Sunshine Skyway Bridge (Sarasota): By the Numbers

Bridge: Bob Graham Sunshine Skyway Bridge (I-275 / US-19).
Location: Tampa Bay entrance — connects St. Petersburg (Pinellas) to Terra Ceia (Manatee), near Sarasota County line.

Key Dimensions

• Main span: 1,200 ft (366 m) — cable-stayed.
• Total length: 4.14 mi (6.66 km) — including approaches.
• Vertical navigational clearance: 185 ft (56 m) at center — accommodates Panamax ships.
• Towers: 2 × 374 ft (114 m) pylons, 21 cable pairs each.
• Roadway: 4 lanes (2 each direction), full shoulders.

History

• Original (1954): Two-lane cantilever truss.
• 1980 disaster: MV Summit Venture (freighter) struck pier in storm → 1,200 ft span collapsed → 35 dead (Greyhound bus + cars).
• Current bridge: Opened 1987 (Figg & Muller design). $240M. Flagship cable-stayed in US.

Experience

Toll: $1.50 (SunPass) / $2.00 (cash) southbound only. Views: Tampa Bay, Egmont Key, Gulf horizon. Lightning protection: 120+ strikes/yr handled. Suicide prevention: 8-ft barriers + phones (1999+).

Not "in Sarasota" — but the iconic bridge for Sarasota-bound travelers from the north.