TAMPA, Fla. – Drivers planning a late-night trek from St. Petersburg to Tampa next week should prepare to hit the brakes. The northbound lanes of I-275 leading onto the Howard Frankland Bridge are scheduled to close completely on Tuesday night, March 10.
The shutdown begins at 11 p.m. and is expected to last until 5 a.m. Wednesday morning, provided the weather stays clear.
According to officials, the closure is a necessary step for the ongoing construction of the new southbound bridge project. Crews will be using the window to install massive overhead signs that span the interstate.
If you are heading north, you won’t be able to just cruise across the bay. Instead, you will be forced to exit at Gandy Boulevard (Exit 28). From there, the official detour will funnel traffic along Roosevelt Boulevard and Gandy Boulevard before heading north on Dale Mabry Highway to rejoin the interstate.
While the northbound side is blocked, the southbound lanes—traveling from Tampa toward St. Pete—will remain completely open and unaffected.
For those who want to avoid the Gandy detour altogether, other routes like the Courtney Campbell Causeway, the Bayside Bridge, and Memorial Highway will remain accessible.
However, transportation officials are warning motorists to pad their commutes with extra time, as the sudden shift in traffic is likely to cause congestion and delays on those secondary roads.
READ: Pinellas County Traffic Alert: Major Night And Day Lane Closures Set For March 8–14
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