Sunshine Skyway Bridge reopens after bomb squad investigation, police say

Florida Highway Patrol troopers have reopened all lanes of the Sunshine Skyway Bridge after a temporary closure on Wednesday.

According to St. Petersburg Police Department spokesperson Yolanda Fernandez, law enforcement agencies were investigating an abandoned vehicle containing a suspicious package. The bridge was cleared to reopen after a bomb squad from Tampa inspected the package.

FHP and the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office led the response to the incident, and St. Petersburg police provided traffic control, Fernandez said.

FHP announced the Skyway’s closure around 11:15 a.m. A traffic camera showed several law enforcement vehicles gathered in the northbound lanes of the bridge around what appeared to be the abandoned vehicle.

The agency reopened the bridge about an hour later.

During the closure, traffic in Pinellas and Manatee counties was diverted away from the bridge, and drivers were asked to take different routes.

Bradenton Herald reporter Michael Moore Jr. contributed to this report.

This story was originally published September 24, 2025 at 11:40 AM.