TAMPA, Fla. — If you're someone who crosses the Howard Frankland Bridge at night or early in the morning, you've probably noticed that street lights are out on a big stretch of the bridge.

That has been the case since Hurricane Helene in September when the storm damaged some of the lighting on the bridge, and many residents are wondering when the lights will be restored.

"Why is there a major bridge like the Howard Frankland not lit up like it should be? It’s very dangerous," said Spectrum News viewer Cheley Howes.

"The roads are pitch black. The water is pitch black at that time of the morning," she said.

Waves crash against the Howard Frankland Bridge during Hurricane Helene in September.
Waves crash against the Howard Frankland Bridge during Hurricane Helene in September.

Howes commutes to work from Clearwater to Tampa each day and said she is worried about the lack of lightning on the bridge.

"I’ve had several close calls on that bridge since the hurricanes and those lights have been out," she said.

Officials with the Florida Department of Transportation say a project team is working to restore the lights. They hope to have all the lighting back by the end of January.

If you'd like to suggest a Traffic Inbox story, click here.