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HAB911

(8,811 posts)
Mon May 11, 2020, 10:48 AM May 2020

The Skyway bridge across Tampa Bay collapsed 40 years ago last Sunday

Spurred me to dig up a couple of photos. The first is from when I frequently crossed it, but would never do so with a ship in the channel or during very bad weather. I was waiting for this squall to pass before crossing. Pre-1980.

The second, of the new bridge, was taken last summer, a panorama of which was entered in the summer contest (3rd place)



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The Skyway bridge across Tampa Bay collapsed 40 years ago last Sunday (Original Post) HAB911 May 2020 OP
I remember crossing the Tampa Bay bridge not long before it collapsed katmondoo May 2020 #1
Yes, I always called it fragile HAB911 May 2020 #5
traffic backed-up at the bridge RicROC May 2020 #2
Once in the nineties, i was crossing the bridge on a business errand when... soryang May 2020 #3
Wow, I would have loved to have seen that! HAB911 May 2020 #4
One of the things I love about the beaches of the South dixiegrrrrl May 2020 #6
thank you! HAB911 May 2020 #7

katmondoo

(6,454 posts)
1. I remember crossing the Tampa Bay bridge not long before it collapsed
Mon May 11, 2020, 11:29 AM
May 2020

I was so scared driving over the bridge I said to myself never ever drive over this bridge again. I never had to as it crashed. I felt I had some kind of premonition while crossing over it.

HAB911

(8,811 posts)
5. Yes, I always called it fragile
Mon May 11, 2020, 11:55 AM
May 2020

Actually two bridges of 2 lanes each with see through steel grating at the top that was not only loud from tire noise but made the vehicle sort of wobble from side to side. I had a van at the time and a strong wind could push it from one lane into the next.

RicROC

(1,202 posts)
2. traffic backed-up at the bridge
Mon May 11, 2020, 11:39 AM
May 2020

Many years ago my snowbird parents drove to Florida on their way to Bradenton FL on the south side of this bridge. When they approached this Skyway bridge from the north, traffic was backed up such that they just sat in their car for over ½ hour.

Finally, traffic began to move again, such that after they were on the bridge, they realized the stopped traffic was due to ceremonies to re-open the rebuilt bridge. My folks were one of the first to drive onto the 'new' Skyway bridge.

soryang

(3,299 posts)
3. Once in the nineties, i was crossing the bridge on a business errand when...
Mon May 11, 2020, 11:48 AM
May 2020

a B-1 bomber flat hatting toward the bay from the west did a flare turn in front in the central span right next to me as I passed. I thought he was going to hit the bridge.

dixiegrrrrl

(60,010 posts)
6. One of the things I love about the beaches of the South
Sat May 23, 2020, 12:27 AM
May 2020

and esp. Fla. are the magnificent cloud scapes that seem to dwarf everything below.

I esp. like the way they frame the bridge in the 2nd pic.

HAB911

(8,811 posts)
7. thank you!
Sat May 23, 2020, 09:07 AM
May 2020

the thing about photography is you have to be there and have a camera to capture. Back in my working days, as in the top picture, I always carried my camera with me, always.

For the 2nd, we were at Ft. Desoto, so this is looking east to the bridge. In awe of the secene, I failed to appreciate what I was looking at, and we continued our day there and drove up the coast, stopped and ate lunch, continued our drive towards Clearwater and it finally hit me as the sky darkened. That was a violent summer storm approaching, so we turned east and headed back to Tampa. Of course it was too late, and we were on the Howard Franklin bridge when it hit us. We drove across the bay at 10 mph, but everyone was civil and I never had to touch my brakes the entire way.

We were there on THE day, any other day of the year would have ho-hum.

you have to be there and have a camera

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