Gov. Ron DeSantis announced plans to rebuild and extend the lifespan of the Sunshine Skyway Fishing Pier, advancing a long-awaited recovery effort following hurricane damage that shuttered portions of the popular Tampa Bay landmark.
The pier — created from remnants of the old bridge after the current one was constructed — has drawn anglers, photographers and outdoor enthusiasts for decades. But a section of the structure was damaged during Hurricane Milton in 2024, forcing closures.
DeSantis announced that the state will construct a new pier on the Manatee side of the Sunshine Skyway while rehabilitating the existing structure on the Pinellas side, extending its lifetime by 20 years.
The Governor outlined early phases of the project already underway, including upgrades to parking areas and the addition of wider sidewalks along the seawall. The state plans to expand fishing opportunities during construction to minimize disruptions for visitors.
“Later this Spring, construction crews will begin demolition of unused portions of the old structure on the Pinellas side and finalize permitting and begin demolition of the existing pier on the Manatee side,” DeSantis said.
DeSantis’ comments came during a Thursday press conference where he signed the first bills from the 2026 Legislative Session. That included SB 302, which carried an amendment by Bradenton Republican Sen. Jim Boyd meant to block a developer proposed cruise terminal at Manatee County’s Terra Ceia Aquatic Preserve located just west of the Sunshine Skyway.
The Sunshine Skyway Fishing Pier is widely considered one of the longest fishing piers in the world and a signature destination in the Tampa Bay region, and it’s not the first time the state undertakes a major project meant to enhance it following a major storm.
In 2023, after Hurricane Ian battered the Gulf Coast in 2022, the Florida Department of Transportation undertook a $6.3 million project to place hundreds of large “wave attenuation devices” along the fishing pier shoreline in an effort to protect the pier’s access road from erosion and around 8 acres of nearby sea grass habitat during storm events.
“We aim to have this project completed expeditiously so people can once again enjoy this great recreational attraction,” DeSantis said.
