Coronavirus: Florida DOT set up I-95 checkpoints at Florida-Georgia line

The Florida Department of Transportation erected checkpoints along Interstate 95 at the Florida-Georgia line Sunday around noon as part of the state’s attempt to fight the coronavirus pandemic.

The new checkpoint is set up near the boundary of Nassau County and Camden County in Georgia, halting drivers upon their entry.

Video from First Coast News showed long lines extending well into Georgia at the checkpoint.

The move comes in response to an executive order issued last week by Gov. Ron DeSantis, restricting entry from areas with “substantial community spread.” Those areas were defined as the Tri-State region of New York, New Jersey and Connecticut, as well as Louisiana.

Under the order, persons arriving from those states are required to self-isolate for 14 days or the duration of their stay within Florida, whichever is shorter.

The department previously set up a similar checkpoint along Interstate 10 Saturday at the Florida-Alabama border.

At the Interstate 10 checkpoint, the department said, all people entering would be required to complete a traveler form, providing data including contact information and trip details. The department did not specify whether that form was also required at the Nassau County checkpoint.

The department said the Florida Highway Patrol was designated to staff the Interstate 10 checkpoint around the clock, employing an estimated 16 troopers in 12-hour shifts.

However, the department said the rules do not apply to commercial vehicles, which may bypass the checkpoint “to ensure timely delivery of products across the state.”

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