State officials are looking into possibly making the Sunshine Skyway Bridge even taller to accommodate increasingly large cruise ships.
Because the cruise industry has been booming in the past several years, it’s had to accommodate the growing number of people booking cruises by making ships bigger.
These massive cruise ships have led to increasing profits for the industry, but could pose logistical problems for Florida.
The Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) commissioned a study that looks into whether the state should pay to raise the Sunshine Skyway Bridge.
FDOT Spokesman Robin Stublen said, right now, the bridge is too low for many of these new ships.
“Given the economic impact the cruise business has on various regions, the department wanted to take a look at possibility for mitigating possible future negative impacts on the loss of this cruise business in the region-- including whether constructing a new terminal outside of the skyway bridge or perhaps even raising the bridge should be considered,” he said.
The report was commissioned in April and will likely be made public before the end of the year.
