Sunshine Skyway Bridge reopens as Hurricane Ian’s winds subside in Tampa Bay

The Sunshine Skyway Bridge is reopen to traffic on Thursday afternoon after dangerous winds from Hurricane Ian’s passage through Florida have calmed.

The bridge is safe to travel once wind speeds have dropped to 30 mph or less, according to the Florida Highway Patrol.

“Motorists may cross the span, but are asked to use caution due to debris along the highway shoulders,” the agency said in a news release.

The bridge was closed on Wednesday morning as Hurricane Ian’s approach raised wind speeds to 65 to 75 miles per hour over Tampa Bay.

Barrier island bridges reopen in Sarasota, Manatee

As of Thursday afternoon, the flow of traffic has been restored to the barrier islands off of Manatee and Sarasota counties.

Palma Sola Causeway and the Cortez Bridge are reopened.

The John Ringling Causeway and Siesta Key bridges had been reopened as of 12:30 p.m., the City of Sarasota said.

Stop at intersections with lights out

Hurricane Ian may be gone, but it left substantial damage to area roadways, Florida Highway Patrol trooper Kenneth Watson said Thursday.

Many local traffic signals are still out as crews work to restore power. Those intersections should always be treated as four-way stops, Watson stressed.

“Let’s not assume we have the right-of-way because we’re on a main thoroughfare like U.S. 41, S.R. 776 or U.S. 301,” Watson said. “Make sure that if those traffic signals are out you are coming to a stop and making sure that you are clear prior to entering the intersection.

Dangers on the roads

Some area roads also remain flooded or blocked by tree limbs.

“We certainly want to remember that when we’re driving through water, we don’t see what’s underneath,” Watson said. “There could be tree limbs. Parts of traffic control devices. Let’s not make assumptions.”

Watson urged drivers to remain alert and stay off of electronic devices while driving.

“We have a lot of people that are driving around looking at the damage and are not paying attention to the roadway,” Waston said. “And we certainly want to prevent any traffic crashes right now. All of the emergency response resources are stretched thin.”

“Let’s really slow down and make good decisions behind the wheel today,” Watson added.

This story was originally published September 29, 2022 at 1:10 PM.