Projects

Sunshine Skyway Bridge

Sunshine Skyway Bridge

Tampa, Florida
United States
Sunshine Skyway

The Florida Department of Transportation’s District Seven office (FDOT) selected TYLin for an engineering services contract for the Bob Graham Sunshine Skyway Bridge (Sunshine Skyway Bridge) over Tampa Bay in Tampa, Florida.

Referred to as “Florida’s Flagship Bridge,” the signature cable-stayed Sunshine Skyway Bridge is 4.1 miles long, with over 50,000 vehicles crossing daily between St. Petersburg in Pinellas County to Terra Ceia in Manatee County, and over the Hillsborough County waters of Tampa Bay.

TYLin participates in the bi-annual Sunshine Skyway Preservation Team Meetings held with all major stakeholders. The meetings provide an overview of the health of the bridge and outline the next major action items.

Services under the on-call contract have included the rehabilitation design of the Sunshine Skyway Bridge and other bridges along the corridor, as well as bridge inspection, specialized studies such as wind load and sectional model tests, and emergency support.

Recent projects include TYLin’s design for an aesthetic lighting system, with renderings and cost analysis provided for a variety of options. The selected system uses two types of light fixtures, one shining on the piers and one illuminating the web of the segmental and main spans.

TYLin participates in the bi-annual Sunshine Skyway Preservation Team Meetings held with all major stakeholders. The meetings provide an overview of the health of the bridge and outline the next major action items.

Project Highlights:  

Other TYLin projects under the FDOT on-call contract: 

  • The design of a complex cathodic protection system for the main columns, the largest cathodic protection system in the state of Florida. 
  • The survey of the main span profile with a high-definition 3D laser utilizing Real Time Kinematic (RTK) positioning of the main spans. 
  • Vibration testing of all 84 cables using free vibration and cable tensions to ensure results within an acceptable range. 
  •  In-depth cracking analysis of the approach decking, which revealed issues in construction that led to the repair of transverse cracks along all 134 spans. 
  • Shear strengthening of low-level approach span beams with carbon fiber-reinforced polymer (CFRP) wrap to inhibit corrosion and help preserve a 100-year service life.  
  • The application of methyl methacrylate sealer on the high-level approach spans to inhibit corrosion, performed at night to increase safety for workers and the traveling public.

Services