Bayside Bridge renamed Dillinger McCabe Bayside Bridge

Pinellas County officially unveiled signs for the renamed Dillinger McCabe Bayside Bridge today at a roadside ceremony featuring members of the Dillinger and McCabe families, Pinellas County Commission Chair Dave Eggers, Commission Vice-Chair Chris Latvala, Chief Judge of the Sixth Judicial Circuit Shawn Crane, and Clearwater Mayor Bruce Rector.

The Pinellas County Board of Commissioners approved a resolution on Jan. 20, 2026, officially renaming the Bayside Bridge the “Dillinger McCabe Bayside Bridge,” honoring the extraordinary public service of Robert “Bob” Dillinger and Bernard “Bernie” McCabe to Pinellas County and the State of Florida. Adversaries in the courtroom, Dillinger and McCabe collaborated to improve the justice system, enhance community safety, and protect the rights and dignity of all citizens.

After joining the Office of the Public Defender for the Sixth Judicial Circuit in 1976 as an Assistant Public Defender, Mr. Dillinger was elected Public Defender in 1996. He served the Sixth Circuit with distinction from 1997 until his retirement in 2024.

Mr. Dillinger pioneered innovative programs addressing mental health and substance abuse, expanded diversion opportunities, and led efforts to reduce recidivism. These initiatives changed countless lives and became a statewide model for defender services.

Mr. McCabe devoted 48 years to public service in Florida. Beginning as an Assistant State Attorney, he was first elected Pinellas-Pasco State Attorney in 1992 and served in that role for over 25 years.

Known for pairing firm prosecution with fairness and compassion, Mr. McCabe was a trailblazer who established specialized units focused on domestic violence, child abuse, and white-collar crime. He championed juvenile diversion programs that connect youth to community services rather than incarceration and supported similar diversion efforts for adults accused of minor offenses.

“Together, Bob Dillinger and Bernie McCabe mentored generations of legal and law enforcement professionals while embodying the highest ideals of public service. Their longstanding partnership and mutual respect demonstrated that vigorous advocacy and principled prosecution can coexist to strengthen the fabric of our community. The newly renamed bridge commemorates their individual achievements and a shared legacy of innovation and equanimity in the administration of justice,” Pinellas County Commission Chair Dave Eggers said.