Collapsed Eustis bridge complete: 'It's just a lot safer for the public'

Eustis neighborhood bridge reopens weeks after collapse

A neighborhood bridge in the Spring Ridge Estates community is back open after collapsing two weeks ago under 20 inches of rain, allowing families to finally drive back into their homes. Residents had expected to be blocked out until Thanksgiving, but the repaired culvert — commonly referred to as a bridge by neighbors — reopened at 5 p.m. Thursday.

LAKE COUNTY, Fla. - A collapsed culvert in Eustis is now open to traffic in both directions after closing on Oct. 30 due to storm damage.

What we know:

Eustis Fire Chief Michael Swanson announced Nov. 13 that the road was reopened after repairs were completed as of 3:30 p.m., Thursday.

In six days, the culvert was rebuilt, the main waterline was redone and the main road and sidewalks were repaved.

"We wanted to get these people back into their homes," Swanson said.

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The backstory:

A bridge in the Spring Ridge Estates neighborhood of Eustis, Lake County, collapsed after a severe storm caused heavy flooding and structural failure.

The bridge was the only access point for several homes, leaving dozens of families stranded.

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Eustis Fire Chief Michael Swanson gave a press conference, updating the public on the bridge's completion.

Eustis bridge re-built in 6 days: roads, culverts, watermain

In six days, the culvert and main water line were redone. This damage was caused by a storm that hit Eustis, causing a washout the partial collapse of a private bridge in a neighborhood. Now, the bridge is open and cars can drive on it.

Twenty-one families were initially evacuated, and six remain in temporary housing provided by the city.

A construction crew is now working to repair the bridge permanently, but recent setbacks — including the collapse of a temporary berm meant to slow water flow — have worsened the damage.

After days of work on a private bridge that collapsed in a Eustis neighborhood, families were issued an Unsafe–Limited Entry and Occupancy notice. Under this notice, emergency vehicle access, including water supply to fire hydrants, and potable water services have been restored to the 21 affected homes, the city said in a Nov. 13 press release.

Under the Unsafe–Limited Entry and Occupancy notice, Creek Run Lane is only open to emergency, construction, and other authorized vehicles. Residents, deliveries and other traffic may not enter Creek Run Lane, the city said.

However, residents and the public can access the area along the provided pedestrian route. People must follow the instructions of the provided barricades, city officials and construction personnel at all times.

Some repairs still needed

Though cars can drive across the bridge, Swanson said there's still a lot of work to be done, including pouring sidewalk on one side, adding guardrails and cleaning the area up.