A 16-mile stretch of southbound Interstate 75 in Marion County is congested this afternoon, as residents who evacuated before Hurricane Milton return to their homes in southwest Florida.
Several cameras managed by the Florida Department of Transportation show a steady flow of traffic congestion in the southbound lanes between mile markers 342 and 358 in Marion County.
As of 3:30 p.m., two additional disabled vehicles were impacting traffic on the roadway.
The backup stretches over several interchanges on the highway, including those at State Road 40 (Exit 352), State Road 200 (Exit 350), and County Road 484 (Exit 341).
Leading up to Hurricane Milton’s landfall last night, I-75 and several other interstates across the state saw heavy traffic as evacuees made their way into safer parts of Florida and the Southeast.
For more updates on Interstate 75, check back on Ocala-News.com in the coming hours.
Earlier Thursday, Ocala-News.com published dozens of photos from local readers illustrating the damage caused by Hurricane Milton.
Currently, there are still over 60,000 residents across the county without power, according to outage maps from Ocala Electric Utility, Clay Electric, SECO, and Duke Energy.
Although several county offices will open tomorrow, including the Marion County Sheriff’s Office, the property appraiser’s office, and the tax collector’s office, offices for several local municipalities will remain closed: Ocala, Belleview, and Dunnellon.
All of the general population and shelters have been closed as of this afternoon, according to officials.
Residents who need to report downed trees and power lines should call the non-emergency line at 352-732-9111.