New Howard Frankland Bridge Span To Open To Drivers: FL Officials

FLORIDA — The new span of the Howard Frankland Bridge, which is part of Interstate 275 connecting Hillsborough and Pinellas counties, will open to commuters early Tuesday morning, the Florida Department of Transportation said.

The new 5.8-mile bridge will feature four southbound toll-free lanes and four express lanes - two headed north from St. Pete to Tampa and two south from Tampa to St. Pete, according to the FDOT website.

Construction began on the $865.3 million project in 2020.

Traffic will change direction on the current southbound bridge, which was built in the 1990s, and be converted into northbound lanes from St. Pete to Tampa, FDOT said.

Entrance ramp closures will affect drivers traveling onto I-275 from southbound State Road 60, westbound State Road 60 and George Bean Parkway starting Monday at 11 p.m. until Tuesday at 6 a.m. to allow for the traffic shift.

The current northbound bridge, which opened in 1960, will close and is scheduled to be demolished by the spring of 2026.

A bicycle and pedestrian pathway separated from the road is also under construction. This part of the project is expected to open by the spring of next year.