‘It was scary': Skyway Bridge recommendation for risk assessment stirs memories of collapse
PINELLAS COUNTY, Fla. (WFLA) — There's a push to prevent tragedy from happening again.
It's been one year since the devastating collapse of the Francis Scott Key bridge in Baltimore. This week, the National Transportation Safety Board released a new report that evaluated the safety of other bridges throughout the country.
Hurricane-damaged hotel in St. Pete Beach receives $34K internet/cable bill
The NTSB announced Maryland authorities overlooked important safety evaluations to determine the bridge's vulnerability to a collision.
'What we are telling bridge owners is that they need to know the risk and determine what actions they need to take to ensure safety,' NTSB Chair Jennifer Homendy said Thursday.
The agency is now drawing attention to 68 iconic bridges nationwide that need urgent risk assessments, including the Sunshine Skyway Bridge.
'I have confidence in the people that would follow up and check on it to make sure things are as safe as they can be,' said Evelyn Campbell.
The Skyway Bridge connects Pinellas and Manatee counties.
However, the history of the bridge comes with haunting memories for many.
On the morning of May 9, 1980, the Summit Venture hit the Skyway Bridge and caused a catastrophic collapse, similar to what happened to the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore.
'We were here,' said John Crescitelli. 'It was scary. It was frightening.'
Thirty-five people died when the Skyway Bridge collapsed.
'We never want any lives lost,' said Campbell. 'That was a terrible tragedy that occurred.'
It took years to design and construct a new bridge over Tampa Bay.
The Sunshine Skyway collapsed in 1980, but a new bridge did not open until 1987.
'It's a beautiful structure and just a marvel to us that we have it,' said Crescitelli.
The Florida Department of Transportation released a statement following the Francis Scott Key bridge last year.
The agency says a number of new safety features were built into the new Sunshine Skyway Bridge to prevent a similar tragedy. The full statement is below.
'Specifically, numerous safety enhancements have been implemented at the Skyway Bridge to safeguard against collisions. These measures include elevating the bridge, widening the channel, and incorporating two layers of protection for bridge piers. Most notably, features such as 'Dolphins,' which serve as physical barriers as well as rock islands that completely surround the main channel supports and go all the way to the sea floor. Additionally, Florida maintains continuous coordination with various stakeholders, including local law enforcement, the U.S. Coast Guard, and seaport authorities, to ensure comprehensive safety measures are in place.'
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Yahoo
Record amount of stinky seaweed piles up on Caribbean beaches
TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) — A record-breaking amount of sargassum seaweed is making its way through the Atlantic and Caribbean, piling onto beaches and creating a stinky mess. The brown prickly algae is suffocating shorelines from Puerto Rico to Guyana and beyond, disrupting tourism, killing wildlife and even releasing toxic gases that forced one school in the French Caribbean island of Martinique to temporarily close. Something brewing in the Caribbean? Meteorologists say it's social media hype University of South Florida researchers said the total amount of sargassum from all regions combined increased from 31 million tons in April to 37.5 million tons in May, marking a new record. Each region exceeded its historical record last month, except for the Gulf. As June gets underway, sargassum inundation is expected to continue for many Caribbean islands, as well as along Florida's southeastern coast. 'The peaks just seem to keep getting bigger and bigger year after year,' Brian Barnes, an assistant research professor at USF, said. But scientists don't know why yet. 'It's the million-dollar question,' he said. 'I don't have a supremely satisfying answer.' Three different types of sargassum exist in the Caribbean and nearby areas, reproducing asexually as they remain afloat thanks to tiny air sacs. They thrive in different ways depending on sunlight, nutrients and water temperature, factors that scientists are currently studying, Barnes said. Experts also have said that agricultural runoff, warming waters and changes in wind, current and rain could have an effect. While large clumps of algae in the open ocean are what Barnes called a 'healthy, happy ecosystem' for creatures ranging from tiny shrimp to endangered sea turtles, sargassum near or on shore can wreak havoc. It can block sunlight that coral reefs need to survive, and if the algae sinks, it can smother reefs and sea grasses. Once it reaches shore, the creatures living in the algae die or are picked off by birds, Barnes said. Huge piles of stinky seaweed also are a headache for the Caribbean, where tourism often generates big money for small islands. The Associated Press contributed to this report. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Fox News
29-05-2025
- Fox News
Cause of failed Alaska Airlines landing gear that sent passengers screaming revealed
Nearly two years after passengers screamed while sparks flew down a runway during the landing of an Alaska Airlines flight, the cause has been revealed. A final report by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) released on Tuesday points to "incorrect" maintenance work. The flight, which departed from Seattle, Washington, made a hard touchdown in Santa Ana, Calif., during Tropical Storm Hilary after the left main landing gear collapsed on touchdown. Video recorded by a passenger captured the plane slamming into the ground at high speed. Sparks were seen flying as the plane appeared to drag its left wing along the tarmac. Investigators revealed that the incident was caused by a "fatigue crack" of a metal trunnion pin, which is part of the left landing gear. The fracture formed from excessive grinding during a 2018 maintenance overhaul, which introduced heat damage to the metal. While the crack was initially not visible, it grew over time and ultimately "caused the pin to fracture during landing," the NTSB report said. "Results of this examination and previous NTSB investigations demonstrate that even relatively mild heat exposure from grinding and/or machining during overhaul can lead to cracking, which can lead to fatigue crack growth and failed landing gear components, as occurred in this accident," the report stated. The report added that the pin had endured more than 4,000 landing cycles since undergoing the 2018 maintenance work. The crack itself had likely been present for approximately 800 landing cycles, the NTSB found. Although the aircraft sustained substantial damage from the hard landing, all 112 passengers and crew members were able to deplane safely and without injury. Alaska Airlines previously said, "our focus is taking care of our guests who were on board, including retrieving their checked bags." "We apologize for the inconvenience and appreciate their patience during this situation." Alaska Airlines did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Fox News Digital.
Yahoo
28-05-2025
- Yahoo
‘You're Fine': Shark startles woman on Florida guided tour
PANAMA CITY, Fla. (WFLA)— A shark was caught on camera swimming by a woman who was on a guided tour near Panama City Beach. The tour operator, Chris Farley, with Flippin' Awesome Adventures, captured the moment the shark swam by the woman. 'You're Fine, you're fine,' Farley said reassuringly. The shark is believed to be a blacktip, Farley said in a post on Instagram. Summer pattern continues through Thursday 'You're Fine': Shark startles woman on Florida guided tour According to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, a blacktip shark is common in Florida's coastal waters, bays, and estuaries. 'Remember: this is their home. The Gulf is home to lots of sharks species, and humans. We're definitely not on the menu,' Farley said. The blacktip shark is active and is often seen at the surface. They usually form large schools during migration times, FWC said. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
