TAMPA BAY - The Florida Department of Transportation has announced a number of road and lane closures for the week of July 17 to 23, including areas on Interstate 275 in St. Petersburg and roadways in Ybor City and Tampa.
St. Petersburg - Lane closures for Interstate 275 as work continues to rehabilitate the concrete travel lanes and associated interchange ramps of Interstate 275 from 13th Avenue North to 62nd Avenue North in St. Petersburg, Florida.
According to an announcement, one of two lanes may be closed on 54th Avenue North between Haines Road and Urbane Street (near I-275) in either the eastbound or westbound direction between 7 p.m. and 5:30 a.m. Sunday and Monday nights (July 17 and 18).
- One of two lanes may be closed near I-275 on 38th Avenue North between 25th Street North and 19th Street North in the eastbound or westbound direction between 7 p.m. Monday (July 18) and 5:30 a.m. Tuesday (July 19).
- Two of three lanes will be closed for about two miles on northbound I-275 between 13th Avenue North and 62nd Avenue North between 8 p.m. and 6 a.m. Sunday through Thursday nights (July 17 to 21). Motorists may have some delays up to 30 minutes during these closures and may wish to choose alternate routes.
- Two of three lanes will be closed for about two miles on southbound I-275 in the area between 62nd Avenue North and 13th Avenue North between 8 p.m. and 6 a.m. Friday night (July 15) and Sunday through Saturday nights (July 17-23). Motorists may experience some delays up to 30 minutes during these closures and may wish to choose alternate routes.
Commuters also should take note of the many road closures planned in the Ybor City and Tampa area, including the following:
Ybor City - One lane of 13th Avenue will be closed between 21st Street and 22nd Street next to I-4 between 8 a.m. and 3 p.m. Monday through Saturday (July 18 to 23).
- One of two lanes will be closed on both 21st Street and 22nd Street between 14th Avenue and 15th Avenue (just north of I-4) between 9:30 a.m. and 3:30 p.m. Monday through Saturday (July 18 to 23).
- All lanes of 34th Street between 12th Avenue and Columbus Drive (under I-4) will be closed between 8 p.m. Monday (July 18) and 8 a.m. Tuesday (July 19) for overhead bridge work.
- Motorists should be alert to a new merge situation at the 21st Street entrance ramp to westbound I-4. As of Saturday, July 16, traffic now has to merge into the right lane upon entering the highway.
Previously, a third lane started where the entrance ramp entered, allowing motorists free-flow access to the interstate. The new condition will be temporary - expected for about 2 to 3 weeks until traffic is switched to new westbound I-4 lanes in that area.
Tampa - The ramp from Ashley Drive to northbound I-275 is scheduled to close after 10 p.m. on Sunday (July 17) for reconstruction. Additionally, the exit ramp to Scott Street will close at the split to Ashley Drive. The new Ashley Drive entrance ramp and lane onto eastbound I-4 will reopen between mid-December 2005 and February 2006.
Detours: Northbound Ashley Drive traffic directed east on Cass Street, then north on Jefferson St. to eastbound I-4 or northbound I-275 ramps.
Traffic intending to exit to Scott Street from northbound I-275 will be detoured onto the Ashley side of the exit ramp, south to Tampa Street, east on Cass Street, then north on Florida Avenue to Scott Street. (Please note: Because of the turning radius, tractor-trailers cannot turn onto Scott Street from northbound Florida Avenue and will need to take other routes, such as continuing to Jefferson Street.)
The Ashley Drive entrance ramp to southbound I-275 will remain open at all times, as will the northbound I-275 exit ramp to Ashley.
Motorists can expect one to four lanes to be closed on Nebraska Avenue between 12th Avenue and 14th Avenue (under the I-4 / I-275 interchange) between 9 p.m. and 5 a.m. Tuesday through Friday (July 19 to 22). Traffic will be detoured using Columbus Drive, Central Avenue, and Palm Avenue.
- One of two lanes will be closed on Elmore Avenue from Columbus Drive to Floribraska Avenue between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m. Monday through Friday (July 18 to 22). Watch for flaggers directing traffic. Local traffic only will be permitted.
Columbus Drive will be closed from Central Avenue to Nebraska Avenue (under I-275) between 9 p.m. and 5:30 a.m. Sunday and Monday nights (July 17 and 18). Traffic going west will be detoured at Nebraska Avenue; eastbound traffic will be detoured at Central Avenue.
- One to two lanes will be closed on Tampa Street from Estelle Street to Scott Street (under I-275) between 9 p.m. and 5:30 a.m. Sunday through Thursday nights (July 17 to 21) and between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m. Monday through Friday (July 18 to 22).
- One of two lanes will remain closed around-the-clock on Scott Street from Tampa Street to Florida Avenue into the fall of 2005. Also, between 9 p.m. and 5:30 a.m. Sunday through Thursday nights (July 17-21), Scott Street will be closed from Tampa Street to Florida Avenue and one of two lanes will be closed from Florida Avenue to Jefferson Street.
- One of two lanes will be closed on westbound I-4 from 14th Street (east of the 21st and 22nd streets interchange) to I-275 (including on the ramp to southbound I-275) from 10 p.m. to 5:30 a.m. Sunday through Thursday nights (July 17 to 21). Motorists can expect delays through this area as rolling roadblocks will be used to set up and take down these closures and may result in delays up to 20 minutes.
- One to two lanes will be closed on northbound I-275 between the Hillsborough River (near Ashley Drive, Exit 44) and Floribraska Avenue (north of I-4) from 10 p.m. to 5:30 a.m. Sunday through Thursday nights (July 17 to 21). Rolling roadblocks will be used to set up and take down these closures and may result in delays up to 20 minutes.
- One to two lanes will be closed on southbound I-275 between Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Boulevard (State Road 574, Exit 46B) and Ashley Drive (Exit 44) from 10 p.m. to 5:30 a.m. Sunday through Thursday nights (July 17 to 21). Traffic may also be periodically diverted these nights onto the Jefferson Street ramp system, then back onto the mainline of southbound I-275 south of I-4 (traffic will not be detoured to the surface roads, but will be put onto the auxiliary road system parallel to the mainline travel lanes). Motorists can expect delays through this area. Rolling roadblocks will be used to set up and take down these closures and may result in delays up to 20 minutes.
- Morgan Street will be closed between Scott Street and Kay Street under I-275 between 9 p.m. and 5:30 a.m. Sunday through Thursday nights (July 17 to 21). Traffic will be detoured to Marion Street. Also, the southbound lane of Morgan Street between Kay and Scott will remain closed until further notice.
For real-time traffic information in the Tampa Bay area, dial 511 or visit www.511tampabay.com.
