Will The Howard Frankland Bridge Expansion Cause More Traffic?

The Howard Frankland Bridge expansion project seems like it has been going on forever. Every day, tens of thousands of people voyage through the bridge congestion as they commute to and from work. But, will the Howard Frankland Bridge expansion make traffic worse? Let’s dive in.

We were looking through the Tampa Reddit thread when one local user asked the question, “Is the Howard Frankland Bridge project actually going to help alleviate traffic congestion?” It’s the question burning in the back of all our minds and inspired us to do some digging.

The Howard Frankland Expansion project started back in 2017 and is slated to be finished by the end of 2025. When it’s completed, it will have 8 lanes with four for general use and four express lanes with bike/pedestrian pathways. 

The people of Tampa Bay desperately needed a solution to the ridiculous traffic that plagues the Howard Frankland every day. Not only is rush hour traffic some of the worst in the country, but that road can be deadly with the amount of accidents.

In theory, lane expansion projects should ease traffic congestion and create safer roadways for commuters. So, why do lane expansion projects make things worse?

Expanding the roadways gives commuters longer stretches of open road. For some time, the usual commuters experience faster drive times with less busy roads, but as more people hear of the faster routes, more drivers hit the roads.

This is called the Induced Car Travel Effect. Roadway expansions lead to temporarily faster, safer, and less congested travel times. New drivers hit the road which then leads to more congestion than before with more potential road hazards. Within a few years, traffic is even worse than it once was.

Saltwater corrosion on the old Howard Frankland mixed with the unexpected growth of Tampa Bay led to the new expansion project. 

The resident overseeing the expansion project for the Florida Department of Transportation, Greg Deese said, “We have built it in such a way that if there ever was a light rail system that was installed, or developed for the region, the bridge can handle rail loading. So we're excited about the potential for the future and accommodate that sort of mobility." If there are more means of transportation introduced with the new bridge expansion, we could see reduced travel times, but for now, we can only speculate.

Do you think the new Howard Frankland Bridge Expansion will help with traffic congestion?

Tampa must be doing something right to have so many people move here every year. A recent Reddit thread asked the question, "what is Tampa doing right compared to other major cities?" A lot of people chimed in with their opinions. We thought we would highlight the best ones.

We know that Tampa is not perfect, and really any U.S. city could always use some improvements. But that doesn't mean Tampa isn't a great place to live or vacation. Compared to other cities, we seem to be doing a few things right. Now I have not been to every major U.S. city, but a fair share. So I think I can agree with everything the Reddit users have listed.

Recently Creative Loafing put out a survey to their readers. They had nearly 200 responses for the "What Tampa Bay Needs" survey. A Tampa Bay Times journalist even submitted his twelve suggestions that would make Tampa a better place. It included the obvious building of a train/light rail on 275, increasing public parks, building more sidewalks, and more. You can read all the suggestions here.

Although it needs some work, one surprising thing you will find on this list is public transportation. Everyone in the Tampa Bay area seems to agree that we need a better solution for our traffic. Maybe expanding lanes can help short term, but with the overwhelming number of people moving to Tampa, it can only help for so long. Many residents think that the new Howard Frankland Bridge won't make a bit of a difference when it comes to relieving traffic. The good news is that they are building the bridge to be able to equip a light rail when the time comes.

There's a reason TPA has a cult-like following. It's because it's been named one of America's best airports over and over again. Tampa International Airport is so organized and efficient compared to other airports like MCO (and from my personal experiences) Denver Airport, Phoenix, LAX, etc.

We know how bad the traffic can be in Tampa, but thankfully the road conditions aren't as bad as other major cities. It helps that we have multiple resources to report potholes, asphalt delamination, and more. Reddit users say they've filed complaints with the City of Tampa's fix it fast program and saw changes within 24-48 hours.

After realizing how much you pay for property taxes, you should really take advantage of your public library. Once you get a library card, you can download any ebook, magazine, and more from Hillsborough libraries through the Libby app. Plus many libraries offer kids clubs, ASL classes, and computers with Adobe programs.

This one may be controversial for some of you. But keep in mind we're comparing Tampa to other major U.S. cities. Compared to places like LA, NYC, Chicago, and New Orleans, Tampa is way cleaner than many other major markets. Think back a few weeks to Gasparilla, the day after the parade, it looked like it didn't even happen! Plus we have so many pet cleanup stations and trash cans that are regularly emptied.

While Tampa is lacking some major public transport like a light rail, the systems we do have are reliable and fairly affordable. We are forever grateful the TECO streetcar in Downtown Tampa is free to use. Our preferred way of getting around on Lightning game days. Plus, there's the Pirate Taxi, Cross Bay Ferry, and downtown has the cheap option of the Dash Tesla cabs. Riders are $2 each.

Speaking of Lightning game days. The Tampa Bay Lightning organization is one of the reasons that makes Tampa so great. Owner Jeff Vinik has put a lot of money and change into the city over the past few years. Plus, the way the players and organization interact with and help the community is outstanding. Someone also mentioned the traffic control around Lightning (and Bucs) games are way better compared to other cities.

Tampa is known for it's diverse population with a lack of segregated areas (besides Hyde Park and Davis Island). From restaurants, to art galleries and museums, Tampa is flooded with all kinds of culture. We are also home to the only trilingual paper in the country.