Selmon Expressway Will Close This Week: Here’s Why

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Those of you taking the Selmon Expressway know it will be closing this week. The Tampa Hillsborough Expressway Authority announced that the Selmon Expressway West extension will be closed this Thursday, June 20 at 8 PM. It will reopen on Friday, June 21 before 6 AM. This is good news, so if you are looking to take that commute to your job on Friday morning you can. The work will be done on the elevated lanes over Gandy Boulevard. The reason why they are closing it is to ensure the safety and integrity of the expressway. The way around it will be to use Gandy Boulevard local lanes at the times when the expressway is closed.

Who The Selmon Expressway Is Named After

The Selmon Expressway is named after Tampa Bay Buccaneers legend Lee Roy Selmon. He was the very first draft pick by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the history of the franchise. He was drafted in the first round with the first pick in the 1976 NFL Draft. He played football at the University of Oklahoma and was the NFL Defensive Player of the year in 1979. He also was a first-team all-pro three times in his career. Additionally, he made the Pro Bowl six straight times from 1979 to 1984. Yes, Lee Roy Selmon is in the Buccaneers Ring of Honor and his name is shown at Raymond James Stadium. He was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1995. Lee Roy Selmon also joined the University of South Florida athletic department here in Tampa. He was the Athletic Director from 2001 to 2004.

Before it was known as the Selmon Expressway it was known as the Southern Crosstown Expressway. The name of the Expressway was changed to what it is now in 1999.

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What We Can Expect The New Howard Frankland Bridge To Look Like & Current Update

Updated May 2024

If you've made the trip from Tampa to St. Pete or vice versa, I'm sure you've wondered what the heck is happening with the Howard Frankland. The Florida Department of Transportation has been working hard to bring 4 new southbound lanes of I-275 into Pinellas. They expect to finish construction by the end of 2025.

Not only will the bridge have 4 new southbound lanes, but it will also have a few other new features. The new bridge will also have 2 express lanes to help with traffic flow and a multi-use pedestrian path. The current southbound bridge will be switched to northbound. The FDOT is even thinking ahead and is including plans for any future trains that might be built. Many people are skeptical that this will help with traffic, especially because of all the Northern transplants. We think the express lanes will make a huge difference!

The Howard Frankland Bridge is expected to have 153 panels built before the road path is added. Barring any major storms this year, the FDOT is on schedule.

May 2024 update:

As of May 2024:
- 100% of pilings have been driven.
- 99% of bridge footings have been completed.
- 98% of bridge columns have been completed.
- 92% of bridge caps have been completed.
- 77% of the bridge superstructure beams have been placed.
- 71% of bridge decks placed.

As long as we have a calm hurricane season, project managers say we could be driving on the new Howard Frankland bridge by the end of this year. But the official FDOT page says construction is expected to finish in 2025.