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Howard Frankland Bridge to close southbound lanes overnight Monday

The southbound lanes of Interstate 275 over the bridge will be shut down from 11 p.m. Monday, Feb. 6, until 5 a.m. Tuesday, Feb. 7.

TAMPA, Fla. — Heads up, drivers. The Howard Frankland Bridge will be closed overnight Monday for construction.

The southbound lanes of Interstate 275 over the bridge will be shut down from 11 p.m. Monday, Feb. 6, until 5 a.m. Tuesday, Feb. 7.

No southbound traffic will be allowed from west of State Road 60 (Exit 29) to the Ulmerton Road/Martin Luther King Jr. Street interchange (Exit 31.) All northbound lanes will remain open.

If you forget, there will be electric signs to guide you through the detours:

  • Southbound traffic on I-275 will be directed off at exit 39, then west on State Road 60 and across Old Tampa Bay on the Courtney Campbell Causeway. Once cars are in Clearwater, they'll be directed to go south on the Bayside Bridge, then south on Roosevelt Boulevard to rejoin I-275.
  • Traffic coming from Tampa International Airport area will also be directed across the Courtney Campbell Causeway before getting back on I-275.
  • Traffic on Kennedy Boulevard will be directed to go east before turning right to go south on Dale Mabry Highway. Cars will then go west on Gandy Boulevard and across Old Tampa Bay to I-275.

Drivers should plan on adding extra time to their commutes from Tampa to St. Petersburg. 

Credit: Florida Department of Transportation
Southbound I-275 Howard Frankland Bridge closure for the Gateway Expressway Project

The bridge is closing so crews can install sign structures across all lanes of southbound I-275 on the Pinellas side of the bridge. It's all part of the $595 million Gateway Expressway Project.

The project will connect St. Pete, Clearwater and Tampa once it's complete.

Crews are working on creating two new four-lane elevated toll roads. One between U.S. 19 and I-275 and another between the Bayside Bridge in Clearwater to I-275. These new express connections will be called State Road 690 and State Road 686A. 

FDOT says, “It will provide a faster, safer and more convenient travel experience.”

Express lanes will also be added to I-275 in each direction from south of Gandy Boulevard to 4th Street North at the base of the Howard Frankland Bridge.

10 Tampa Bay traffic anchor Sarah Rosario contributed to this report.

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