Sunshine Skyway Bridge

My father Homer (Bill), was an engineer for the Florida DOT and did a lot of work on this bridge. He was on the old bridge when the barge ran into the span. He was part of the rescue effort, yelling down to boats attempting to rescue survivors or recover bodies.

He had terrible dreams the rest of his life concerning this terrible accident and he had trouble with his vocal cords, after having yelled down to the rescue boats.

We also liked to fish off the old bridge and we caught many fine fish.

Robin:

There were more than 3 women on this job. I worked for Paschen Contractors who did the main span. My name then was Brenda Leftwich, (I've since remarried). There was a woman named Amy that operated a tower crane. There were several other women that did various jobs. I don't remember a Robin. Maybe you worked for a different company that did not work on the main span. I worked there from 1984 to late 1986 and my first husband also worked there during that time. Robin, do you have any photos of yourself there? Maybe that would ring a bell. I do have photos but I will need to scan them in.

I was the only female Concrete Batchman (womyn) and maybe the 1st of maybe 3 women on the whole job...( the rest were boat operators or QC ) I batched all the concrete on the main pier foundations on the Skyway back in 1984.( Right Mikey?) The job was bid at 6 million and we built a floating batch plant at a cost of 3 million. We had to run around this barge the size of a football field and hit this batch plant with hammers to keep it running!We built an 180 ton Ammonia Ice Plant on it ( cause we couldnt add water) it had 4 and 6 yard mixers and 2 portland tankers on the back. Boy, could I tell some stories!!! The BEST Job I was EVER Proud to be a part of! Email me if you also worked there during the first part of the job, on the main pier foundations. Like Bigfoot Dave...or Jim Norton?

"There's 3 ways of Building this Bridge " we were told...

"The Right way... The Wrong Way.. and THE HARDAWAY!!! "

Bwwwwaaaaaa!! ....Robin

Keywestwym@aol.com

Here's some info on it.

In June, 1982, construction began on this 4 mile, 6.4 km. bridge across Tampa Bay, Florida. The main span cable-stayed structure, with a precast deck superstructure, was designed by Figg & Muller, the approaches were designed by the Florida Dept. of Transportation. This massive bridge was equipped with a bridge protection system, designed by Parsons Brinkerhoff. This protection system was developed to withstand an impact from an 87,000-ton tanker traveling at 10 knots.

The Sunshine Skyway Bridge has a main span of 1200 ft., 365.7 m. and a vertical clearance of 193 ft., 58.8 m.. Completed in April, 1987, at a construction cost of approximately $245 million, the bridge safely carries four lanes of traffic (20,000 cars a day) back and forth from Pinellas County (St. Petersburg) to Manatee County.

Project Update:

As of 4-24-01

One of the 53 6 vertical steel tendons that hold together the bridge's 76 hollow pillars has failed from corrosion, and inspectors have discovered potentially harmful rust on several others. For more information click here. ( or copy and paste...

http://webmail.aol.com/43792/aol/en-us/Lite/MsgRead.aspx?folder=Inbox&uid=1.22417390&seq=1&searchIn=none&searchQuery=&start=0

This is a site devoted to historic bridges. The criterion that I have heard the most for "how old is historic?", is around 50 years. Now some cases can be made for spans that are not quite this old, but this bridge (although unique) would not be considered historic. Some bridges do get posted on this site simply because they are bridges, and not because they are historic.

That being said.....I would recommend that anyone wanting information on this bridge should contact the Pinellas County, Florida or the Tampa-St.Pete Tourism Bureau and they should be able to direct you.

Thanks

MORE INFO

This is ridiculous that I can't find out the height of the skyway bridge on a sight that is supposedly devoted to nothing but skyway facts! Get it together.

I'm interested in finding out the heights of the Sunshine Skyway Bridge. (the highest point)

Thanks

This Page really didn't help me at all, but some of the pictures were pretty cool. It was fun for observing, you just need a couple more fun facts about the bridge. I am doing a project for structural engineering about the Sunshine Skyway Bridge, and not only are you a website that needs more, but others are worse. I am not putting you down I think it is fabulous that you worked hard to get this website, but just a few more updates is all that I would ask for. THANKS any way

~Kina

theres this bridge in the woods nere the sherif station i was qurius obout it,it look's old it's got writeing on it it's white and tall so if you can e-m me back okay thank u so much...

More photo and find out of old bridge and new bridge. You see Wikipedia. What happen old bridge was collasped since 1980. thank you.