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Sunshine Skyway fishing pier to be rebuilt
The pier consists of two sections, with a north pier in Pinellas County side and a south pier in Manatee.
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis has provided a massive update on Tampa Bay’s Sunshine Skyway fishing pier.
DeSantis on Thursday said the south pier will be replaced with a new structure built next to the damaged one. He added that the north pier will be improved to extend its lifespan by two decades.
“This has been a major place for a lot of people,” DeSantis said during a press conference to announce he signed a bill that blocks the building of a cruise ship terminal in Manatee County.
“We’re aiming to have this project completed expeditiously so people can once again enjoy this great recreational attraction.”
READ MORE: Vintage St. Pete: Raising the Sunshine Skyway Bridge
The original Sunshine Skyway Bridge, which connects Pinellas County to Manatee County, was damaged, replaced, then converted into what the state advertises as the longest fishing pier in the world.
But 2024’s Hurricane Milton damaged the pier again, DeSantis said.
While DeSantis said it draws troves of anglers, “it’s also a popular recreational spot for photography, kite boarding, kayaking and just enjoying the sights and sounds of Florida’s beautiful Gulf Coast.”
The fishing pier is technically broken into two pieces, with a north pier on the Pinellas County side and a south pier on the Manatee County side.
Following a Florida Department of Transportation inspection, the state shut down a big chunk of the south pier last year. The Skyway Fishing Pier State Park is part of the state park system.
He said work had already begun to enhance parking and widen seawall sidewalks. Demolition of the south pier and the north pier’s unused, damaged portions will start later in the spring.
Douglas Soule is a reporter for WUSF, the NPR station for the greater Tampa Bay Region.
