Following 1980 Fatal Crash, It Cost $244 Million To Rebuild Skyway Bridge

ST. PETERSBURG, FL — The Sunshine Skyway Bridge collapse occurred 42 years ago Monday when a freighter smashed into the span, resulting in 35 deaths.

The 609-foot Summit Venture freighter collided with a support column of the bridge on May 9, 1980, causing a Greyhound bus filled with passengers and drivers inside six cars to plunge to their deaths.

Capt. John Lerro, 37, had difficulty seeing the bridge on that morning he piloted the freighter. Strong winds and fog moved in from the Gulf of Mexico, multiple outlets reported.

“Mayday! Coast Guard! Mayday! Bridge crossing is down," Capt. Lerro exclaimed on the international hailing and distress-only frequency from the Venture shortly after 7:30 a.m., according to the Islander.

"The bridge is down. Call all emergency equipment onto the Skyway Bridge,'" Capt. Lerro continued on the frequency. "The Skyway Bridge is down. This is a major emergency situation. Stop the traffic on that Skyway Bridge."

A pickup truck fell from the bridge, landing on the freighter prior to it falling into the waterway, the outlet reported. Crews rescued the driver from the water, causing him to be the only survivor.

In December 1980, a judge ruled that Lerro did not act negligently and did act reasonably under the circumstances.

Lerro died in 2002 at 59 years old from multiple sclerosis.

The Original Sunshine Skyway Bridge

The original Sunshine Skyway, with a vertical clearance of 150 feet and a channel clearance of 864 feet, was a cantilever bridge constructed in 1954 at a cost of $22 million to address an increasing number of vehicles using the Bee Line Ferry to cross Tampa Bay, Road Traffic Technology said on its website.

Proceeding the crash, officials decided to replace the bridge because both the spans built in 1954 and 1971 were not of interstate standards. Construction began in 1984 and was completed in February 1987 totaling $244 million, according to Road Traffic.

"The shipping channel of the bridge was increased by 50 percent to ensure safety, while six dolphins, which are designed to withstand the impact of an 87,000 ton ship surrounding the bridge’s piers, were built to protect it," Road Traffic's website said.

The ends of the older bridge were converted into fishing piers.