Ambitious Gateway Expressway Project To Connect U.S. 19, Bayside Bridge With I-275

TAMPA BAY, FL — The most frightening thing this October for Pinellas County drivers isn't the prospect of ghosts and ghouls roaming the streets. It's detours and lane closures as construction revs up on the Pinellas County Gateway Expressway project.

But Florida Department of Transportation officials say it will be well worth the headaches when the county's new road system is completed in early 2023.

The gateway project is part of Tampa Bay Next, an ambitious plan to modernize Tampa Bay's transportation system.

Earlier this month, Gov. Ron DeSantis announced that he'll be using a portion of the $2 billion in transportation funds from the $10.2 billion in federal coronavirus relief funds the state received to speed up Tampa Bay Next projects including the expansion of the Howard Frankland Bridge, constructing a new interchange at I-275 and Westshore Boulevard and reconstructing the bane of all Tampa Bay drivers — the Interstate 4 and I-275 interchange nicknamed Malfunction Junction.

“This region is exploding," DeSantis said. "Everywhere you look, there’s like a new community being built. That’s great, but that also requires us to have that type of infrastructure in place that’s going to be able to support that, and so we’re doing that here in the Tampa Bay area.”

It's also critical to Tampa Bay's economy, said Florida Rep. Jackie Toledo, R-Tampa, who was on hand during DeSantis' announcement at the Howard Frankland Bridge.

"Transportation is a huge priority of mine since I was elected to the Florida House of Representatives," Toledo said. "I am so proud that our governor is accelerating the much-needed projects in the Tampa Bay region. Strong connectivity between Hillsborough and Pinellas is critical to our economy’s health and well-being. As traffic congestion across our region continues to grow, we must continue to invest in transportation infrastructure to continue to move goods and services."

“These projects are all part of an interrelated set of projects to modernize Tampa’s interstate system,” DeSantis said. “All of these projects represent really historic investments in the region’s transportation network. This is an important thing.”

The massive $594.7 million Pinellas Gateway Expressway project consists of flyovers and elevated toll roads designed to increase safety, add capacity and allow traffic to flow more smoothly on Pinellas County's congested roads.

Residents of Clearwater, Largo, Pinellas Park and St. Petersburg will feel most of the construction pains. However, the FDOT hopes to reduce the impact by performing the majority of the heavy construction work between 9 p.m. and 6 a.m. when traffic is at its lightest.

The biggest tasks being undertaken are the construction of two new four-lane elevated toll roads providing direct access from U.S. 19 to Interstate 275 and from the Bayside Bridge to I-275, but the Gateway Expressway project also encompasses widening I-275, adding express toll lanes in each direction from south of Gandy Boulevard to 4th Street North.

One of the new four-lane toll roads — State Road 690 — is being constructed in the median of the existing 118th Avenue North and then elevated over portions of 118th Avenue North, 49th Street North, 47th Street North, 43rd Street North, 34th Street North, the ramp at 31st Court North and 28th Street North.

The second toll road, State Road 686A, will be a four-lane elevated expressway from the Bayside Bridge to just west of I-275. It will be built primarily in the median of Roosevelt Boulevard between the Bayside Bridge and Ulmerton Road with an interchange at Ulmerton Road. The new toll road will continue south through the old Sunshine Speedway property until it merges with SR 690.

Other projects within the scope of the Gateway Expressway plan include:

• Rebuilding existing Roosevelt Boulevard from the Bayside Bridge to Ulmerton Road as generally two one-way surface roads including a new access configuration and roads for the St. Pete-Clearwater International Airport terminal.
• Repaving 118th Avenue North from U.S. 19 to 31st Court North.
• Repairing or rebuilding sections of existing U.S. 19 and 118th Avenue North including new ramps and bridges.
• Repaving the eastbound off-ramp from SR 690 to southbound I-275.
• Building a new airport access road in front of St. Pete-Clearwater International Airport parallel to Roosevelt Blvd along with new airport ponds, a new signalized intersection at Terminal Boulevard, and a permanent connection at Fairchild Drive.

As with any road construction project, drivers can expect multiple detours and lane closures.

Just between Tuesday and Saturday, Oct. 2, the FDOT has announced 10 road closures.

Starting Wednesday at 11 p.m. and continuing through Thursday at 5 p.m., all drivers traveling north on Interstate 275 will be detoured off the interstate at Gandy Boulevard (Exit 28).

Drivers will be directed east on Gandy Boulevard toward South Frontage Road, then north onto Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Street toward the northbound I-275 entrance ramp.

Warning signs and electronic message boards will be posted to assist drivers making the detour.

In the coming week, drivers can also expect lane closures, including some daytime closures at:

• U.S. 19 from 110th Avenue North to 126 Avenue North.
• The U.S. 19 frontage roads from 110th Avenue North to 126th Avenue North.
• The Roosevelt Boulevard entrance and exit ramps at Bayside Bridge.
• Roosevelt Boulevard from Ulmerton Road to 49th Street North.
• Roosevelt Boulevard from 28th Street North to 16th Street North.
• Ulmerton Road from 34th Street to 49th Street North.
• 118th Avenue North from U.S. 19 to 28th Street North.
• 118th Avenue North from 31st Street North to 49th Street North.
• 49th Street from 145th Avenue to Bayside Bridge.

In the meantime, construction crews are continuing to work on the new span of the Howard Frankland Bridge under construction just north of the existing bridge.

At an estimated construction cost of $865.3 million, the reconstruction of the Howard Frankland Bridge is the most expensive transportation project ever undertaken in Tampa Bay. The 5.8-mile project is expected to be completed by 2025.

See related story: Long-Discussed Reconstruction Of Howard Frankland Gets Underway

Residents interested in keeping track of the progress on the Gateway Expressway project and finding out about upcoming road closures, can sign up to receive email alerts by clicking here.

To stay informed about other Tampa Bay Next projects, click here.