Bridge reopens after problem leads to South MS traffic mess during Cruisin’ The Coast

The Fort Bayou Drawbridge in Ocean Springs reopened Friday evening after an electrical malfunction closed it for over an hour.

The bridge reopened to cars around 5 p.m., said Anna Ehrgott, a spokesperson for the Mississippi Department of Transportation. But crews have not solved the electrical problem, so openings for boats “are currently limited while crews continue to work through the issue,” she said.

The bridge closed around 3:30 p.m.

The malfunction caused traffic delays during an already-busy week of Crusin’ the Coast . Traffic backed up before 4 p.m. on both sides of the bridge, an MDOT traffic map showed. The closure forced drivers in Ocean Springs to take a different route.

The bridge had been stuck open, the City of Ocean Springs said on Facebook .

It was not immediately clear what caused the electrical issue, Ehrgott said.

Friday’s malfunction was the latest in recent months. The bridge also became stuck open on Memorial Day and slowed nearby traffic for several hours before crews repaired the malfunction and reopened the bridge.