News
ST. PETERSBURG — The original 1954 spans of the Sunshine Skyway Fishing Piers are about to come down.
But anglers, fret not. You will still be able to fish.
Beginning this week, construction crews will begin removing lights and fencing and completing other tasks to prepare the spans for demolition in early July.
The first round of demolition will remove several sections of the original span.
It was not clear when the other sections will be removed.
The public has not had access to the original spans, at the north and south ends of the Sunshine Skyway, since 2008 when they were deemed structurally unsound.
Instead, people have been using the spans built in 1970, which run parallel to the old ones.
"We're going to be operating the same as we have for the past three years," said Jamie Foster, a manager with Pier Associates.
The newer spans will remain open to the public while the work is done. The two bait shops on the north and south piers also will remain open.
The project is expected to cost about $2.2 million.
Foster said it has been difficult to get the message out that the pier will still be open.
"There's nobody out here fishing today because everybody thinks it is closed," she said.
Foster contends the demolition will actually improve fishing at the remaining pier.
Anglers will soon be able to throw their lines where the span once stood.
"You'll have more space," she said.
Loading...
