Howard Frankland, Gandy bridges reopen after Milton

The Howard Frankland and Gandy bridges swiftly reopened Thursday morning, Gov. Ron DeSantis said, after lower than expected storm surge spared the bridges from extensive damage.

The Courtney Campbell Causeway and Sunshine Skyway Bridge must be cleared of debris before reopening to drivers, DeSantis said. He expects them to open later in the morning.

Bridges across Tampa Bay are recovering at a far faster clip than they did in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene, when closures passed the 24-hour mark, light fixtures toppled and mounds of sludge littered roadways

Storm surge poses the biggest risk to bridges during a hurricane, said Jeff Brown, an engineering professor at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University. Hurricane Milton’s winds pushed water out of Tampa Bay last night, perhaps protecting low-lying local bridges from effects seen during Helene.

Times staff writer Romy Ellenbogen contributed to this report.