Sunshine Skyway Bridge
| Sunshine Skyway Bridge | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| Coordinates | 27°37′30″N 82°39′30″W / 27.625°N 82.65833°WCoordinates: 27°37′30″N 82°39′30″W / 27.625°N 82.65833°W |
| Carries |
  I-275 / US 19, 4 general purpose lanes |
| Crosses | Tampa Bay |
| Locale | South of St. Petersburg and north of Terra Ceia, Florida |
| Maintained by | FDOT |
| ID number | 150189 |
| Characteristics | |
| Design | Continuous prestressed concrete, cable-stayed bridge |
| Total length | 1.1 miles (1.8 km) |
| Width | 94 feet (29 m) |
| Height | 430 feet (131 m) |
| Longest span | 1,200 feet (366 m) |
| Clearance below | 180.5 feet (55 m) |
| History | |
| Opened | September 6, 1954 (original bridge, collapsed 1980) April 20, 1987 (new bridge) |
| Statistics | |
| Daily traffic | 50,500 |
| Toll | $1.25 for passenger cars or $1.06 with SunPass |
The Bob Graham Sunshine Skyway Bridge, commonly known as the Sunshine Skyway Bridge, is a bridge spanning Tampa Bay, Florida, with a cable-stayed main span, and a total length of 21,877 feet (4.1434 mi; 6.668 km). It is part of Interstate 275 (I-275) and U.S. Route 19 (US 19), connecting St. Petersburg in Pinellas County and Terra Ceia in Manatee County, Florida, passing through Hillsborough County waters. Construction of the current bridge began in 1982, and the completed bridge was dedicated on February 7, 1987. The new bridge cost $244 million to build, and was opened to traffic on April 20, 1987. It replaced an older bridge constructed in 1954, which was partly destroyed in a collision in 1980.
It is constructed of steel and concrete. Steel cables clad in 84 9-inch (230 mm) steel tubes (42 per pylon) along the center line of the bridge support the main span. It was designed by the Figg & Muller Engineering Group (who also designed the popular Seven Mile Bridge), and built by the American Bridge Company.
In 2005, an act of the Florida Legislature officially named the current bridge the Bob Graham Sunshine Skyway Bridge, after the former Governor of Florida and then U.S. Senator who presided over its design and most of its construction. According to sources, he was inspired to suggest the current design by a visit to France, where he saw a similar cable-stayed bridge, the Brotonne Bridge. The original bridge was dedicated to state engineer William E. Dean, as noted on a plaque displayed at the rest area at the south end of the bridge.
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