Some relief could be on the way for backups on I-275, both on and near the Howard Frankland Bridge.
FDOT plans to break ground on lane expansions to offset congestion in spring 2019.
The project will add an additional lane each way on I-275 between Lois Avenue and the Howard Frankland, hopefully offsetting what drivers describe as a “bottleneck,” especially coming off the bridge northbound when the lanes drop from four to two.
FDOT administrator Marshall Hampton knows the frustration all too well. Every day he commutes from St. Pete to FDOT’s Tampa office near the University of South Florida.
“Sometimes it’s as low as 50 minutes, sometimes it’s as long as two hours, depending on poorly-placed accidents,” Hampton said. “I’m selfishly cheering on this project.”
Hampton says the congestion was identified as a problem early on, but FDOT thought it could be fixed through an alternate project.
Now they hope these improvements, slated to cost nearly $29 million, will do the trick.
FDOT says the extra lanes won’t just make for a smoother ride, but should make for a safer ride as well. Accidents are projected to be reduced by roughly 25 percent.
“Safety is a concern also,” Hampton said.
FDOT hopes to complete the expansion within 18 months of breaking ground.