Age is catching up with the Sunshine Skyway’s south fishing pier.
Beginning Monday, a half-mile portion of the span will be closed due to deterioration of the 54-year-old span, according to Florida State Parks.
“Following recent structural inspections conducted by the Florida Department of Transportation, vehicle and pedestrian access beyond the bait shop is no longer allowed,” the parks agency said in a statement.
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The agency emphasized visitor safety has been the top priority as the pier continues to age. That far end has passed the point where it can be patched and repaired.
The pier, which reaches 1.6 miles into Tampa Bay from Manatee County, will have signage to alert drivers of the closure. The bait shot remains in business.
The north pier, which extends 0.6 miles from Pinellas County, is open.
The piers were created from north and south approaches to the original Skyway, which was destroyed when a freighter struck it in 1980. Both piers run parallel to the current cable-stayed bridge, which opened in 1987.
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The east span on both ends, built in 1954, was closed to anglers in 2008 due to the same challenges the west span is facing now. Built in 1971, the west span is about the same age as when the east side was closed.
The piers are popular due to their stretch into the deeper parts of the bay and the ease of driving up and parking where you fish. Also, rubble from the old bridge was placed along the west side, creating artificial reefs that attract a variety of fish.
