Westshore interchange presents roadblock for Howard Frankland expansion project
TAMPA, Fla. - Building an expanded Howard Frankland Bridge was fast-tracked by Governor Ron DeSantis during the first pandemic shutdowns, but now on the Tampa side, there’s a major bump in the road.
There may be a setback in the Florida Department of Transportation plans to build a new $1.4-billion interchange in Tampa’s Westshore area. Without the interchange, increased traffic from the expanded Howard Frankland could create a bottleneck as drivers reach Tampa.
Rick Homans, CEO of the Tampa Bay Partnership, an organization of business leaders, says that's a problem that can't be overlooked.
"It will bring six lanes of traffic and then that’s going to have to narrow down to three lanes in Hillsborough County," said Homans. "And we know what kind of congestion is there already. This is just going to make it a whole lot worse."
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The project will connect the Howard Frankland Bridge, the Courtney Campbell Causeway, the Veterans Expressway, and Tampa International Airport with "additional general purpose and express lanes."
Business leaders say such a bottleneck and prolonged construction in the area’s main traffic artery could damage the local economy.
Dozens of CEOs, including Tampa Bay Lighting owner and Water Street developer Jeff Vinik, signed a letter to leaders of the Florida Senate and House.
The letter implores the legislature to keep the 2024 start date for construction of the interchange, calling it the region’s most important project, saying drivers will suffer huge delays and warning of dangerous bottlenecks.
Leaders say Westshore interchange is critical to preventing traffic headaches
"People get frustrated when traffic is not moving and they’ll be sitting on that bridge with nowhere to go," says State Senator Ed Hooper, a Republican from Clearwater.
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The Westshore Interchange is one of 23 projects pushed back because of decreased state revenue from gas taxes and tolls. Both revenue sources are down because people have been driving less during the pandemic.
In Tallahassee, legislators from Hillsborough and Pinellas Counties are scrambling to get it back.
"It’s the big priority in Tampa Bay," says Hooper.
He fears getting from Pinellas to the airport in Tampa could turn into years of headaches.
If drivers have to wait for a Westshore interchange, the improved Howard Frankland could become a bridge to frustration.