Port of Tampa News for Carnival Cruise Line (and others).

[Captain Carnival]

It seems like a decent option to consider. It might not be cheap to build but it might be cheaper than any option to modify the bridge. Where I live having bridge tunnels that allow large ships to enter the harbor have been essential to the successful operation of our port.

 

The way I see it is that Port Tampa Bay has no other option but to do something rather than nothing and often time it is the easist and cheapest option which in this case might very well be the tunnel option.

[Captain Carnival]

Tunnels don't solve all your problems. ALDOT is seriously kicking around the idea of building a new high rise I-10 bridge to bypass the twin tunnels in Mobile because of the high rate of accidents and congestion associated with the tunnels. Right now you can speed from coast to coast on I-10 in uninterrupted bliss until you hit the tunnels in Mobile, and then you better have a good book or a Netflix app on your phone.

 

They (tunnels) may not solve Alabama's problems but they sure would fix Port Tampa Bay's.....let the digging and dredging commence!! :D

[Lovefuninthesun]

They will still be arguing these options this time next year.:(

Now environmental experts are getting involved, with huge concerns about possible damage to the estuary and fragile ecosystem around the Skyway and on the other side of the bridge.

[EZ4]

This is how these projects work. They will spend 2 or 3 years getting an EIS together. Then they will spend another few years deciding which option will work best. Then they will open it up for public comment, before they send the project out for bids. In the ensuing 7-8 years, the price tag will have doubled or tripled, and finally after 10-15 years and breathtaking sticker shock, traffic will be able to flow through the new tunnel or traverse the new bridge.

 

Meanwhile all of the Fantasy class and possibly some or all of the Spirit class will have been retired and Tampa's cruise business will have dried up. After all the work is done, provided the cruising industry is in pretty much the same place as it is right now, Tampa will find themselves essentially starting over from scratch, in the cruise business.

 

Not to burst anyone's bubbles, but such is the way things work these days.

[Strmwatch]

Well lets not forget the ships would also need to physically fit in the port area.

 

Spinning them around and having them back up the channel wouldn't be a huge issue, just slower...BUT can they even fit down where the port is?

 

The tunnel idea on the manatee side does make the most sense, they could do all of the tunneling first so as to not affect vehicle traffic, and then just route traffic to the opposite span while they re-connect the bridge to the tunnel.

 

 

I honestly think the biggest issue though is the port itself.

[Captain Carnival]

Well lets not forget the ships would also need to physically fit in the port area.

 

Spinning them around and having them back up the channel wouldn't be a huge issue, just slower...BUT can they even fit down where the port is?

 

The tunnel idea on the manatee side does make the most sense, they could do all of the tunneling first so as to not affect vehicle traffic, and then just route traffic to the opposite span while they re-connect the bridge to the tunnel.

 

 

I honestly think the biggest issue though is the port itself.

 

Considering that Legend is 943 feet in length, Conquest is 953, and Breeze is 1004, turning and at Port Tampa Bay at either terminal 2 or 3 shouldn't be an issue whatsoever. Breakout the shovels!! :D

[EZ4]

Well lets not forget the ships would also need to physically fit in the port area.

 

Spinning them around and having them back up the channel wouldn't be a huge issue, just slower...BUT can they even fit down where the port is?

 

The tunnel idea on the manatee side does make the most sense, they could do all of the tunneling first so as to not affect vehicle traffic, and then just route traffic to the opposite span while they re-connect the bridge to the tunnel.

 

 

I honestly think the biggest issue though is the port itself.

Their biggest issue will be permits and procedure. Don't get in a big hurry to see anything happen quickly.

[Jay Sam]

Their biggest issue will be permits and procedure. Don't get in a big hurry to see anything happen quickly.

 

I certainly am in favor of the success of the port of Tampa as I live in the Bay area. With all that I have heard and the transition to larger ships in the industry, I am tentatively optimistic at best. I agree, and am not looking for anything to happen quickly, if ever. I feel the best option is a port outside the Skyway bridge. Not going to be a tunnel and not going to be a new and higher Skyway. Just my gut level feeling.

[theriac]

One of the main issues with this is that The Skyway affects the residents of Pinellas and Manatee, not Tampa. The people in these communities aren't seeing the boost of the cruise industry in Tampa as most of the people stay at hotels, rent cars, and do activities in TAMPA. I think the only real option would be to build a new port in Pinellas. I think the best area would be the Tarpon Springs area. Even Pasco in New Port Richey can work. If Tampa is so inclined to keep the cruise industry maybe Pinellas can make a trade and let them get The Rays and us the Port. I feel that would be a fare trade as The Rays attendance would go up and bigger ships can come to this area. The only other option I can see is Cruise lines abandoning Tampa and building a port in Ft. Myers area. Just my thoughts, having said that I really would like to see this area succeed!