Fatal Crash Shuts Down Sunshine Skyway Bridge

Northbound lanes closed, southbound traffic gridlocked after Easter Sunday incident.

Apr. 5, 2026 at 6:08pm

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A fatal crash on the Sunshine Skyway Bridge in St. Petersburg, Florida has shut down all northbound lanes and caused severe gridlock on the southbound side. The Florida Highway Patrol responded to the incident just before 1 p.m. on Easter Sunday, but few details have been released about the circumstances of the crash or how many people or vehicles were involved.

Why it matters

The Sunshine Skyway Bridge is one of the most heavily traveled bridges in the Tampa Bay area, connecting St. Petersburg to the rest of the region. A closure of the northbound lanes and gridlock on the southbound side is likely to cause major disruptions to traffic and commutes in the area.

The details

As of around 2 p.m., all northbound lanes on the Sunshine Skyway Bridge remained closed, and drivers on the southbound lanes were struggling through heavy traffic. Authorities are advising drivers heading in either direction to find alternate routes to avoid the area.

  • The Florida Highway Patrol responded to the crash just before 1 p.m. on Easter Sunday (April 5, 2026).
  • As of around 2 p.m., the northbound lanes were still closed and southbound traffic was gridlocked.

The players

Florida Highway Patrol

The state law enforcement agency that responded to the fatal crash on the Sunshine Skyway Bridge.

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The takeaway

This incident highlights the importance of the Sunshine Skyway Bridge for regional transportation and the significant impact a major incident can have on traffic flow in the Tampa Bay area. Authorities will need to work quickly to investigate the crash, clear the scene, and reopen the northbound lanes to restore normal traffic patterns.