Hurricane Michael aftermath: Destruction closes portion of U.S. 98

Sections of U.S. Highway 98 from Lanark Village to Panama City are damaged and closed. Hurricane Michael roared ashore along the northern Gulf Coast with a reported storm surge between 9 and 13 feet, damaging the scenic highway while its over 140 mph winds littered the roadway with oak and pine trunks and branches.  

“Do not try to travel home to a coastal county that was impacted by Hurricane Michael,” advised Gov. Rick Scott, during a Thursday morning briefing. “It is not safe. It might not even be possible.”

Scott said damage was expected to the coastal highway that runs from Pensacola, through Apalachicola and around the Big Bend and onward into Central Florida. Engineers inspected the roadway Thursday morning to assess the damage and to put together a repair plan.

In Wakulla County, debris has slowed traffic along the highway from Panacea to St. Teresa. But southwest of Panacea, engineers closed the highway to Lanark Village. 

The road reopens south of Lanark, off the coast of Dog Island, and conditions are reported to be normal on to Carrabelle. From there to Eastpoint, traffic is slowed by debris and erosion from the surge.

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Photos:Parts of Apalachicola destroyed by Hurricane Michael

Conditions return to normal at the intersection for the St. George Causeway. Traffic is said to be able to travel at the posted speed from Apalachicola, pass Cape San Blas until just southeast of Port St. Joe.

Debris at the intersection of State Road 384, once again slows traffic and damage along the roadway forces a reduced speed until Tyndall Air Base at East Bay where conditions once again return to normal.

Once in Panama City though, the bridge across the Grand Lagoon to Panama City Beach is closed.

Reporter James Call can be reached at jcall@tallahassee.com