Emergency Shoulder Use in effect on Florida interstates as drivers flee Hurricane Milton

The Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) has activated Emergency Shoulder Use (ESU) plans on I-75 and I-4 as drivers try to evacuate before Hurricane Milton hits.

Hurricane Milton strengthened into a Category 5 storm on Monday and is expected to hit the west coast of Florida on Wednesday. In preparation, mandatory and voluntary evacuation orders have been issued for many Florida counties.

On Monday afternoon, FDOT announced that ESU had been activated on eastbound I-4 and portions of northbound I-75 ahead of the hurricane. The ESU essentially turns the left shoulder of the interstate into an extra lane of traffic to try to move more vehicles along evacuation routes.

According to FDOT, all vehicles except for large trucks, buses, and trailers may use the shoulder as a travel lane when ESU is in effect.

Drivers along these routes should pay attention to law enforcement officers and signage on when they can enter or exit the shoulder.

As of Monday afternoon, massive traffic delays have been reported on I-75 as people flee to safety.