Sunshine Skyway, other Tampa Bay bridges, reopen after Hurricane Milton shutdowns

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Three bridges that connect Pinellas to Manatee and Hillsborough counties have been reopened, including the Sunshine Skyway, the Florida Department of Transportation has announced.

The Sunshine Skyway Bridge over Tampa Bay closed 11:30 a.m. Wednesday ahead of Hurricane Milton’s arrival to Florida’s Gulf Coast.

Tampa Bay area bridges close when wind speeds exceed 45 miles per hour, according to the Florida Highway Patrol.

The National Hurricane Center reported sustained winds of 73 mph, and a gust of 102 mph was recorded at the Skyway Fishing Pier’s WeatherFlow station around 9 p.m. Wednesday, about half an hour after the Category 3 storm made landfall at Siesta Key near Sarasota.

Milton had 120 mph winds in places when it made landfall.

FDOT reported the Howard Frankland Bridge and Gandy Bridge, which connect Tampa to parts of Pinellas County, are open, too. The Courtney Campbell Causeway, which connects Clearwater to Tampa, remains closed.