Florida officials are opening highway shoulders to make room for evacuees amid dense traffic as Hurricane Milton approaches the state's west coast.
of tallahassee democrat reported Officials with the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) are keeping an eye on roadside readiness to ease traffic congestion, it was announced Tuesday.
W.F.L.A. reported Later on Tuesday, “Using the Shoulder in an Emergency” [ESU] The program is aimed at people evacuated in parts of Florida due to Hurricane Milton. ”
“FDOT is implementing ESUs along portions of I-4 and I-75 to aid traffic flow,” the outlet said.
image show Some of the traffic as drivers travel north:
The news comes as residents in west central Florida are stuck in traffic. run away before the hurricane made landfall, according to WFTV.
The hurricane was centered more than 800 miles southwest of Tampa and had winds of up to 150 mph, according to the Weather Channel. reported on tuesday:
Milton has grown in size over the past 24 hours, with tropical storm force winds up to 165 miles from its center. The impact will be far-reaching as it continues to grow as it approaches Florida.
Milton reached maximum strength of 180 mph on Monday, making it one of the most intense Atlantic Basin hurricanes on record.
The eyewall replacement cycle has reduced some strength overnight in Milton, but it remains a serious threat to Florida.
FDOT said in a social media post Monday. shared Video footage of vehicles on the road:
According to WFTV, a major traffic jam occurred along I-75 in Pasco County Tuesday morning. The newspaper reported that Gov. Ron DeSantis (R-Florida) has suspended toll fees across the central region of the state as evacuations continue.
Additional video footage from social media users show Massive lines of cars form as the hurricane approaches.
Breitbart News reported Monday that Tampa Mayor Jane Castor told people who ignore evacuation orders, “I can say this without any dramatization: If you choose to stay in the evacuation zone, you're going to die.” I warned you.
