TALLAHASSEE, Fla. -- The Florida Department of Transportation has released an informational video on plans to use Emergency Shoulder Use in the case of large evacuations.
The use of the emergency shoulder as an additional travel lane was first used in 2017 during Hurricane Irma evacuations. Evacuees were able to drive on the inside shoulder of I-75 northbound from Wildwood to Georgia and on I-4 northbound from Tampa to Kissimmee.
ESU plans cover the following roadway segments.
Interstate 4
- Eastbound from US 41 in Tampa (Hillsborough County) to SR 417 in Celebration (Osceola County)
Interstate 10
- Westbound from SR 23 in Jacksonville (Duval County) to Interstate 75 in Lake City (Columbia County)
- Westbound from Interstate 75 in Lake City (Columbia County) to US 319 in Tallahassee (Leon County)
Interstate 75
- Northbound from SR 951 in Naples (Collier County) to SR 143 in Jennings (Hamilton County)
Interstate 75 Alligator Alley
- Northbound from US 27 in Weston (Broward County) to SR 951 in Naples (Collier County)
- Southbound from SR 951 in Naples (Collier County) to US 27 in Weston (Broward County)
Interstate 95
- Northbound from SR 706 in Jupiter (Palm Beach County) to south of Interstate 295 in Jacksonville (Duval County)
Florida's Turnpike
- Northbound from SR 50 in Winter Garden (Orange County) to US 301 in Wildwood (Sumter County)
The new plan replaces the old plans to reverse the flow of traffic during evacuations to allow one-way only travel on highways.
Real-time traffic information is always available by visiting fl511.com or calling 511.
