PINELLAS COUNTY, Fla. — Pinellas County's three movable bridges will be locked at 8 p.m. Wednesday in preparation for Hurricane Helene, which is expected to reach Category 4 strength before making landfall in Florida on Thursday.
In a news release, Pinellas County officials said the Dunedin Causeway bridges, Beckett Bridge in Tarpon Springs and Park Boulevard Bridge in Seminole will remain open to traffic, but will not open for boats until the storm passes and conditions are clear.
"Owners of high clearance boats that need to move them to a more secure location before the storm should do so before the bridges close tonight," officials stated in the release.
In addition to those three bridges, Florida Highway Patrol and the Florida Department of Transportation will close the Sunshine Skyway Bridge once wind speeds reach 45 mph, Pinellas officials stated.
Meanwhile, the Gandy Bridge, Howard Frankland Bridge and Courtney Campbell Causeway will reportedly close if wave action makes travel unsafe.
To stay updated on bridge closure updates throughout Hurricane Helene, download the Waze app or click here.
For the latest information on Hurricane Helene's trajectory, click here.