The Florida Highway Patrol has re-opened 14 miles of Interstate 4 closed Wednesday in Polk County after a massive 70-car pileup.

Workers have finished resurfacing 650 feet of the highway left deeply gouged and scorched by the accident just east of State Road 559.

A final inspection occurred around 6 p.m. and the Department of Transportation sent out a release at 6:25 p.m. announcing that the road is open.

Workers started ripping up the asphalt to lay down a new surface late Wednesday but halted work when another thick blanket of fog rolled in – like the one that triggered the crashes the day before.

Work stopped at 3 a.m. and didn’t resume until about 9 a.m.

I-4 was closed beacuse of the accident between the Polk Parkway and U.S. 27, about 14 miles of I-4.

It’s not certain how long I-4 will remain open. Department of Transportation spokeswoman Cindy Clemmons-Adente said more fog is forecast overnight and as a result portions of the interstate could again be shut down.

- Rich Shopes

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