Hathaway reopening created gridlock // PHOTO GALLERY

PANAMA CITY — Commuters who found themselves stuck in gridlocked traffic as they tried to cross the Hathaway Bridge Thursday took to the Internet to voice their opinions about the lane closures.

With traffic routed to a single lane for part of the day, drivers had time to post photos from their phone to Facebook and share details about the delays in their commute.

Clay Wambo sent The News Herald a picture of cars backed up nearly to Beck Avenue on U.S. 98. One Facebook user reported travelling less than a mile over the course of an hour.

PHOTO GALLERY

Facebook user Alicia Hilyard said her husband’s commute from Lynn Haven to the Navy Base took nearly two hours.

People who didn’t know the Florida Department of Transportation was inspecting a faulty bridge component wondered why lanes were closed at all since all the ice that forced its closure in the first place had melted.

Christy Holtz had to go from town to the beach to pick up a FedEx delivery Thursday. She didn’t know why traffic was slower, but she wasn’t upset about it.

“I sound like a patient person because I am,” Holtz said. “I appreciate what they’re trying to do: just keep everybody safe.”

Others were less forgiving and blasted the FDOT response, their fellow motorists, and even the bridge itself.

“A bridge should be able to handle cold weather,” said Facebook user Kelly Lee. “Ridiculous.”