TAMPA, Fla. – The Sunshine Skyway Bridge and different state-owned bridges throughout Florida will now not gentle up in help of assorted causes, following a brand new coverage from the Florida Division of Transportation (FDOT).
In recent times, the long-lasting bridge has been lit up with rainbow colours throughout Delight Month or with blue and yellow in solidarity with Ukraine, and dozens of different causes all year long. However now, these colourful shows are gone for good — not less than via 2026.
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FDOT Secretary Jared Perdue introduced the choice this week, stating in a tweet: “FDOT is proud to showcase patriotic colours on our state bridges and highways starting this Friday via 2026.”
Underneath the brand new guidelines, bridges can solely be lit in purple, white, and blue to mark federal holidays. That expands a coverage first put in place final 12 months as a part of FDOT’s “Freedom Summer season” initiative, which coated Memorial Day via Labor Day.
What they’re saying:
St. Pete Delight President Byron Inexperienced-Calisch criticized the transfer, saying it erases visibility for a lot of communities.
“Each set of colours that might be used to sign to different Floridians, ‘hey, we see you, you belong right here’ — if that’s breast most cancers survivors, if that’s individuals that commemorate Juneteenth… if that’s individuals celebrating Delight — no matter that is perhaps,” he mentioned.
Inexperienced-Calisch believes the brand new coverage sends the unsuitable message simply weeks earlier than Delight occasions start.
“Having colours displayed throughout the Skyway as this beacon of resilience and having the ability to spotlight communities which are going through powerful occasions is a second to say, ‘hey, wow, what higher place to sign you’ll be able to come again higher. You’re welcome right here,’” he added.
The opposite facet:
Nonetheless, not everybody disagrees with the choice. Manatee County Commissioner Mike Rahn helps the restriction, citing an awesome variety of requests.
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“I feel the FDOT has made the best determination,” he mentioned. “The requests that had been coming in had been simply… a few of them had been simply actually ridiculous. I simply took a stand to say, look, the bridge needs to be lit for nationwide holidays and that is it.”
FDOT didn’t reply to requests for remark in regards to the particular causes behind the coverage change. For now, the Skyway Bridge and others like it’s going to proceed to shine — however solely in purple, white, and blue.
The Supply: The data on this story was gathered by FOX 13’s Evyn Moon.Â
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