Sunshine Skyway Bridge

The Sunshine Skyway Bridge, officially called the Bob Graham Sunshine Skyway Bridge, is a very long bridge made of strong beams and a tall cable-stayed part in the middle. It crosses Lower Tampa Bay to connect Pinellas County (St. Petersburg, Florida) with Manatee County (Terra Ceia, Florida). The current bridge opened in 1987 and is the second one built at that spot. It was designed by the Figg & Muller Engineering Group and built by the American Bridge Company.

This bridge is very important because it is considered one of Florida's main bridges and acts like a gateway to the beautiful Tampa Bay area. It has four lanes and carries Interstate 275 and U.S. Route 19, going through Pinellas County, Hillsborough County, and Manatee County. There is a toll to cross the bridge for most cars, costing $1.16 if you use the state’s SunPass system.

Before the current bridge, there was an older, smaller bridge that opened in 1954. In 1980, a big ship hit part of this older bridge, causing part of it to fall down and many vehicles to go into the water. Because of this, the new bridge was built with extra safety features to help prevent similar problems in the future.

The water under the main part of the bridge is very busy with ships going to places like Port Tampa Bay, Port Tampa, the Port of St. Petersburg, and SeaPort Manatee, making it one of the busiest places for ships in the United States.

History

Precursors and proposals

In 1924, two friends, a realtor and an attorney, started a ferry service across Lower Tampa Bay. The ferry began in 1927 and moved cars and passengers between St. Petersburg and Terra Ceia.

Later, a man from St. Petersburg suggested building a tall bridge across the bay in 1926. He got permission to build it, but work stopped because of money problems during a tough economic time called the Great Depression.

Construction of original bridge

Work on the first Sunshine Skyway Bridge began in 1950. It took four years to build, using lots of concrete and steel. The bridge opened in 1954 and was one of the longest in the world at the time.

Original bridge

The first bridge had only two lanes and was dark at night. It was very important for travel between Pinellas County and Manatee County.

Second span

In 1969, workers built a second bridge next to the first one to help with more traffic. But in 1980, a big ship hit the bridge during a sudden storm and part of it fell down. Many cars and a bus dropped into the water, and many people sadly died. One man survived by floating in his truck.

Replacement bridge

After the accident, people decided to build a new, taller bridge with a beautiful design. Construction started in 1983 and finished in 1987. The new bridge had wider spaces for ships to pass safely.

Demolition of former bridge

The old bridge was taken apart in the early 1990s. Some of the old concrete was used to make a place for fishing near the water.

Issues and concerns

The Sunshine Skyway Bridge has faced several problems over the years. One concern is that the steel in some parts of the bridge corrodes, which can weaken it. Workers have gone inside the bridge to fix these areas and keep it safe. The bridge also needed new paint on its cables, which was done to protect it from weather damage.

Another issue is the bridge's low height, which makes it hard for very tall ships to pass underneath. This has affected plans for new cruise ports nearby. To address this, there have been discussions and laws passed to protect the area around the bridge.

Traffic

The Sunshine Skyway Bridge has been featured in many movies, TV shows, books, and songs. It appeared in the TV show Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar and the movie Superboy. Movies like Loren Cass and The Punisher used the bridge as a setting. Authors like Dennis Lehane and Ben Bova also wrote stories involving the bridge. A song called "Skyway Avenue" by We the Kings is about the bridge, and it is often used in car commercials.

In 2012, the United States Postal Service put the bridge on a special stamp. In 2017, new lights were added to the bridge to make it look beautiful at night and to keep it safer. These lights were finished in 2019. In 2026, the bridge will stop using cash tolls and will only accept electronic payments.