How are the highways post-hurricane?

While doing research for a road trip to Florida this winter break, my friendly AAA representative mentioned that I-10 received damage during the hurricanes. It was either near Mobile, AL, or Pensacola, FL. Any word on that?

Also, any problems getting from Pensacola to St. Petersburg, then taking 70 to West Palm Beach? I'm trying to get us from Oklahoma to the area between WPB and Ft. Lauderdale with the fewest hiccups. Thanks.

I don't know about damage to I 10.

Barring I 10 issues - take I 10 to I 75. South on I 75 to the Florida Turnpike (at Wildwood). Take the Florida Turnpike to West Palm or Ft Lauderdale.

The Pensacola Bay Bridge(I-10) was damaged quite a bit from the storm. However, they are making quick progress I guess. It was down to 2 lanes, using just the west bound bridge(one lane east and one lane west), but they put a bunch of metal grating to fill in the gaps on the east bound bridge opening it up for a single lane of traffic heading east and allowing both west bound lanes open as normal.

Basically, west bound is as normal as always, except for the road work at the interchanges by I-110(still in Pcola, but west of the bridge) - which aren't hurricane related.

East bound is a bit hairy. You can almost count on coming to a dead stop when the lanes merge before the bridge. You'll already be going slower than normal due to the road construction going on with the exits west of the bridge.

Late at night or the earl-of-morn are your best bet for a quick transit!

Central and South Florida Interstates are fine. No problems there. US 1 just South of Melbourne, North of Vero Beach is still being repaired.

Thanks folks!

Now on to the next question.... which route should I take from OKC to the area between West Palm Beach and Ft. Lauderdale?

We did a trip several years ago for genealogical research in Birmingham, AL. Going east we took I-35 from OKC to Dallas, I-20 to Shreveport, LA, I-49 to Lafayette, then I-10 to New Orleans. We checked out the Aquarium of the Americas, then cruised I-10 to Mobile, AL, stopped to wade in the Gulf for the first time somewhere along there, and caught I-65 up to Birmingham. On the way back I think we took US-78 through Tupelo, MS, and connected to I-40 at Memphis, TN. Once we were on I-40 it was a safe, easy drive back to OKC.

So I have two options. The I-20/I-10 route takes me to Pensacola, FL, and on to Lake City and points south. Or the I-40 route gets me to Birmingham and Montgomery, AL, then US-231 to Marianna, FL, and catching I-10 the rest of the way.

The I-20/I-10 route keeps me out of icy weather (right now it's 13 F, brrrr!) but it seemed like it was a long way to Mobile. This is the route recommended at AAA.

The time frame is this summer. I've looked on the AAA maps and it looks like the same amount of time to get to Lake City, but I'm concerned about the safety. We have several drivers and will probably drive straight through, which means some of this will be at night.
Thanks in advance.

I avoided the whole N Fla I-10 thing years ago when the N Fla section was under construction by heading east on I-40 to Chat., then hanging a right onto I-75. "Bumpier" but a pretty drive.