Pinellas County's new Gateway Expressway opens this Friday, expected to shorten daily commutes

CLEARWATER, Fla. - The Gateway Expressway will link I-275 to U.S. 19 and the Bayside Bridge.

It’s scheduled to open this Friday afternoon. Tolls will range from 28 cents to 86 cents collected by SunPass or by license plate. The first seven days will be free of tolls.

"I think you’ll have a lot of people excited to try it out, especially the ones that have been waiting for this for a good amount of time," explained Andrew Williams, Project Manager with the Florida Department of Transportation.

They’ve been working on the Gateway for seven years. It’s a $600 million dollar project. But FDOT said it will pay off for drivers who aren’t stuck at lights on 118th Avenue or Roosevelt Boulevard.

So where will the new road take us?

There are three different sections. The SR 686 section will connect from the Bayside Bridge to I-275. SR 690 will connect from U.S. 19 to I-275 and new express lanes will be installed on I-275 in the 4th St N. And Gandy area.

How much time could the Gateway save you?

"We see benefits of about 10 to 15 minutes shaved off people’s daily commutes depending on the routes they’re taking and what time of day," said Williams.

It will also make it easier to get to St. Pete-Clearwater Airport and to Tampa International Airport, especially when future I-275 express lanes are installed on the Tampa side all the way to downtown. If you live in Tampa, there are benefits for you too.

"You bypass Roosevelt, bypass the airport traffic. They can get out to Belleair Beach more quickly," shared FDOT engineer Greg Deese.

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Engineers said labor shortages and supply delays slowed the project, but according to them it’s ready to open this Friday.

You can drive on the gateway toll-free through May 3. 

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