HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, Fla. – Drivers in the Tampa Bay area are looking at a busy week on the asphalt as the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) rolls out a heavy schedule of maintenance and construction starting Sunday, February 8. If you have a late-night commute or a cross-county trip planned through February 14, you might want to pad your travel time.
The most widespread impact will likely be felt on the interstate system. I-75 is seeing multiple work zones, including 24-hour shoulder closures between the Tampa Bypass Canal and Fowler Avenue. For those traveling at night, expect lane restrictions from MLK Jr. Boulevard up to Fowler Avenue and southbound near Harney Road between 10 p.m. and 5 a.m.
Over on the Howard Frankland Bridge, I-275 will see nightly lane closures starting Monday, Feb. 9, which could slow down the trek between Hillsborough and Pinellas counties until the following Saturday morning.
READ: 55 Arrested In Three-Month Multi-Agency Crime Crackdown ‘Operation Safer Streets’ In Tampa
Local thoroughfares aren’t escaping the orange cones either. US 301 is particularly jammed with projects. A long-term project between Bloomingdale Avenue and MLK Jr. Boulevard will keep lanes closed 24 hours a day through late February. Meanwhile, sections of US 301 at Big Bend Road and near Rivercrest Drive will see a mix of daytime and overnight closures.
Commuters heading toward the airport or Westshore should keep an eye on SR 60 (Memorial Highway). Westbound lanes will be restricted from George J. Bean Parkway to the Veterans Expressway most nights this week. Further south, Gandy Boulevard and Dale Mabry Highway will also see periodic nightly shutdowns between 8 p.m. and 6 a.m.
READ: Hillsborough County Fugitive Arrested In Lakeland Garage After Midnight Search
Smaller but significant disruptions are scheduled for SR 674 at North 12th Street and Park Road near I-4, with work happening during both the day and night. Additionally, the Frontage Road between West Cypress and West Lemon Street remains under a continuous 24-hour closure that is expected to last well into next year.
While most of these projects are scheduled for off-peak hours to minimize the headache, FDOT is urging motorists to stay alert, slow down in work zones, and watch for flagging operations, especially on Branch Forbes Road under I-4.
Please make a small donation to the Tampa Free Press to help sustain independent journalism. Your contribution enables us to continue delivering high-quality, local, and national news coverage.
Sign up: Subscribe to our free newsletter for a curated selection of top stories delivered straight to your inbox
