A new Florida Department of Transportation policy will give the city of St. Petersburg a chance to light up the Sunshine Skyway Bridge for Pride month.

It’s one of the only major landmarks in the Bay area not lit up like a rainbow.

What You Need To Know

  • A new FDOT policy could allow for the Skyway Bridge to be lit up for Pride month

  • The department previously denied St. Pete’s requests to do so

  • The bridge would be lit in rainbow colors for seven days

“I think it’s absolutely excellent, considering where we were,” said Jim Nixon, LGBTQ liaison for St. Pete. “I think it was just a matter of not having that established policy when it came up, and then putting that in place moved it forward.”

FDOT denied requests in 2020 and 2021 from St Petersburg to light up the bridge, but now that may change. The department says counties will be able to light their bridges, so long as they pass a supportive resolution — and so long as there is “broad public support.”

FDOT communications manager Kris Carson told Spectrum Bay News 9 that, due to time constraints, the department will accept letters from the relevant county commissions.

Nixon says since the Skyway spans Pinellas, Manatee and Hillsborough counties, he is working on getting letters of support from all three.

“That’s an important sign that we are an inclusive community, we are a welcoming community. And to have a request for the lighting of the Skyway, knowing they’ve done it for other causes, it was important to get it done,” Nixon said.

Nixon reiterates there was never any bad blood between he and FDOT, adding the situation sadly became politicized.

But Michael Womack, communications manager with Equality Florida, says the situation became politicized because it is political.

“The problems that started with FDOT this month are coming on the heels of the governor signing the first anti-LGBT bill in 24 years. It’s coming on the heels of the governor vetoing mental health funding for Pulse survivors. So, while this is a win, this is the basement,” Womack said.

Womack says this is a symbolic win for the LGBTQ community, and much still needs to be done.

But shining those rainbow lights on the bridge carries some hope.

“We need to affirm LGBT people in this state, and we need to be showing that Florida is open to all,” Womack said.

The new policy allows for the bridge to be lit up for seven days, and we could see the rainbow pattern shining bright as early as next week.