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Log in. Account Manage my subscription Activate my subscription Log out. See historic photos from the Sunshine Skyway bridge disaster 40 years ago On May 9, , a freighter struck the bridge, killing 35 people in one of the worst disasters in Tampa Bay history. In , our sister publication, South Tampa Magazine , took a deep dive into seven Tampa Bay-area bridges, and the feature quickly became a reader favorite.
It boasts gorgeous views of Old. Tampa Bay, recreational outlets, lush vegetation and plenty of sand. This 9. In , there was no direct connection between Clearwater and Tampa. Dredging contractor Ben T. Davis wanted to address this, so he obtained a franchise for the bridge. To say the least, it was not a quick process, but on January 28, , Davis finally completed the Davis Causeway, which he owned and operated. In , the federal government seized possession as part of the war effort, paying Davis roughly the same amount it cost to build it.
Campbell, who was known for his widespread beautification efforts. Today, the causeway is home to a variety of tropical plants and provides a natural sanctuary for many birds. Fishermen, joggers and beach enthusiasts regularly take advantage of its many recreational opportunities.
The beach along the Tampa side of the causeway is named in his honor. They have passionately, yet unsuccessfully, tried to have the causeway changed back to its original name. To address concerns about water quality north of the causeway, a foot section of bridge was constructed in to allow water to pass and provide a direct tidal connection to Old Tampa Bay for the first time since the causeway was first built.
No local bridge carries as many cars as the Howard Frankland. And none has had as many nicknames. But for the most part, those not-so-flattering monikers are a distant memory, as more than , vehicles travel across it every day. During the s, some local business leaders, in fact, insisted the Gandy Bridge and Courtney Campbell Causeway were sufficient for travel between Hillsborough and Pinellas counties.
But William Howard Frankland, a Tampa businessman, banker and state road board member, thought otherwise. He fought a long battle for approval to build the bridge, and it finally opened on January 15, At the start, however, it seemed plagued.
Soon, though, improvements were made to make it safer. A higher barrier was built to better separate traffic, the speed limit was lowered, and lights were installed. Petersburg and Tampa joined together again to build a wider structure to accommodate that growth.
The low-level twin trestles have a total length of 13,ft and are made of ft spans of precast pre-stressed girders. A total of spans with five girders form the low level trestles.
The high-level approach spans, made of post-tensioned segmental box girder segments totaling 18 spans, have a total length of 5,ft and are located on either side of the bridge. The main span comprises two towers located in the centre of the bridge, which is supported by 42 continuous stay cables with 21 located on either side, sheathed in 9in diameter steel pipes. The 40ft-wide roadway on the main span is made of over precast concrete segments. Following the accident in , ensuring the safety of the new bridge was a big priority.
The bridge was painted bright yellow to represent the sunshine state of Florida. The Skyway Bridge is currently undergoing routine repairs. The maintenance activities began in June and are expected to be completed in fall Controlled Demolition, a US based company, was responsible for the demolition of the olde bridge.
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The first Skyway bridge opened 66 years ago. It was a triumph. Then came the tragedy. It was one of the longest bridges in the world. It was almost named the Magic Carpet. By Gabrielle Calise. Published Sep. Explore all your options.
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