Bridges to Sarasota barrier islands now closed

SARASOTA, Fla. (WFLA) — The bridges to Sarasota County’s barrier islands closed at 7 p.m. Tuesday evening, according to the Sarasota Police Department.

Residents of Bird Key, St. Armands Key, Lido Key, and Siesta Key are still allowed to leave the islands, but no one will be allowed to re-enter until the search and rescue operations conclude after the storm, police said.

Officers will leave their posts to return to shelter once conditions worsen, but the bridges will remain closed.

Police are located at John Ringling Causeway, Siesta Drive Bridge, Stickney Point Bridge, Blackburn Point Swing Bridge, Albee Road Bridge and the Manasota Beach Road Bridge to ensure no one enters.

Milton is expected to make landfall either late Wednesday night or early Thursday morning somewhere in the Tampa Bay region, according to the National Hurricane Center.

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