1980 Sunshine Skyway Bridge Damage

This video was shot on our family vacation some weeks after the tragedy on silent Super-8 film. The remaining bridge had to handle 2-way traffic until the bridge could be rebuilt.

Sunshine Skyway Bridge

May 9th, 1980
7:38 a.m.

Obscured by heavy rain, freighter Summit Venture collides with support column bringing 1260 feet of bridge down 150 feet into Tampa Bay as cars and a bus plunge over end.

35 dead.

Category:

Travel & Events

Tags:

• 1980
• Sunshine
• Skyway
• Bridge
• collapse
• collapsed
• disaster
• Summit
• Venture
• Tampa
• Bay
• Florida

[cbrady2k8]

Just seeing this video gave me the sick to the stomach feeling I'd used to get as a kid riding over that bridge. For those that remember the worst part might have been the swaying in the wind that the bridge did, it moved a lot. Also when you were going up it felt a lot more steep than it looked in that video. When I'd go over this as a kid I would have to sit in the back of a pickup, no seats, no cover, just kinda sliding towards tailgate -- the wind, noise, swaying was horrible.

[TheJediCharles]

@cbrady2k8

Woah, I've only been on in maybe a total of 6 times, but boy your description sure brought it back to life for me too!

[lotustt]

It seems like footage from 1902! But cool, thanks

[TheJediCharles]

@lotustt

Ha! Yea, it is interesting how some old movie film held up great, and others deteriorated faster. Some of our movies looked 10 years newer than movies that were 10 years older. Didn't make sense, but the real reason this video is rough to watch is that we were going down a lumpy bridge in a massive RV and my (then) 15 year old brother was filming as best he could.

Oh well, my motto is an existing cruddy video is better than a fantastic one that (for whatever reason) doesn't exist.

[Mrkissuallover12]

That is incredible footage. What did you use? A Super 8? I love the new span.

[TheJediCharles]

@Mrkissuallover12

My older brother filmed it from the passenger seat of my parent's RV using my Dad's Kodak Super 8 camera. We were all slack-jawed looking at the damage, and Dad insisted we film it because he'd be unable to even so much as glance over to see it trying to squeeze down that 2-way traffic on that very narrow bridge. He didn't get to see it until after the vacation was over and we watched the movies for the first time.

[Lukelr]

1902 nothing. I think the film has held up great. Gives sort of an eeriness to a pretty horrific accident.

[379buzz]

Thanks for the upload. I lived and still live in St. Pete. I remember taking that drive over the bridge just a few days after, and the emptyness in the pit of my stomach when the west side span just ended 200+ ft. above the bay. The raised structure all gone and we now have the world's longest fishing pier. Vodka, bad weather, and frieghter pilots don't mix.

[adrian97c]

In 87' we drove on the bridge next to it & you could see the old broken bridge next to it & for the next 13 years or so I've had re-occuring nightmares about driving on the bridge....wierd I kno, scary stuff. I'm 31yo now

[JWROWE3]

I was living in Houston when this happened. I had driven over the bridge in 1979 when my dad had moved to Tampa. When I heard the news I was concerned, as he sometimes taught classes @ USF's southern campuses. Thankfully he wasn't on the bridge. He hated driving across it as you could see down from the deck as you drove across it. RIP those lost.

[TheJediCharles]

@rugerman1422

Thank you, and thanks for your recollections, which effectively takes one back reading it.

RIP indeed.

[YadaBeats]

maan, that old bridge looked spooky. gave me the creeps everytime we drove on it. so sorry for victims of the summit venture tragedy.

[Mrkissuallover12]

@Arkstrand- Well since you asked smarty pants, the description of the video has changed since I initially watched it. Don't you feel silly for making such a rude comment now.

[Arkstrand]

@Mrkissuallover12 cant read the description???? DUH