LaBelle drawbridge temporarily closing Friday, truck drivers face 53-mile detour

LABELLE, Fla. (WINK) — The drawbridge on State Road 29 crossing the Caloosahatchee River is temporarily shutting down on Friday morning.

• RELATED: LaBelle drawbridge to close for two weekends as FDOT repairs damage

The closure begins at 9 a.m. and will last through 5 a.m. Monday. This marks the first of two consecutive weekends of closures.

The Florida Department of Transportation made this decision because urgent repairs are needed. FDOT said scheduling the work for the weekend will affect the fewest community members.

Starting with the closure, a strict 17-ton weight limit will be enforced. Truck drivers will face the biggest impact and will have to use a 53-mile detour.

• SEE ALSO: LaBelle Drawbridge delays frustrate Hendry County commuters and students

Law enforcement will be stationed on both sides of the bridge to enforce the closure.

An FDOT engineer explained why the repairs are necessary.

"In short, there are some steel components of the bridge that have reached the end of their design life, and they need to be replaced," Dan Buidens with FDOT said. "We're doing everything we can to assemble contractors who can carry that workout. We've assembled the components and the parts that we need, and we're gonna work as fast as we can to get that done."

The bridge is scheduled to reopen before the morning rush on Monday.