Gov. Ron DeSantis announced Thursday that the state will construct a new fishing pier on the Manatee County side of the Sunshine Skyway and renovate the existing structure on the Pinellas County side, both prompted by damage from Hurricane Milton.

Part of the current Skyway Fishing Pier on the Manatee County side has been closed since October after the Florida Department of Transportation completed structural inspections and deemed it unsafe due to Hurricane Milton damage. About 0.6 miles of the 2-mile-long south pier had been closed to the public.

A completely new pier will be built adjacent to the current one on the Manatee County side. The existing Pinellas side will undergo renovations designed to keep the structure viable for at least another two decades. Later this spring, construction crews will demolish unused portions of the structure on the Pinellas side and the damaged portions of the Manatee pier.

Early work already underway includes enhancements to parking areas and wider sidewalks along the seawall to improve access and safety. Temporary fishing piers are also being built to offset disruptions during construction.

The Sunshine Skyway piers are the remnants of the original bridge, which was struck by a freighter in 1980, killing 35 people. The structure is widely considered one of the longest fishing piers in the world and a signature destination in the Tampa Bay region.

DeSantis did not provide a specific completion timeline but said the state intends to move “expeditiously so people can once again enjoy this great recreational attraction.”

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