Traveling home on I-75 after evacuating? You’ll want to read this

With the Santa Fe River having risen 15 feet in the past 36 hours because of heavy rain over North Florida from Hurricane Irma, the Florida Department of Transportation is monitoring a small bridge at mile marker 408 on Interstate 75 in Alachua County that could become impassable in the days ahead.

As of Wednesday, the river was safe, but it is expected to crest at historic and unprecedented levels in the coming days as water levels from upstream move southward down the river, according to FDOT.

If the river rose to an unsafe level, I-75 would become unpassable in both directions and be closed immediately.

In the event of road flooding on I-75 at the Sante Fe River, FDOT will reroute traffic to U.S. 19, U.S. 301 and I-95. U.S. 27 was closed Wednesday afternoon because of the flooding.

With the uncertainty along I-75, FDOT officials are encouraging any Floridians returning home to the central or south part of the state to consider using I-95.

Motorists can consult FL511.com for up-to-date information on road closures and travel routes.

This story was originally published September 13, 2017 at 9:13 AM with the headline "Traveling home on I-75 after evacuating? You’ll want to read this."