This project is complete and final accepted by FDOT as of November 9, 2020.

Construction is complete on the I-275 corridor to improve operations of the I-275 / SR 60 interchange and I-275 from east of the Howard Frankland Bridge to Lois Avenue. These improvements are designed to provide congestion relief by adding lanes to I-275.

Here are the major improvements:

• Add a lane in both directions of I-275 between the exit ramps to SR 60 and the entrance ramps from SR 60. COMPLETED
• Convert a merge-lane to a through-lane on northbound I-275 from the SR 60 entrance ramp. COMPLETED
• Add an auxiliary lane on northbound I-275 from the SR 60 entrance ramp to Dale Mabry Highway exit ramp. COMPLETED
• Add an auxiliary lane on northbound I-275 between West Shore Boulevard and Lois Avenue with a noise barrier. COMPLETED
• Lengthen the entrance ramp from SR 60 onto southbound I-275. COMPLETED
• Add a lane to the northbound I-275 exit ramp to SR 60. COMPLETED 9/26/2020

Latest progress! A new lane opened on northbound I-275 the morning of September 26, 2020, adding a lane to northbound I-275 Exit 39 to SR 60 / Kennedy Boulevard and lengthening the merge area on the approach to the flyover bridge onto westbound SR 60.

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Recent progress. A new lane opened on northbound I-275 the morning of August 10, 2020, eliminating the merge condition just past Exit 39 to SR 60 / Kennedy Boulevard. Drivers can now stay in the lane that also exits to SR 60 to continue towards downtown Tampa. More changes are coming soon to improve traffic flow on the Exit 39 ramp.

More progress!  New lanes opened on northbound I-275 the morning of August 6, 2020, eliminating the need for drivers to merge left when entering mainline I-275 from the right lane of the eastbound SR 60 “loop” entrance ramp. This widening work also provides four continuous lanes for northbound I-275 drivers from SR 60 heading towards downtown Tampa and adds auxiliary lanes to improve traffic flow for traffic entering from West Shore Boulevard and exiting to Lois Avenue and Dale Mabry Highway.

Earlier progress: A third lane opened on southbound I-275 on July 28, 2020, eliminating the need for drivers to merge in the SR 60 area heading towards the Howard Frankland Bridge. Final paving is scheduled to smooth out the rough spots, but the new lane should improve drive times on southbound I-275. 

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This project is a design-build project, which means that an overall concept of the design was put out to bid with many design requirements specified in a Request for Proposals. The successful contractor was chosen from a number of qualified firms bidding on the contract based on a design that met the requirements and is the most economical to construct. The contracting team that was selected is responsible for the final design (with its own or contracted licensed engineers) under the same contract time that includes the construction. This allows the contractor to begin working on specific items of work as portions of the design are completed and approved. Construction work began in June 2019.