Crane crashes into Hart Bridge, closing it for hours, but damage is minor

The Hart Bridge was shut late Wednesday after a tall crane atop a barge slammed into its superstructure, but damage was limited, according to the Florida Department of Transportation. State crews found minor damage to a beam under the center part of the bridge, and the four-lane green bridge was reopened about four hours after the impact. The incident occurred between 7:15 and 7:30 p.m. as the crane was being maneuvered on a barge on the eastern side of the 141-foot-tall steel girder bridge, which connects Downtown and the Southside. A crane used to assess the damage was close enough to get there within 20 minutes, said FDOT spokesperson Hampton Ray. The special crane deployed inspectors under the bridge from the road above. We spent a significant amount of time looking at the actual dent in the bridge, Ray said. We used a lot of methods to make sure there were no cracks or fissures. Basically it s just cosmetic at this juncture. An inspection truck, left, lowers c