A major traffic crash on I-275 southbound brought the evening commute to a crawl Tuesday, creating lengthy delays for drivers crossing the Sunshine Skyway Bridge between Pinellas and Manatee counties.
According to WWSB, the crash initially blocked at least one lane on the bridge, causing traffic to back up for more than nine miles during peak travel hours. Drivers attempting to leave Pinellas County for Manatee County reported delays approaching an hour as congestion intensified.
Live speed sensors monitored by ABC 7’s traffic center showed vehicles moving at just six miles per hour around 5 p.m.—a near standstill on one of the region’s most critical commuter corridors. The Sunshine Skyway Bridge serves as a key link for workers, commercial traffic, and travelers moving through the Tampa Bay area, making disruptions especially impactful during rush hour.
By early evening, authorities confirmed that all lanes had reopened, and traffic conditions gradually improved. Still, transportation experts note that even brief lane closures on the bridge can have outsized effects due to limited alternate routes and high daily traffic volume.
Local officials routinely urge drivers to monitor real-time traffic updates and consider delaying travel or using alternate routes when incidents occur. “When something happens on the Skyway, it doesn’t just slow traffic—it reshapes the entire regional commute,” a transportation analyst familiar with the corridor said.
No immediate details were released about injuries or the cause of the crash. As traffic returned to normal, the incident served as another reminder of how quickly accidents on major infrastructure can ripple across multiple counties in Southwest Florida.
