|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
skyway bridge articlesnon-jumper skyway articles, 2016 - 2020.updated: 03.01.20 |
|
links could be broken at any time. (our comments follow) |
| 03.01.20: 3rd annual skyway 10k • man dies | |||
   |
|||
|
03.03.20, fox13news.com, Skyway 10K runner passes away after Sunday's race. ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. - Race organizers with the Skyway 10K announced Monday that one of the runners had a medical emergency during this year's race and passed away. On Sunday morning, an adult male experienced the medical emergency around the fifth mile of the course. First responders said good Samaritans, who were also running in the race, stopped to provide first aid until paramedics arrived. The man, who has not been identified, was taken to Manatee Memorial Hospital. On Monday morning, race organizers said they were told the individual passed away. "Our thoughts and prayers are with his family," organizers said in a prepared statement. 03.03.20, fox13news.com, Good Samaritans tried to summon ambulance for collapsed Skyway 10K runner who later died. ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. - Eight thousand people ran the Skyway 10K Sunday. One of them never made it to the finish line. With less than a mile to go, 48-year-old Justin Doyle had a cardiac event. He was later pronounced dead. First responders and race organizers are being asked why ambulances were not able to get to him on the bridge. Doyle's brother, Lea spoke to FOX 13 from the The Horse and Jockey British Pub, the restaurant he owns in Pinellas County. He says he woke up on Sunday morning and saw Justin's Facebook post - a picture of the fifth mile-marker on the course with a caption that said, "1 mile to go." "That is real hard to look at," Lea said. Within minutes of that 7:43 a.m. post, the aircraft engineer and leader of a foundation for cancer patients had collapsed. "We had lunch on Monday and he had obviously been training and had been struggling a little bit," said Doyle. "He did tell me he was struggling. He was very proud. He wouldn't say exactly why he was struggling." Elizabeth Wulff happened to be running by just after Doyle collapsed. "I heard people start saying, ‘runner down, runner down,’" Wulff recalled. She and several others, who said they were off-duty EMTs or nurse practitioners, started trying to cool Doyle down. Some tried chest compressions while others waved runners away, telling them to steer clear. "Everyone was doing what they could," she said. She says the group spent several minutes waiving to an ambulance that was several hundred yards behind them. Others called 911. Although a nearby officer came over, it's unclear if ambulance workers knew a runner was down. Finally, a school bus transporting people to the Tropicana Field parking lot stopped to help. "The nurse practitioner said, 'Is there any way we can load and go to get him out of here?'" said Wulff. "I don't know what the delay is. I don't know if the runners are in the way. But the ambulances aren't coming." Doyle was eventually loaded from the school bus into an ambulance and taken to Manatee Memorial Hospital. By the time Lea got there, his brother was gone. "He was grateful for anybody who did anything for him," Lea said. St. Petersburg Fire Rescue released a statement Tuesday, offering condolences to Doyle’s family. SPFR said it is, "coordinating with all the agencies involved in the response to conduct a comprehensive post-incident analysis in order to determine the facts surrounding this tragic incident." Lea says he is not at all focused on the emergency response. He wants his brother’s legacy to be the foundation he started after he lost a stepdaughter to cancer. The Hope Health and Sunshine Foundation has lost its guiding light. "To lose your brother at that age, he is your best friend," said Doyle. "He followed me halfway around the world. It is just heartbreaking. I just want him back, I just miss him." Organizers of the Skyway 10K also expressed condolences and said they are going to, "fully cooperate with efforts by St. Pete Fire Rescue to determine the facts surrounding this tragic incident."
03.15.22, wfla.com, lawsuit blames delayed medical help for runner’s death. PINELLAS COUNTY, Fla. (WFLA) – Two years after 48-year-old Justin Doyle collapsed from a "cardiac episode" during the Skyway 10K Run, his brother filed a wrongful death lawsuit on behalf of his estate and his widow. Lea Doyle spoke with News Channel 8 days after his brother never reached the finish line on March 1, 2020. "And he was an engineer, an aircraft engineer and he loved the Skyway, he absolutely loved the skyway," he said. Filed in late February in Pinellas County, the lawsuit names organizers of the Skyway 10K Run, Sunstar Paramedics, the City of St. Petersburg, and Pinellas and Manatee Counties. The lawsuit describes communication breakdowns and failures to prepare for a foreseeable medical emergency. "If I’m gonna say one thing to the people that helped him is god bless you," Lea Doyle said in 2020. "I love you, Justin loves you, you did everything you could to help." According to the lawsuit, the "chaos and confusion" began after multiple race participants called 911. "Despite the presence of resources and services which could have prevented his death on the racecourse," the lawsuit states, "emergency medical services were negligently delayed in even finding the location of Justin Tobias Doyle, who laid on the racecourse only a few hundred yards from medical personnel." A report issued by St. Petersburg Fire Rescue said it took 22 minutes and 8 seconds for medical help to reach Doyle. He later died at a hospital. The defendants named in this lawsuit are not commenting on the pending litigation. skyway10k.com • facebook/skyway10k |
| 01.09.20: suicide barrier to be installed on the skyway. |
| 07.30.19: the $15,600,000 skyway bridge disco light project. |
|
07.30.19, wtsp.com, Work continues on Sunshine Skyway Bridge light project, A Florida Department of Transportation spokesperson said the lighting underneath the bridge will change throughout the year. Florida Department of Transportation crews will continue to work on new lighting underneath the Sunshine Skyway Bridge for at least another month. FDOT spokesperson Kristen Carson said crews are scheduled to finish adding 1,824 LED light fixtures in the fall. The lights will be able to change colors and span 1.7 miles along the bridge, Carson said. According to Carson, the primary purpose of the project is for aesthetic lighting. She said the new lights will also add safety and security.  07.30.19, baynews9.com, What Are Those New Lights on the Skyway Bridge? You might notice some new lights on the Sunshine Skyway Bridge at night. • 1,800 LED light fixtures being added to Skyway Bridge • Project is combination of safety, beauty • Lights will have 8 themes It is part of the Bridge Lighting Project and right now it's in the testing phase. The project is a little bit about aesthetics and a little bit about safety. The Florida Department of Transportation is in the process of adding more than 1,800 LED light fixtures. They will extend all along the sloped and main span of the bridge. All the columns will be illuminated by floodlights, which will help with safety and security, because right now the underside of the bridge is very dark. What also makes the project special is that the lights will have eight themes and they'll move and change colors. So for example, certain lighting could be used for certain seasons and events. FDOT hopes the lights will provide beauty and inspiration for residents and visitors alike. "We want them to be proud of the bridge," said spokesperson Kris Carson. "We maintain this bridge, it's going to be around for another 50-75 years. Any new bridge that is built, lighting is already included and this bridge never had lighting, so this is just going to be really a signature bridge for the state of Florida. "It's going to be beautiful." The project started about a year ago and it's now in the final phases. Crews are testing the lights out right now to make sure everything works properly. They hope to have it finished sometime this fall. The $15 million project is paid for with toll money from drivers who use the bridge. |
|
fdottampabay.com, About: The Sunshine Skyway Bridge is the gateway to Tampa Bay and the flagship bridge of Florida. The Skyway Lighting Project is a unique enhancement, unlike any other in the world. The project will stand for the Tampa Bay region as an inspiration for residents and all who visit. This project will install decorative lighting on the Sunshine Skyway Bridge, creating a visual aesthetic and enhancing safety and security by providing more light to the underside of the bridge. The lighted section will include all the sloped and main span of the bridge for a total of 8,860 feet (1.7 miles) along the bridge. Column Lights: The wide faces of all columns will be illuminated by floodlighting fixtures mounted to the underside of the deck and box girders, washing along the height of each column, fading out as it gets toward the water line. Profile Lights: Along the length of the main span and high level approaches, "necklace" lights will be mounted on brackets that allow the fixtures to be directed straight out. Construction Cost: $15.6 million |
|
07.30.19, $15,600,000 for fancy disco lights, $00,000,000 for jumper prevention. no doubt the $15,600,000 will grow to much more, when rolling in the constant maintenance such a display will require.
our involvement with the lights. facebook article posts |
| 03.03.19: 2nd annual skyway 10k |
 skyway10k.com • facebook/skyway10k |
| 12.08.18: What is SkywayBridge.com? |
|
12.08.18, CoinTrader, cointrader21.wordpress, The following is an interview we conducted with the administrator for the website SkywayBridge.com. The website tracks suicide attempts and suicides from the Skyway Bridge. The Skyway Bridge is in the Tampa Bay area of Florida. It joins the cities of St. Petersburg and Palmetto/Bradenton together. CT: What is SkywayBridge.com? SB: SkywayBridge.com is a website focused on those that choose to jump off the Skyway Bridge of their own accord and less about the iconic structure that greets tourists as the gateway to Tampa Bay. CT: Over the last 10 years have you seen a trend of increasing suicides or suicide attempts from the Skyway Bridge? SB: The last four years has seen an increase. 2018 is a record year, with 2017 running second. CT: In your own opinion, why do you think people choose the Skyway Bridge to commit suicide? SB: Maybe because they think it’s a sure way out. I have had people contact me saying they thought about it, but after reading so many details [on my website] indicating it’s not such a sure thing, they changed their minds. perhaps they found another way out, who knows. CT: Which types of things has the local government in the Tampa Bay area done to try to deter or prevent suicide attempts from the bridge? SB: They added crisis phones at the six major jump spots. However, phone users tend to not be people that really want to jump. People that are going to jump, tend to not use the phones. They’ve also increased the number of patrols from state troopers on the bridge. CT: Which types of things could the local government do there to improve the quality of life so fewer people would attempt suicide? SB: Address the sad state of mental health service and its decline. CT: Over the next 10 years where do you see the trend going of people attempting suicide from the Skyway Bridge? SB: There’s been two record years now, I hope something will get done to reduce the number of suicides. I’m not sure what that will be. CT: Are there any other thoughts you’d like to add? SB: I have many other thoughts, please visit my website for more information. |
| 03.04.18: the inaugural skyway 10k |
|
02.07.18, bradenton.com, The sold-out Skyway Bridge 10K race will be on TV 03.04.18, heraldtribune.com, Skyway Bridge 10K a punctual, beautiful race event. 04.17.18, bradenton.com, is there room on the Skyway for another road race? 05.07.18, baynews9.com, another road race across the Skyway Bridge? 06.19.18, bradenton.com, Skyway 10K returning in 2019. skyway10k.com • facebook/skyway10k |
| 06.05.17: the future skyway 10k |
|
06.05.17, bradenton.com, New half-marathon would close Sunshine Skyway on New Year’s Day, The Palmetto City Commission on Monday approved their part for a new Skyway half-marathon that would take runners across the landmark bridge and into the city. There is one final approval needed and if that happens, the bridge would be closed for three hours on New Year’s Day. Organizers say New Year’s Day is historically the lowest day for traffic crossing the bridge between 6 a.m.-9 a.m. and estimate the event would affect about 1,000 vehicles. They will reimburse the state for the loss in tolls. Event organizer Shane Henry, of EventCO LLC, said an aggressive marketing campaign will hopefully eliminate all inconvenience to motorists in the future, as hopes are running high this will become an annual event. "I believe in this event and believe it can be a premier event," Henry said while noting he has been trying to make this a reality for four years. "There’s an opportunity here. Nationwide, New Year’s Day is a huge running day. The planned route for the half-marathon would begin at the southbound Skyway rest area on the north end of the bridge, with runners coming south into Palmetto and ending at Blackstone Park. Palmetto’s role is small, but the city had to approve a special function permit for the race to turn off of U.S. 41 and onto 23rd Avenue West toward the park. "The event, one of Florida’s most unique running courses, has the potential to quickly grow to be known as the premier road race in the state, garnering crowds from all over the world like those seen at races in Philadelphia, Chicago and Miami," which feature over 20,000 participants, organizers said. Henry predicts up to 5,500 runners for the inaugural Skyway half-marathon, but approval must still come from Manatee County, which Henry hopes will step up as the event’s primary facilitator. Parts of U.S. 41 south into Palmetto would also be closed between 6-9 a.m.. All roads, including the bridge, are expected to reopen by 9 a.m. Henry said the 13.1-mile course would provide participants with a unique view from the bridge overlooking Tampa Bay as they ascend nearly 200 feet to the top of the bridge right around sunrise on New Year’s Day. The event proposes to raise $125,000 for charities, including Southeastern Guide Dogs, Easter Seals, Boys and Girls Club, Wounded Warrior Project, Keep Manatee Beautiful and more. Henry said other municipalities required to sign no objection letters by the Florida Department of Transportation have already said they would do so, and all that is left is Manatee County’s approval. A Finish Festival is planned at the county’s Blackstone Park with entertainment, vendors, food, souvenirs and awards. The race will be streamed live on LED screens at Blackstone. "Palmetto is one stop, but a very important stop," Henry said. "We have several more to go, but we are feeling cautiously optimistic. It’s fair to say the response has been positive so far. Some think it’s a crazy idea, but say, ‘Hey, if you are going to go for it, go all the way, so why not?’ " The FDOT has not commented officially on the possibility of closing the Skyway on New Year’s Day. Henry said FDOT doesn’t concern itself with what event is applying for road closures, rather than the closure itself. So as long as the municipalities are on board, FDOT could likely approve the closure. Mayor Shirley Groover Bryant said when Henry first approached her about his idea, "I was somewhat pessimistic." Henry said she was certainly not the first to express that over the last four years. "I’ve been laughed off the phone several times," Henry said. "I have tell them, ‘No, I’m serious.’ We have gotten closer each year and we are closer than ever this year. I am optimistic it’s going to happen this year, but if for some reason it doesn’t, I’ll be back next year." 06.06.17, mysuncoast.com, Manatee County to consider plans for half-marathon over Sunshine Skyway Bridge PALMETTO, FL (WWSB) - Right now it's illegal for anyone to run or walk across the Sunshine Skyway Bridge, but if one man gets his way, running on the span would be allowed for just one day in 2018. Palmetto officials say New Years Day is historically the slowest day for traffic which is why it would be the best day to host a half marathon on the Sunshine Skyway Bridge. "It's an opportunity to do something that I feel is once in a lifetime," said Parrish resident and avid runner Adam Johnson. Johnson is keeping his plans open on the first day of 2018. New Years Day could mark the first half-marathon from Saint Petersburg to Blackstone Park in Palmetto crossing over the Sunshine Skyway Bridge. "It's definitely novel," said Johnson. "Usually most runs are on a straight path (and) occasionally you'll get a hill." Johnson and his friends see the bridge's 200-foot incline a challenge worth accepting. "When you have some inclines, there's ups and downs but there's breaks in between," said Johnson. "So I think a steady incline forward all the way up is going to be extremely challenging." For event organizer Shane Henry, the biggest challenge is closing the southbound lanes of the bridge to cars from 6 a.m. to 9 a.m. but said it would only inconvenience about 1,000 drivers during that three hour period. "I really think that it will be a minimal amount of inconvenience to anyone, if anyone at all." The Florida Department of Transportation would close southbound I-275 from the Pinellas Bayway in Saint Petersburg to U.S. 19 in Palmetto. Suncoast visitor Soumaya Maadarani believes closing the busy bridge would be inconvenient for many drivers. "I believe it's not a great idea to close it if it's new year," said Maadarani. "That's going to be a lot of delays (and) frustrations." Henry has been working for the last four years to make this happen. He said the effort to help local non-profits and bring together the community is well worth it. "I truly feel we can build this into a premiere running event much like Gasparilla where people travel from all over the world to experience this," said Henry. Event organizers need approval from Manatee County before the event can become official. 12.03.17, bradenton.com, Park your cars: Foot traffic will take over Sunshine Skyway in March St. Petersburg - On March 4, it won’t be cars seen going over the Sunshine Skyway Bridge. Instead, it is expected to be thousands of runners, setting the pace to raise funds for military families. The Skyway 10k is set to be the first to send foot traffic across the Bob Graham Sunshine Skyway Bridge, since its opening in 1987, according to race officials. It’s an event a year in the making, finally coming to fruition. "The Sunshine Skyway Bridge is the northern gateway to Manatee County and the Skyway 10K has all the makings of an outstanding event for this area," Manatee County Administrator Ed Hunzeker said in a release. "People will come from far and wide to be a part of history and to see the breathtaking views from atop the Skyway. Best of all, the proceeds will go to benefit local veterans and their families." Manatee County is home to more than 40,000 veterans year-round, according to Lee Washington, Manatee County veterans services manager. But the race will require officials to shut down some traffic to the Sunshine Skyway Bridge. Northbound traffic on the bridge will be shut down from 4 to 10 a.m. on March 4. Motorists will be rerouted. Southbound traffic will remain open. "The amount of time that it’s going to take to close the bridge was minimized and picked at a non-rush time period, so we’re trying to do everything we can to help out a very important cause without having a dramatic effect on Tampa Bay," said Florida Highway Patrol spokesman Sgt. Steve Gaskins. Gaskins said it would take too many resources to have the southbound side of the bridge take on both directions of traffic during the 10K. They are also factoring in a reimbursement of tolls that would normally be paid during that time. "To close this bridge, we don’t do it lightly, whether it be fog, high winds, storms, anything like that. it’s not a decision we make very lightly and we try to get that bridge open as soon as we can," Gaskins said. But lending a hand for the race is something Gaskins said FHP is happy to do, as many troopers have previously served in the armed forces. "It’s a natural, easy fit from being veterans to go to law enforcement, especially highway patrol, so we’re very happy, very proud to be a part of this situation," Gaskins said. Race officials hope that by talking about the event early, residents and visitors will know about the race and be able to plan for the bridge closure. "We’re hoping that they’ll be understanding that it’s for such a great cause," said James Judge, spokesman for the Armed Forces Families Foundation, which will benefit from the race’s proceeds. Participants will take off from the rest area just south of the bridge on Interstate 275, run over the bridge and end 6.2 miles later at the north rest area. A bus will carry participants from Tropicana Field to the south end of the bridge for the start of the race. The bus will also return participants to Tropicana Field from the north rest stop for the award ceremony, according to the news release. Race participation will be capped at 7,000 people and the entry fee is $75. Registration opened Wednesday. Organizers expect the race to sell out and plan to expand the number of participants in future years. "The Skyway Bridge has been ranked one of the top three bridges in the world, so we have no doubt that this event will sell out," said Thaddeus Foster, board member of AFFF, in a release. "Who wouldn’t want to run across the Sunshine Skyway Bridge in the Tampa Bay area during March?" All proceeds from the race will go toward the Armed Forces Families Foundation (AFFF), a non-profit organization that gives 100 percent of funds raised to projects that benefit military families, according to the news release. Organizers hope they will raise about $500,000 from the race. An AFFF board member came to Judge in October 2016 with the idea. It’s taken over a year for them to finalize many of the details. "It’s tremendous. I mean, this is a wonderful event the whole community is going to appreciate and will grow to appreciate it. Who can’t agree to supporting our armed forces and their families?" Judge said. But there are still a few details to work out between now and race day. One of which, is how people will watch the race. Those looking to watch their friends and loved ones cross the finish line may have to settle for watching on the big screen. Organizers are still working out a way to set up viewing monitors form a spectating area at Tropicana Field, according to the release. A half-marathon that was being planned for New Years Day on the Sunshine Skyway Bridge has been postponed, according to organizer Shane Henry. Henry said in an email to the Herald that the half-marathon has been rescheduled to New Years Day 2019 due to several delays in the approval process. He added that he wishes the organizers of the Skyway 10K success in their inaugural year. 12.11.17, wfla.com, Skyway 10k sold out, still accepting volunteers, ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (WFLA) – Registration for the Skyway 10k run across the Sunshine Skyway Bridge is closed. The event reached its maximum 7,000 participant capacity only five days after being announced. The event will be held on March 4. Anyone interested in volunteering or sponsoring the 10k can still do so by going online or emailing info@skyway10k.com. The run will begin on I-275 at the area area just south of the bridge and end at the rest area on the north side of the bridge, a total of 10 kilometers, or 6.2 miles. All proceeds from the event will support the Armed Forces Families Foundation, a non-profit organization that provides 100 percent of funds raised to projects that help military families. 08.16.14, earlier article about this. skyway10k.com • facebook/skyway10k |
| 03.13.17: opinion - Is FHP too quick to close the Skyway Bridge? |
|
03.13.17,
heraldtribune.com, By Tom Lyons, Columnist Casey Ingram has a reasonable commute to his business, most days. Scenic, too. From his house in northern Manatee County, he goes north on the Sunshine Skyway Bridge and travels 18 miles to his flower shop in St. Petersburg. What better way to start a workday than with a pelican's-eye view of Tampa Bay? But then there are those other days when it is stormy or foggy and when, Ingram would say, people should drive slower and be extra careful. The thing is, they don't always have that option. On some of those days, someone at the Florida Highway Patrol instead decides that safety requires closing the Skyway Bridge to all traffic. That requires blocking multiple entrance ramps and usually results in long traffic backups and thousands of frustrated commuters, Ingram included. Everyone agrees it is a mess whenever that happens. But safety first, right? "We err on the side of caution," FHP spokesman Sgt. Steve Gaskins dutifully says every time he is asked about it. That last thing the FHP wants is a terrible accident in which cars end up plunging into the bay, he told me. Policy calls for a shutdown as soon as sustained winds on the bridge hit 40 mph. But could that policy maybe be changed to something like slowing the speed limit on the bridge in bad weather to, say, 20 mph? That would barely slow things down by comparison. Ingram would love that. Gaskins says no, because not everyone would obey the speed limit. "I'm sorry for his inconvenience, but I'm not going to sacrifice the safety of all the drivers," Gaskins said. As is, Ingram's 18-mile commute becomes a 75-mile drive around and through Tampa on those days. He still has to cross the bay, on a different bridge but in the same weather, and often with far more traffic because of all the thousands of cars that were rerouted by the Skyway closing. That's safer? Ingram, begs to differ. "I submit that if safety is really the goal, then I and thousands of other drivers forced to drive 400 percent farther over unfamiliar routes and at the peak Tampa traffic times are put at far greater risk," he said in a letter he just handed me. The Skyway Bridge is closed for weather-related reasons about three or four times per year, on average. Isn't that just what similar bridge users everywhere have to expect? Ingram argues that it shouldn't be, and made a comparison with a better-known bridge to show that the FHP's "erring on the side of caution" thing is kind of extreme. He suggests we imagine the wind and fog that are famously part of San Francisco and how they impact the Golden Gate Bridge there. That bridge, by the way, is 40 feet higher than the Skyway's 180-foot water clearance and has a much longer span over nothing but air and bay. So how many times per year is the Golden Gate closed to traffic? Year after year, the number, almost always, is zero. Several historical websites report that since the Golden Gate opened in 1937, it closed for bad weather just three times. The most recent time I found was in 1983 when winds hit 75 mph. Even then, the bridge was closed for less than four hours. In 2013, Tropical Storm Debbie's lesser winds closed the Skyway for three days. Fog closed it twice in the same week last year. Could the FHP just maybe be erring a bit on the side of overdoing it? (one might think that on windy/foggy days, the speed limit could be lowered and/or high profile vehicles are restricted, as needed, instead of an outright closure.) |
| 02.07.17: Sunshine Skyway Bridge turns 30 years old. |
|
02.07.17, fox13news.com, TAMPA (FOX 13) - The Sunshine Skyway Bridge has become such a landmark symbol for the Tampa Bay Area that it's hard to imagine anything other than those giant yellow cables linking the bay. But 30 years ago, engineers were trying to reassure a jittery public about a brand-new bridge that had been born out of tragedy. The current bridge -- now formally known as the Bob Graham Sunshine Skyway Bridge -- was dedicated back on February 7, 1987. Crowds of people were invited to walk the span and get an up-close look at what was billed as the longest cable-stayed bridge in the western hemisphere. Peering over the concrete walls that day, pedestrians could get a good look at the bridge's predecessor -- including what was left of the original bridge's southbound span, partially destroyed in a tragic barge collision. The M/V Summit Venture slammed into one of the two original spans during a storm in 1980, sending a large section of the bridge -- and several vehicles -- plummeting into the bay. Thirty-five people died. Five years and $230-million later, engineers went out of their way to assure drivers that the new bridge was safer than its predecessor. They cited the pier protection structures, the wider space between the supports, and the motorist warning system. Before the bridge opened, FDOT allowed WTVT cameras inside the bridge deck to see the giant cables, along with the then-innovative concrete monitoring system. "Personally, I've talked one on one with the people involved in this project -- the engineers, up to the highest level -- when no one was around. And I say, 'Really, tell me. Is it really going to be safe?' And they say, 'Without question.' This bridge has been overbuilt, if that's possible," Florida Department of Transportation spokesperson Holly Wagner boasted at the time. Among those on hand to dedicate the new span was Wesley MacIntire, the lone driver to survive the Summit Venture tragedy. He seemed ready to move on, and the new bridge was a step in that direction. "They want to forget the past, I would imagine. Everybody does. I want to forget it, too. But I figured seeing something new like this would be nice, and I feel like I'm part of the new bridge," he said. Sen. Bob Graham, who championed construction of the bridge as governor, was the grand marshal of the dedication parade. He, too, spoke of the new bridge -- which would later bear his name -- rising out of the shadow of the tragedy. "We have built a bridge here for the 21st Century," he proclaimed. "This is a statement that Florida is looking to its future." The bridge officially opened to traffic a few weeks later, on April 20, 1987. Three decades later, FDOT says 58,000 drivers cross it everyday -- yet it appears to be holding up better than anyone could have hoped. "We fully anticipate that it will last the hundred years that it was designed for," said Jim Jacobsen, an FDOT engineer. "Most of the maintenance we're doing now is really preventative maintenance. We're not playing catch-up. We're applying coatings that you can probably see when you cross the bridge now that keep the concrete seal from the salts in the air." Jacobsen says the state-of-the-art materials have helped the bridge, which has a 180-foot clearance, stand the test of time. "We're fortunate the concrete that was used 30 years ago was a newer-type concrete design and it's very dense concrete and it's really kept the salt water out of the concrete," he said. "The bridge is actually performing better than expected for its age." |
| 09.28.16: Skipping the Skyway: Future Alternatives to Crossing the Bay. |
|
09.28.16, wtsp.com, When you drive to work during rush hour in any city, you can expect to get stuck in some traffic. You have probably figured out your best way to work; maybe you leave a little early to avoid the rush or you take an alternate route to avoid the busiest roads. But what if the only option you have to get to work is a bridge that is infamous for closing? Interstate 275 runs through Tampa Bay via the Sunshine Skyway bridge. It is the only roadway that directly connects Pinellas and Manatee counties. So far in 2016, the bridge has closed seven times. When 10News WTSP posted a story about the Skyway on its Facebook page, viewers had a lot to say. Many of them, for instance were fired up with how often it closes. "Stop closing the bridge so much," wrote Jason Lemske. "Quit closing it when it's windy!!!! Have the state troopers make the tractor-trailers turn around, but let us cross it at 25 mph," wrote Darly Haworth. "There seems to be no rhyme or reason for the abundance of closures," noted Kathy Levin-Turner. The Skyway closes for weather events like heavy fog and high winds. Because it's so high above the bay, it's not safe for vehicles to cross when winds are sustained at 40 mph or when fog drastically reduces visibility. The Florida Highway Patrol monitors weather conditions constantly and decides when to close the bridge. Every viewer who commented on our Facebook post expressed frustration with the frequent closures. However, our problems with the Skyway are not as big as they feel. Out of the seven closures this year, two were for more than 24 hours during severe weather. We did the math and the bridge has been closed for roughly 60 hours this year. There have been about 6,500 hours in the year as of the air date of this story, Sept. 27. So, the Skyway has been closed less than 1% of our time. That doesn't sound so bad, does it? Of course, it is still a nuisance when the bridge does close. Drivers have to detour onto Interstate 75 through Hillsborough County, which can add an extra hour to the drive time. So, we took your suggestions to the Florida Department of Transportation to see if there will ever be another option to cross the Bay. One of the most common solutions you brought up on Facebook is lowering the bridge, so it doesn't close so much for weather. "Can we lower this bridge and use Port Manatee instead for the cruise ships?" asked Marinella Kirk. We brought this question to Kristen Carson, FDOT spokesperson. "When you talk about lowering a bridge, rebuilding a bridge, you're talking about millions if not billions of dollars. It is not something we're going to consider right now," said Carson. You also proposed a tunnel that would go underneath Tampa Bay, a thought that's been considered before. "We had that suggestion years ago and again that comes down to millions if not billions of dollars for a tunnel," said Carson. Two of your solutions are actually possible. "What IS needed is a ferryboat service between St. Pete and Manatee," wrote Robin Tice. "I have not heard of one in the talks. Not to say that wouldn't happen in five to 10 years. Who knows?" said Carson. In the next 10 or 20 years, there could actually be mass transit across the bay. FDOT is funding a two-year premium transit study right now for Tampa Bay. The department is working to determine where mass transit could be beneficial. Carson also explained that once the Tampa Bay Express Project is complete, it will be easier for drivers to detour when the Skyway Bridge closes. Interstates in Hillsborough and Pinellas counties will have express lanes to allow drivers to bypass heavy traffic. You can join in on the Sunshine Skyway bridge conversation on Road Warrior Hilary Zalla's Facebook page. Let us know what you think about the future of travel between Pinellas and Manatee counties. |
| 08.16.16: TRAFFIC WATCH - 444 days of bridge repairs ahead. |
|
08.16.16, fox13news, ST. PETERSBURG (FOX 13) - Bridge repairs could impact the commutes of Bay Area drivers of the next few months. The project includes repair and rehabilitation work on I-275, US 19, SR 55 and the Skyway Bridge. The M&J Construction Company said it will commence work on the project toward the end of September and will last more than a year -- 444 working days, to be exact. They said they hope to have the project wrapped up by December, 2017, but Florida weather could slow the process. Workers will be scheduled nearly round-the-clock, in an effort to wrap things up as quickly as possible. The areas targeted for repair include: - I-275 southbound over Bunce's Pass - Sunshine Skyway Bridge over Tampa Bay - Dick Misener Bridges southbound and northbound The state Department of Transportation said the impact on commuters should be minimal and they do not expect delays. |
| 03.15+17.16: fog shuts down the skyway. |
|
03.17.16,
wtsp.com, Closing Skyway Bridge is no easy task. The Skyway Bridge has closed twice this week during morning rush hour because of heavy sea fog. On Tuesday morning, the Florida Highway Patrol closed the bridge at 5:30 a.m. for about 8 hours. The department had to close the bridge again on Thursday morning from 5 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. It's no surprise drivers have been frustrated during morning rush hour as the Skyway is the only bridge connecting Manatee and Pinellas counties. The Florida Highway Patrol told 10News WTSP it does not take the closure lightly, calling it a "massive project" with "lots of manpower." Two troopers have to be pulled in to shut down both the Manatee and Pinellas County sides and to clear out the rest areas. Even more, thousands of dollars is lost in revenue from the two toll plazas. So, what are the conditions for the Skyway to close? According to FHP, there has to be sustained high winds of 40 mph or fog that limits visibility to less than 100 feet. Unfortunately, there is no chance FHP will keep it open and hope drivers take it slow. The reason? With visibility so low, there is a higher chance of an accident and the possibility of a car falling 200 feet into the Bay. 03.18.16, tampabay.com, More than 50,000 cars, and $60,000, did not pass through Skyway during fog closures, state says. Aside from, perhaps, a few years on a few thousand commuters’ lives, what did the fog that closed the Sunshine Skyway bridge twice this week cost? Toll revenue. You know the deal by now. Warm, humid air met slightly cooler water. Together they made sea fog so thick that drivers on the Skyway would have seen less than 100 feet in front of them. So the Florida Highway Patrol shut the bridge down, for hours on Tuesday morning and then again on Thursday morning, just as commuters were flipping on their headlights, setting off lengthy detours and hefty traffic delays. Some choice curse words later, everyone was (probably) where they needed to be. But all of those people — on their way to work or school or the airport or the beach — did not pay their usual tolls to pass over the region’s signature bridge. A state Department of Transportation spokesman said an estimated total of 54,000 cars or trucks did not drive across the Skyway this week when the span was closed. The resulting revenue loss? About $66,000, said the spokesman, David R Botello. SunPass users pay $1.06 every time they pass over the bridge, and a dollar more for each additional axle. Cash payers dish out $1.25, and the same for each additional axle. Friday morning, the fog was not so soupy, and the Skyway was open as usual. |
|
|
|
site map •
contact •
top of page
►feel suicidal? |
|
|
