Pinellas County officials anticipate having to close all four major bridges by Wednesday afternoon, according to a news release sent at 10 a.m. “Anyone planning to evacuate across one of the bridges should do so now,” the release added.
The public should not—and will not be allowed to—cross bridgers that have been closed by city and law enforcement officials.
UPDATE As of 1:22 p.m., Sunshine Skyway, Howard Frankland and Gandy bridges are closed. Westbound Courtney Campbell is also closed.Message boards will announce when the bridges are closed when these conditions are met, according to the release:
Sunshine Skyway BridgeThe Sunshine Skyway Bridge will close when sustained wind speeds exceed 45 mph. Based on that, transportation officials anticipate a full closure of the Sunshine Skyway Bridge by Wednesday afternoon.- Howard Frankland and
Gandybridges The Howard Frankland and Gandy bridges are monitored by FHP. FDOT is notified when water is on the roads leading to the bridge. FDOT crews close these bridges when FHP deems it necessary for safety. Transportation officials anticipate this may become necessary by Wednesday afternoon. - Courtney Campbell Causeway This bridge is monitored by the Tampa Police Department and the Clearwater Police Department. FDOT works with these agencies to close this bridge when the water gets close to the approaches and makes it dangerous to drive. Officials anticipate this Causeway may close by Wednesday afternoon.
Hurricane Milton is expected to expand in size as it approaches Florida Gulf Coast and is expected to make landfall overnight.
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This article appears in Oct 3-9, 2024.