Gentlemen, be especially wary of this exit, there are 95 outlet stores on the west side of this exit and another 85+ on the east side, so drive quickly and distract the shoppers in the car! Anyway, take St route 16 east PAST the outlet malls until you get to State Route 1 (about 5 miles), then go South. You can then continue on State Route 1 for approximately 15 to 20 miles and it will intersect with I-95 South well beyond the tie up. Most of State Route 1 is actually a divided roadway with two lanes each direction and speed limits of 50 to 65, so it won't be that bad. Before President Eisenhower started the Interstate highway system, Route 1 was the major north - south highway to get to and from Miami.
Another word to the guys - if they make you stop at the outlet malls, you can ask to stop at the World Golf Village and the Golf Hall of Fame, which is at I-95 north, in between Jacksonville and St Augustine on the way back!
