Access beyond the bait shop is no longer allowed at the park following an inspection from the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT).
MANATEE COUNTY, Fla. — Effective Monday, part of the Skyway Fishing Pier is closed indefinitely after a structural inspection.
A notice posted on the Florida State Parks’ website reads that access beyond the bait shop is no longer allowed at the park following an inspection from the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT). That’s around 0.6 miles of the almost 2-mile-long fishing pier.
In a statement to the Bradenton Herald, the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP) says the structure was not originally intended as a park or fishing pier, and that some repairs were not feasible.
“Visitor safety remains our top priority,” FDEP said in the statement.
This closure impacts the Manatee County side of the pier, while the north side remains open to the public.
Park officials say vehicles may continue onto the pier up to a point just south of the bait shop, which is still open.