High wind from Hurricane Idalia shuts down one of Florida’s most famous bridges
Rough weather and flooding from Hurricane Idalia prompted the closing Tampa Bay bridges early Wednesday.
The Sunshine Skyway, one of Florida’s most famous bridges, was closed to all traffic in both directions. And the northbound span of the Howard Frankland Bridge and the eastbound lanes of the Courtney Campbell Causeway were closed, according to the Florida Highway Patrol.
Troopers closed the Skyway shortly after 3 a.m. because of high winds from Hurricane Idalia. Florida previously suspended tolls on the bridge and other roads in the hurricane zone.
By 4 a.m., the Highway Patrol’s incident map showed the northbound span of the Howard Frankland had also been closed. Traffic cameras in the area showed water from Tampa Bay spilling onto the roadway.
The eastbound lanes of the Courtney Campbell Causeway were also closed due to storm surge and flooding, the Highway Patrol said in a news release issued about 6:15 a.m.
The Gandy Bridge remained opened as of that time, troopers said.
The Highway Patrol urged people to stay off the road until conditions improve.
Idalia was upgraded Wednesday to a Category 3 storm as it barreled north toward Florida’s Big Bend region and was expected to strengthen to a Category 4 storm before landfall.
