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.
Here’s what we can expect the new Howard Frankland bridge to look like, and how the current construction is going.
[Source: Bay News 9/Florida Department of Transportation]
