As snowfall brought surreal scenes, two photographers captured a rare moment of normalcy on the closed Escambia Bay Bridge, revealing a convoy of trucks and cars navigating the icy landscape.
A Glimpse of Normalcy in the Snowy Chaos
As the snow falls, it brings with it a world of surreal scenes. Boogie boards turned into snow sleds, troopers blocking interstate entrances and exits, and empty roads stretching as far as the eye can see. For avid photographers William “Billy” Howell and Elizabeth Linn, this was the perfect opportunity to capture an “apocalyptic” shot.
The Bridge That Was Left Behind
The 2.6-mile Escambia Bay Bridge, which connects communities and parts of Florida with the western United States, had been closed since Tuesday evening due to record snowfall. Howell and Linn thought it would be a great spot to get their apocalyptic shot, but they weren’t prepared for what they saw when they arrived.
As they started walking towards the sidewalk overpass on Scenic Highway, they noticed a sound that caught their attention. “I think that’s cars,” Linn recalled. The sound was picking up pace, and soon they saw a convoy of vehicles making its way onto the bridge. A Florida Highway Patrol car led the way, followed by three more with flashing blue lights, and a silver four-door car in the middle.
What caught their attention was not just the unusual sight of cars on an empty bridge but also the long line of big rigs waiting to cross the Southeast. These trucks had been waiting for nearly two days, finally bringing much-needed cargo across the region. The Florida Department of Transportation had shut down I-10 from the Alabama state line to Okaloosa County due to the snow and ice.
A Rare Moment of Normalcy
For nearly 48 hours, much of the Panhandle was cut off as freezing ice and subsequent crashes closed down alternative routes. But just as suddenly and without fanfare as it had closed, I-10 opened again. The truck convoy was a rare moment of normalcy in the midst of chaos. “It was interspersed with cars,” Howell said. “They had just then let them all across. It was a rare moment.”
The photos show the long line of vehicles moving west, while the east-bound lanes were eerily empty, with snow clinging to the edge. Despite capturing many unusual scenes, Howell and Linn missed one photo – an empty bridge.
