Bridge Closure Warning Issued for Tampa as Hurricane Milton Nears

Officials have urged people to plan their evacuation routes carefully, with several major bridges in the Tampa Bay area set to close on Wednesday as Hurricane Milton barrels towards Florida’s west coast.
Milton is a Category 5 storm with maximum sustained wind speeds of 160 mph, according to the National Hurricane Center’s latest advisory.
As of 4 p.m. CDT on Wednesday, the storm was 300 miles southwest of Tampa. Milton is expected to remain an “extremely dangerous” hurricane when it makes landfall on Florida’s west coast near Tampa late on Wednesday or early Thursday, according to the hurricane center. It comes just two weeks after Hurricane Helene hit western Florida before plowing across several Southeastern states, killing more than 200 people.
Authorities have issued mandatory evacuation orders across 14 Florida counties, and Tampa Mayor Jane Castor has warned residents that they will “die” if they fail to act on evacuation orders.
The Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT), the Florida Highway Patrol and local police departments in Tampa and Clearwater are coordinating the closures of bridges in the Tampa Bay Area ahead of Milton’s arrival.
“Residents should take potential bridge closures into account when planning evacuation routes and timing,” the department said in a post on Facebook. “Keep in mind, there may come a time when it is no longer safe or possible to evacuate using these bridges.”
The bridge will close when sustained wind speeds exceed 45 mph. The FDOT said it anticipates a full closure of the Sunshine Skyway by Wednesday afternoon.
The Howard Frankland and Gandy bridges, which are monitored by the Florida Highway Patrol, will close when water encroaches on the approaches.
The FDOT said its crews will work to close the bridges when the Florida Highway Patrol deems it necessary, which is anticipated to be by Wednesday afternoon.
The Courtney Campbell Causeway, which is monitored by the Tampa and Clearwater police departments, will close when water gets close to the approaches and makes travel unsafe. The FDOT says it anticipates that will also be necessary by Wednesday afternoon.
The FDOT warned that people should not cross the bridges once they are closed, even if there are no officers or physical barriers blocking them.
“When bridges close in advance of a storm making landfall, law enforcement and traffic resources may be present to guide motorists, however, there will be a time when it is no longer safe for personnel (FDOT Crews, Troopers, and Officers) or any physical barriers that close the bridges to be on site,” the FDOT’s post said.
“The public is NOT allowed to cross the bridges once they are closed and should NOT cross the bridges, even if there are no physical barriers or officers there.”
The bridges will reopen after Milton makes landfall and the proper safety inspections have been carried out, the department said.