Long-Discussed Reconstruction Of Howard Frankland Gets Underway

PINELLAS COUNTY, FL — Get ready for one of the most ambitious — and one of the most expensive — road construction projects to hit Tampa Bay in years.

The longtime focus of drivers' curses who've put up with sitting in traffic jam for countless hours, the Howard Frankland Bridge linking Pinellas and Hillsborough counties is about to be completely overhauled, creating a faster, less congested route between the two counties. Additionally, the bridge reconstruction will accommodate modern modes of transportation including light rail and self-driving vehicles.

As a first step, all Interstate 275 travel lanes on the Howard Frankland Bridge will close from 8 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 9 to noon Sunday, Jan. 10.

The closure is necessary to allow construction crews to remove the 4th Street North (State Road 687) bridge over I-275 as part of the Gateway Expressway project.

In April, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis announced that he was fast-tracking $2.1 billion in state transportation projects to take advantage of reduced traffic on state roadways due to the coronavirus pandemic.

“One of the things that struck me just going around the state the last few weeks is the traffic,” DeSantis said during a news conference in April. “There’s not cars on the roads like there normally is. You look at some of the most busy thoroughfares, and sometimes it’s a trickle.”

At an estimated construction cost of $865.3 million, the reconstruction of the Howard Frankland Bridge is the priciest project on DeSantis's list. The 5.8-mile project is expected to be completed by 2025.

In the meantime, Tampa Bay drivers should prepare for closures, detours and the usual annoyances that go hand in hand with major construction projects.

The original Howard Frankland Bridge was constructed in 1959 and a second bridge structure was added in 1991 to provide additional capacity across the Tampa Bay.

The most recent plans for the Howard Frankland Bridge were announced in early 2017 as part of Tampa Bay Next, a program designed to modernize Tampa Bay’s transportation network, providing more capacity, relieving traffic congestion and accommodating alternatives to cars and trucks at a lower cost than adding lanes.

The new design is also intended to improve emergency response times, provide more efficient hurricane evacuation routes and improve operations of express bus service and provide future transit options such as light rail and autonomous vehicles.

The project includes replacing the existing northbound (1959) bridge. The new bridge will provide four general purpose lanes and two tolled express lanes in each direction.

The project will also add a bike/pedestrian path that will connect Pinellas and Hillsborough counties.

To accommodate transit in the future, a portion of the new bridge will be designed and constructed to carry heavier loads that will meet the weight requirements of a light rail transit system. Should light rail transit be approved, the existing southbound (1991) bridge would then be widened and travel lanes shifted to the widened bridge.

What Your Need To Know

During the Jan. 9-10 closures, the Florida Department of Transportation will provide electronic message boards and temporary signage to assist I-275 northbound and southbound drivers around the closure via a detour route using Roosevelt Boulevard, Gandy Boulevard and Dale Mabry Highway.

• All lanes of Howard Frankland Bridge will be closed from 8 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 9 to noon Sunday, Jan. 10
• Drivers are advised to use the Gandy and Courtney Campbell causeway as alternates
• Other roadways (Roosevelt Boulevard, Bayside Bridge, Courtney Campbell Causeway and Memorial Highway) will remain accessible and may provide an alternate route if needed.
• Motorists should add approximately 30 minutes of travel time as traffic congestion and delays may occur while traveling on these roadways during this closure.
• If unforeseen conditions do not permit this closure, a rescheduled date of Saturday, Jan. 16, is planned.

Click here to see a Powerpoint presentation with specific details on the project.

Courtesy FDOT