Start with the transportation agency responsible for the bridge: confirm exactly what is closed, when the restriction applies, and whether the agency has posted a detour. Then check current traffic, verify that the route fits your vehicle, and use a navigation app only as a supplement to official notices and road signs.
1. Confirm what is closed and when
Find the notice on the responsible state, local, or other transportation agency’s website. Check the bridge name, affected road and direction, closure or restriction type, and the dates or hours it applies. A notice may cover only one direction, ramp, approach, or vehicle class—not every crossing or road near the bridge.
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Look for an agency-posted detour and any vehicle restrictions on the project or road-restriction page. The Federal Highway Administration describes agency websites and 511 services as sources for pre-trip information, while noting that state restriction data can update at different intervals. FHWA emergency routing report
2. Check your region’s 511 service
Use the relevant state or regional 511 map, alert feed, or phone service, if available, to check for new incidents, closures, construction, and congestion. Coverage and features vary. For example, the Bay Area’s 511.org map includes congestion, incidents, road closures, construction, events, and traffic-camera snapshots, and says its traffic data refresh automatically.
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Do not assume that every agency updates its restriction information at the same rate. FHWA’s report gives a 15-minute update interval for some states as an example, not a nationwide standard. It also describes an emergency bridge-weight change scenario in which a truck driver would need to rely on the updated 511 map rather than an API route. FHWA emergency routing report
3. Compare a navigation app with the official detour
Enter your destination in a navigation app to see possible alternatives, then compare its route with the agency’s detour and current restrictions. Apps can help you assess options, but they may not reflect a newly changed traffic pattern immediately. In a project-specific FAQ about the Gold Star Memorial Bridge, Connecticut DOT warned that navigation providers might not show new traffic configurations right away and advised motorists to follow field signs and traffic-control devices if app directions differ. CTDOT Gold Star Memorial Bridge FAQ
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That guidance is specific to the project, but the practical rule is clear: follow posted detour signs and traffic-control devices rather than an app instruction that conflicts with them.
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Check the entire alternate route for limits that matter to your vehicle, including height and weight restrictions. This is especially important for trucks, buses, RVs, and vehicles carrying tall or heavy loads. A route that avoids the closed bridge may still include a restricted bridge or road farther along.
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Check the coverage and directions shown on the responsible agency’s restriction map. For example, Indiana DOT says its bridge-clearance map covers interstates, U.S. highways, and state routes, and that clearance can differ by travel direction. It directs drivers considering city or county roads to seek municipal approval. Those are Indiana-specific instructions; elsewhere, check the relevant agency’s rules and do not assume its map covers local roads. INDOT bridge maps
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.5. Recheck before leaving and follow signs on the road
Before departure, check the closure notice and traffic information again, since conditions and restrictions may change. Leave extra time for the detour and possible congestion. FHWA recommends checking online or app information before starting—or after stopping somewhere safe. If you need to check a phone during the trip, pull over safely first. FHWA bridge-load-posting research report 511.org FAQ
Once driving, follow the signed detour and traffic-control devices. If the agency changes the route or a sign directs you differently from an app, use the current on-road direction.
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A quick route check
- Open and applicable: Is each road on the route open at the time you expect to travel, and does the notice apply to your direction and vehicle?
- Vehicle fit: Have you checked height, weight, and other restrictions along the entire route, including local-road coverage?
- Current conditions: What do the agency’s latest 511 information and traffic updates show about incidents and congestion?
- Route authority: Is the route an agency-posted detour or an app suggestion, and do posted signs agree?
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