Northbound Interstate 275 in Tampa on new alignment

If you have been by northbound Interstate 275 in Tampa from Himes Avenue (Exit 41C) to Downtown Tampa (Exit 44), things look a lot different! In fact, it almost looks like Interstate 4 in Tampa which has been recently reconstructed not too long ago.

In the early morning hours of Saturday, 25 April 2009, the northbound lanes of Interstate 275 in Tampa from Himes Avenue to Downtown Tampa were transitioned over to a new alignment (or a new traffic pattern). Here are some pictures I got on Saturday afternoon, several hours after the alignment switch took place.



Here are one of many variable message signs in St. Petersburg warning motorists of the new traffic pattern in place on northbound Interstate 275 in Tampa and that major delays are possible. After all, the Florida DOT did not want to take any chances.



Next we see one of the many new signage erected for Exit 42, Armenia and Howard Avenues. This is on the temporary transition road that takes northbound Interstate 275 motorists from the old northbound lanes to the new northbound lanes.



Continuing on the new alignment for northbound Interstate 275 we see new signage for the exit to Armenia and Howard Avenues as well as the distances to Downtown Tampa (via Exit 44, Ashley Drive and Scott/Tampa Streets) and Interstate 4. Notice that the signs are mounted on a new gantry just like what was done on Interstate 275 at Interstate 4 as well as Interstate 4 east of Interstate 275. Here motorists are reminded that the right lane is an exit lane for Armenia and Howard Avenues.



Next we see the final opportunity for Armenia and Howard Avenues from northbound Interstate 275. Notice that this exit has two lanes rather than the original one lane exit and it is a dedicated ramp rather than the side street you had to enter right after you exit in the past.



We're now past Armenia and Howard Avenues and our next exit is Downtown Tampa (which is signed simply as Downtown, Exit 44) coming up in one mile, while the entrance to eastbound Interstate 4 (Exit 45B) is coming up in two miles. Right after this sign gantry things on northbound Interstate 275 level out better than the old "roller coaster" effect of the old northbound lanes.



We're now getting our first destinations for Downtown West on Exit 44. As the sign indicates, use Tampa Street to reach the Tampa Convention Center or Ashley Drive to reach the Tampa Bay Performing Arts Center. Notice that the sign gantry is a little different here as it is supposed to accommodate a future variable message sign similar to the variable message signs found on Interstate 275 not only in Tampa but St. Petersburg as well. I got to agree here, this sign mounted on an overhead gantry is much easier to read and interpret than its ground based counterpart on the old northbound lanes.



Next up is Downtown East, also on Exit 44. Use Scott Street to reach the St. Petersburg Times Forum (shortened on the sign to St. Pete Times Forum) as well as the Florida Aquarium located in the Channelside area. Once you get off onto Scott Street, follow it east until you get to Jefferson Street. Right on Jefferson Street and follow the signs for the St. Petersburg Times Forum and/or the Florida Aquarium.

Another note as we go along: Why did the Florida DOT construct a retaining wall to the right on the new Interstate 275 northbound lanes? The view of Downtown Tampa was splendid on the old Interstate 275 northbound lanes.



Here's the intermediate signage for Downtown Tampa. Presently the "exit only" panels have been greened out as a temporary measure as construction is still taking place (as of April 2009) so that the lanes can be marked as through traffic lanes. When this is all said and done, when you get to this sign gantry you will choose which Downtown Tampa destination you are headed to. But I got to admit, this new segment of Interstate 275 in Tampa is much better than the old segment due to the "roller coaster" effect which was how the original highway was built back in the early 1960's. After all, modern Interstate highway construction of the 21st Century incorporates a smooth ride by design which also makes the highway safer for everyone.



Finally, we come to our last overhead sign which was erected as part of the new northbound Interstate 275 project. Here we see the final opportunity for Downtown Tampa with its two lanes (one lane for Scott Street and the other lane for Ashley Drive and Tampa Street). Like the previous photo, the "exit only" panels have been greened out as a temporary measure until the construction is finished. Interstate 4 is just around the corner after this exit and we also see through signage for northbound Interstate 275 to Ocala, which is via Interstate 275's parent, Interstate 75.

Again, I got to admit the signage on the new northbound Interstate 275 alignment is much better to read and better to interpret than the old. On the older signage the messages seem to be crammed together.

Now this new alignment of northbound Interstate 275 is part of a major Interstate 275 reconstruction puzzle which will run from the Tampa International Airport exit (Exit 39, FL 60) all the way to Downtown Tampa at Exit 44. However, the old Interstate 275 northbound lanes will be getting some temporary use: The old northbound lanes will soon become the temporary southbound lanes for Interstate 275 while the permanent southbound lanes for Interstate 275 are being reconstructed. If you have seen a fence on the stub end of the new northbound Interstate 275 alignment at Himes Avenue, the fence is not permanent - west of Himes Avenue will be another segment of a reconstructed Interstate 275.

When all the pieces of the Interstate 275 reconstruction puzzle in Tampa from Tampa International Airport to Downtown Tampa are done, Interstate 275 will have a total of eight lanes - four lanes in either direction. To keep up with the progress of Interstate 275 in Tampa as it is slowly being reconstructed you may want to visit the Florida DOT's site for Interstate construction in the Tampa Bay area, mytbi.com.

And one more thing: Keep an eye out on your speed while traversing the construction zones on Interstate 275. The Florida Highway Patrol is very keen about enforcing the speed limits and speeding fines are doubled for exceeding the speed limit in a construction zone, especially when construction workers are present.

The pictures you see here today will eventually make it onto the Interstate275Florida.com website soon. However, it is having to undergo more recoding as my web hosting provider is discontinuing support for the FrontPage Server Extensions and the photos - organized as a photo gallery which indeed depends on the FrontPage Server Extensions - will have to be recoded in HTML. In the meantime, enjoy the pictures and feel free to comment.

Interstate 275 Tampa Major Congestion Alert

If you plan on using northbound Interstate 275 in Tampa from the Tampa International Airport interchange (Exit 39) to Downtown Tampa (Exit 44), you need to read this blog entry carefully. This weekend (24 through 26 April 2009) will see expected major congestion on northbound Interstate 275 in Tampa, with congestion at times extending across the Howard Frankland Bridge into St. Petersburg.

In a previous blog post the new northbound lanes of Interstate 275 from Himes Avenue (Exit 41C) to Downtown Tampa (Exit 44) are scheduled to open to traffic. However, making a traffic switch is not your typical traffic switch as certain activities such as paving can only be done when traffic is actually switch from the old to the new northbound lanes. In fact, just recently we have seen the exit ramp from northbound Interstate 275 to Tampa International Airport (TIA) closed periodically throughout the weekend in order to perform construction related tasks that cannot be done when you got traffic flowing through on the highway; this closure brought about detours and inconvenience for those headed to TIA.

Before I go on further, let me give you some words of advice if you plan on using northbound Interstate 275 in Tampa this weekend: If your travel plans don’t include using Interstate 275 northbound this weekend, plan on finding a different route. If you plan on catching a flight at Tampa International Airport, leave earlier than usual.

If you are headed to Downtown Tampa or anywhere east of Tampa (including Interstate 4 and Orlando including the theme parks), a great alternative route would be Gandy Blvd. (US 92) via the Gandy Bridge to the Selmon Crosstown Expressway. Follow the Selmon Crosstown Expressway east and that will take you to Downtown Tampa (Exits 6A/B) and Ybor City (Exit 9). If you are headed towards Interstate 4 and Orlando, stay on the Selmon Crosstown Expressway until you get to Interstate 75; north on Interstate 75 for about 4 miles to Interstate 4. Once you are on Interstate 4 east from Interstate 75 north that will take you out of the congestion expected on Interstate 275 north in Tampa this weekend. Remember, the Crosstown Expressway is a toll road so have cash or your SunPass handy; believe me, the toll is well worth it.

Again, if you must use Interstate 275 north in Tampa this weekend, leave earlier than usual. This is very important if you are headed to Tampa International Airport to catch a flight.

Now the schedule of events that will take place on Interstate 275 in Tampa in the vicinity of the new northbound lanes over the course of this weekend according to the Florida DOT:

Traffic impacts to northbound Interstate 275 will begin at 9 PM on Friday, 24 April 2009.

From 8 PM Friday (24 April 2009) to 8 AM Saturday (25 April 2009) the entrance to northbound Interstate 275 from Dale Mabry Highway (Exit 41) will be closed. Best to use Lois Avenue (Exit 40B) or Howard Avenue (Exit 42) to reach northbound Interstate 275.

9 PM Friday (24 April 2009): Of Interstate 275’s three northbound lanes, one or two will be closed from Lois Avenue (Exit 40B) to Downtown Tampa (Exit 44). Additionally, at Exit 44 the ramps to Ashley Drive or Scott Street will be closed until 5:30 AM Saturday morning; traffic will be detoured to whatever Exit 44 ramp is open (in other words, if Ashley is closed traffic will be diverted onto Scott and vice versa).

Traffic should be shifted to the new northbound Interstate 275 lanes by Saturday morning. However, the new northbound lanes will be in a two lane northbound configuration until around 5:30 AM Monday, 27 April 2009.

Even when the new northbound lanes are fully opened in their three lane northbound configuration Monday morning, there will be no additional planned lanes until this coming Fall as additional widening has to take place. As a result, motorists will see three northbound lanes on the new segment of Interstate 275 of varying widths and trucks will see a restriction to use only the middle lane. Moreover, the speed limit will be reduced to 45 mph until the project is completed; expect heavy Florida Highway Patrol presence as speeding fines are doubled within construction work zones.

Also as a part of this major traffic switch this weekend the northbound ramp onto Interstate 275 from Himes Avenue (Exit 41C) is scheduled to re-open on Monday, 27 April 2009.

Once again, I cannot over-emphasize the importance of finding an alternative route this weekend if your travel plans include northbound Interstate 275 in Tampa from TIA to Downtown Tampa. Moreover, if you must use northbound Interstate 275 in Tampa this weekend – such as catching a flight out of Tampa International Airport – please leave earlier than usual. Gandy and the Selmon Crosstown Expressway is a great alternative to avoid the expected mass congestion on northbound Interstate 275 this weekend.

After all, making improvements to Interstate 275 in the Tampa Bay area will mean inconveniences for you and me from time to time. But there is light at the end of the tunnel, and that will be an improved Interstate 275.

And by the way, if you get caught in the expected mass congestion on northbound Interstate 275 in Tampa please let me know by posting your experiences.

Did the Interstate 375 ramp get fixed – or what?

If you have not been by southbound Interstate 275 at the entrance to Interstate 375 lately you may have noticed some differences in the way you are warned just as you get on the high ramp flyover from the left lane. I was surprised when I saw the improvements but these improvements are not enough – yet.

When you are in the left lane to transition from southbound Interstate 275 to eastbound Interstate 375, you are greeted by two kinds of signage recently erected by the good old folks over at the Florida DOT. Here is a description of the signage as you make the transition from Interstate 275 south to Interstate 375 east:

1. On the left side of the southbound lanes of Interstate 275 as you get ready to pass the final overhead sign gantry for Interstate 375, you see a diamond shaped yellow warning sign which is ground mounted. That sign indicates that you are approaching a 50 mph speed zone.

2. Right after you pass the final opportunity for Interstate 375 east from Interstate 275 south, you are greeted by not one but two signs that flank either side of the two lane exit ramp carrying eastbound Interstate 375 traffic: Speed limit 50 mph signs, and this time these signs are regulatory (black text on a white background). In other words, the Exit 50 mph black on yellow advisory signage has been removed.

3. New reflectors mounted on the right hand Jersey barrier wall as you navigate the flyover onto eastbound Interstate 375. These delineate where the Jersey barrier wall is.

So, did the Florida DOT do something to address this increasingly dangerous ramp? The signage is good but not good enough.

In fact, there was a recent article by none other than Drew Harwell at the St. Petersburg Times that briefly explains the improvements done by the Florida DOT. After I have read the article, more work needs to be done – in fact, major work needs to be done to fix this ramp.

More signage needs to be placed in addition to the rudimentary 50 mph ahead and speed limit signage. Over in Tampa at Exit 39 from Interstate 275 southbound there are large warning signs erected with the graphic of the tipping truck because of the design of the ramp which does indeed command reduced speed.

So, here’s my “laundry list” of improvements that the Florida DOT needs to make in the short and mid-term for the dangerous Interstate 375 flyover in downtown St. Petersburg. Hey, Florida DOT, are you reading this?

1. Place an Interstate 375 shield assembly just above the 50 mph ahead warning sign. That way, it lets motorists know that the speed reduction applies only to those motorists who are headed onto eastbound Interstate 375 from southbound Interstate 275.

2. Place yellow warning beacons on top of the Speed Limit 50 signage that was recently erected as an emphasis to let motorists know of the utmost need to reduce speed. After all, there is another set of yellow warning beacons at the end of Interstate 375 where all eastbound traffic is defaulted onto 4 Av N and the speed limit is further reduced to 30 mph.

Now let me emphasize this item a little further. Back when the advisory signage on yellow background was posted the Florida Highway Patrol could not write tickets for anyone going over the 50 mph advisory speed limit on the Interstate 375 flyover. Why? That advisory signage on yellow background was purely advisory in nature and it did not carry the full force and effect of Section 316.183 of the Florida Statutes. In essence, the 65 mph speed limit from Interstate 275 still applied to the Interstate 375 flyover until just before you reach the first sign gantry on eastbound Interstate 375; you had (and still have today) Speed Limit 50 signs flanking either side of the eastbound lanes. Now that the Speed Limit 50 signs have been erected before the flyover, the Florida Highway Patrol can now enforce the reduced speed limit on the flyover and hand out traffic tickets for anyone caught going way too fast on the flyover ramp.

If we step on over to the Manual of Uniform Traffic Control Devices – the MUTCD for short – we can understand what the color backgrounds of traffic signs in the USA mean. Yellow coveys a warning message just like the message of the diamond shaped sign before you approach a drawbridge (and the sign is basically the same name, Draw Bridge Ahead), while white conveys a regulatory message informing motorists what can or cannot be done just like the speed limit message. Notice for a moment the meaning of a sign on a white background; it conveys that a certain traffic law which is the subject of the traffic sign must be obeyed at this particular location; for instance, when you travel south on 4 St N towards Gandy Blvd. and you see the Speed Limit 40 sign, you had better reduced your speed to 40 mph or the St. Petersburg Police Department will pull you over and give you a traffic ticket.

(Psst! Want to learn more about traffic signs? Richard Moeur has a great website on traffic signs, simply click on this link - it's well worth a read! If you are using Internet Explorer 7, you may want to click on that link by right clicking and selecting "open link as a new tab"; that way, you can easily refer back and forth between pages!)

3. Further north on Interstate 275 just about ½ to ¾ mile north of Interstate 375, place signage either ground mounted in the median or a partial overhead gantry mounted in the median warning motorists of the upcoming flyover ahead and the need to begin reducing speed to 50 mph if you intend to exit onto Interstate 375 from southbound Interstate 275. Supplement this with two yellow hazard beacons mounted on top of the sign if you need to place extra emphasis.

4. On the flyover ramp itself, mount a series of left chevrons on the Jersey barrier wall on the right side of the flyover ramp. This will let motorists know that the ramp curves to the left.

5. When the Interstate 375 flyover ramp – as well as the Interstate 275 viaduct which begins at Interstate 375 – was built in 1977, brackets and duct work were put in place to mount highway lighting. Unfortunately, these brackets were not used; instead, high mast lighting was used. Get rid of the high mast lighting and instead place highway lighting on the overpass brackets; if the Florida DOT wants to keep the high mast lighting do so as extra emphasis for safety reasons.

Now we need to explore one more probable safety item, and that is over at Interstate 375’s cousin, Interstate 175 (which is Exit 22 on Interstate 275, the south Downtown St. Petersburg distributor that serves Tropicana Field (Let's Go Rays!), the two hospitals (Bayfront Medical Center and All Children’s Hospital) and the Mahaffey Theater as well as the St. Petersburg Campus of the University of South Florida). The design of the flyover ramp for Interstate 175 eastbound from Interstate 275 southbound is similar to the design for Interstate 375 and it also requires left lane exit. However, this flyover is a low level flyover in which you go under the northbound lanes of Interstate 275 but the curve banking is much more treacherous than the flyover over at Interstate 375. As this flyover goes over one of Tropicana Field’s parking lots, if you don’t slow down you’ll end up off the ramp and into the parking lot for Tropicana Field – and believe me, you’ll end up being transported to Bayfront Medical Center’s ER rather than a Rays game.

The only warning posted for the Interstate 175 ramp from southbound Interstate 275 is nothing more than a 50 mph ramp advisory sign on a yellow background mounted on the left hand Jersey barrier on the Interstate 275 viaduct just before you exit. Is the Florida DOT waiting for a serious accident to happen on the Interstate 175 flyover as well?

Which leads me to the ultimate major improvement for both eastbound Interstates 375 and 175 from southbound Interstate 275: Construct a right hand exit starting midway between 5 Av N and 22 Av N and have this right hand exit serve 5 Av N, Interstate 375 and Interstate 175. That would mean everyone headed to Downtown St. Petersburg has to use this exit, and that includes anyone wanting to take in a Rays game at Tropicana Field. In other words, it would mean a centralized exit for all of Downtown St. Petersburg from Interstate 275 southbound.

But we don’t know if this major improvement may ever be built. You have major land acquisition issues in this area, not to mention that few homes in this general area are designated as historic landmarks. Then you have the financial issue; in this day and age of the current economy the money isn’t there to do what’s needed. However, there’s the trade-off, and that is motorist safety.

And by the way, if you haven’t read the original St. Petersburg Times article on 6 March 2009, here’s a link straight to the article. Moreover, I also urge you to please read my blog entry on a major attempt by my employer to silence me if you haven’t already. And don’t worry, the Interstate 275 Blog and Interstate275Florida.com will continue to be around for years to come, and I will assure you that my employer will not infringe – or even attempt to infringe - on my First Amendment rights.

New Northbound Interstate 275 Lanes Coming to Tampa

A significant change is coming in a few weeks to northbound Interstate 275 in Tampa. However, what you will be driving on in a few weeks is just the tip of the iceberg as construction progresses on the section of Interstate 275 in Tampa from Himes Avenue (Exit 41C) to the Ashley Street/Tampa Street/Scott Street complex (Exit 44) in downtown Tampa.

If you have recently driven northbound Interstate 275 approaching downtown Tampa, you have probably seen the new northbound lanes take shape including the erection of all new signage on ultra-modern sign brackets much like what you see over at the Tampa International Airport interchange. If you look at a recent Bay News 9 article the picture will show you that the new northbound lanes are of concrete rather than asphalt.

The new section of northbound Interstate 275 in Tampa is scheduled to open shortly after Easter, according to the Bay News 9 article. However, as I mentioned earlier this new section of Interstate 275 northbound in Tampa is just the tip of the iceberg. Why?

This project is part of a gigantic Interstate 275 reconstruction effort which will eventually run from the Tampa International Airport/FL 60/Kennedy Blvd. exit (Exit 39) to downtown Tampa at Exit 44. What will happen after the new northbound lanes are opened is that southbound Interstate 275 traffic coming out of downtown Tampa will be shifted over to the present northbound Interstate 275 lanes while at the same time the existing southbound Interstate 275 lanes will be demolished and a newly reconstructed southbound Interstate 275 coming out of downtown Tampa will take its place.

But wait! There’s more!

From Himes Avenue westward to the Howard Frankland Bridge Interstate 275 will also be getting the major reconstruction makeover as well. If you have been by the section of northbound Interstate 275 between Westshore Blvd. (Exit 40A) and Lois Avenue (Exit 40B) you have probably seen all the land clearing going on to the right of the northbound lanes. According to the fact sheet at the Florida DOT’s Tampa Bay Interstates site the segment consisting of reconstructing both northbound and southbound Interstate 275 from the Howard Frankland Bridge to Himes Avenue (Exit 41C) is scheduled for construction around Spring 2011.

Now what will all this mean for you when it’s all said and done?

First and foremost, you will see a widened Interstate 275 from six lanes to eight lanes. This will mean more capacity especially during the morning and afternoon commutes. The original Interstate 275 from downtown Tampa to the Howard Frankland Bridge was constructed in 1962 and 1963 and it used to be known as Interstate 4 at the time as a six- and four-lane highway with the transition taking place at Dale Mabry Highway (Exits 41A/B). The original four lane segment from Dale Mabry Highway to FL 60 (Exit 39) was widened to six lanes in the mid-1970’s and the original grass median was replaced with a continuous concrete Jersey barrier wall separating northbound and southbound traffic.

Second, there will be space in the newly created median which will accommodate a future light rail or commuter rail service utilizing the center median of Interstate 275. Even with all the new improvements that are coming to Interstate 275, we still need better mass transit if the Tampa Bay metro region wants to compete with the other metro regions of Florida and throughout the southeastern United States.

Third, you will no longer have the roller coaster effect which is the case with the present segment of Interstate 275 from Howard and Armenia Avenues (Exit 42) to downtown Tampa. This makes for a better line of sight and you can know in advance when your exit is coming up along with all new signage.

As I mentioned earlier, the new northbound lanes of Interstate 275 from Himes Avenue to downtown Tampa that will be opening in a few weeks is just the tip of the iceberg. Sure there will be more construction inconveniences on the way but in the end we’ll have an Interstate 275 we can be proud of.

FREE SPEECH SILENCING ATTEMPT!

By now you have seen the article in the St. Petersburg Times on Friday, 6 March 2009 regarding how dangerous the ramp from southbound Interstate 275 to eastbound Interstate 375 is. Like I mentioned earlier, it was a well done article by St. Petersburg Times staff writer Drew Harwell.

If you haven't already seen my prior blog entry including the update, by all means click on this link. (Internet Explorer 7 users, you may want to right click and open as a new tab and that way you can read this entry and the prior entry side by side).

Now before I go on any further, in order to avoid any retribution by my employer, I am not disclosing who my employer is nor the personnel involved. However, if you are a member of any First Amendment advocacy group that would like to speak with me privately about my First Amendment rights, please contact me. Now on to the story.

While I was at work one of my higher superiors called me into the office to speak to me about my name appearing in the paper. The conversation was not of a congratulatory tone but of a tone that clearly violated my First Amendment rights. Specifically, I was told that:

1. I was not to speak with the St. Petersburg Times at all, period, on or off duty.
2. I must clear everything I speak through my superior.
3. My employer, for all aspects, practically owns me despite my explaining to the contrary.
4. I cannot practically write anything about my hometown anywhere, including my two websites, Interstate275Florida.com and EdwardRingwald.com!

Now please let me explain.

First of all, I was contacted by Drew Harwell at home. I never made any initial contact with Drew from my office. I was contacted because I had a prior blog entry on the March 2007 tanker incident which closed this very same ramp for a few weeks.

I never maintain my Interstate 275 blog or website from work. I only maintain them from home on my personal laptop computer. The same thing goes for EdwardRingwald.com or the Edward Ringwald Blog.

I am fully aware of my employer’s procedures when it comes to any contact with the news media. However, that applies whenever I am on duty and on my employer’s time. When I am off duty (as I am writing this blog entry as we speak) my employer cannot regulate my First Amendment activities when it comes to my blogs or websites. This is compared to a school principal disciplining a student over a student’s personal web page when it is done off of school time and off of school property.

What my employer did on 6 March 2009 was an attempt to silence the First Amendment rights of your Interstate275Florida.com and EdwardRingwald.com webmaster by having a meeting with me that would have led into disciplinary action. Luckily, at this point no disciplinary action was taken but I am not going to let this conversation deter me from speaking with any member of the news media, including the St. Petersburg Times, when I am off duty.

Now here’s another situation which closely borders what I experienced. Take the case of Laura Berg, who was a federal government employee.

Laura wrote an editorial in her weekly hometown newspaper in New Mexico about the Bush Administration’s handling of Hurricane Katrina and the war in Iraq. This would be compared to me speaking with Drew Harwell while I was not on my employer’s time.

In an attempt to silence Laura’s First Amendment rights, her employer investigated her for “an act which potentially represents sedition”, according to an ACLU report on defending First Amendment rights. By comparison, my superior was investigating me for a possible violation of my employer’s policy when in fact no violation had indeed taken place.

Now you see there is a situation that closely borders what I experienced with my employer. Again, I am not letting my employer attempt to put a muzzle on my protected First Amendment rights when it comes to The Interstate 275 Blog or Interstate275Florida.com, as well as the Edward Ringwald Blog or EdwardRingwald.com.

As an American citizen, I do not relinquish my rights upon entering any workplace, and I am free to speak to anyone I want, including the news media. As long as I do it on my own time (which I have done as mentioned earlier), that is fine.

In other words, it is business as usual here at Interstate275Florida.com as well as The Interstate 275 Florida Blog. Stay tuned.

Another tragic accident at Interstate 375, Exit 23

Exit 23, which is also known on Interstate 275 as the Interstate 375 exit into downtown St. Petersburg, was the scene of yet another fatal accident Monday evening, 2 March 2009. According to a St. Petersburg Times article, a car traveling southbound on Interstate 275 lost control as it negotiated the exit ramp from southbound Interstate 275 onto eastbound Interstate 375, falling into the City of St. Petersburg’s Water Resources maintenance yard below. Unfortunately, the driver of this car did not survive the crash.

This accident is reminiscent of what happened almost two years ago when the driver of a tanker truck lost control on this same exit ramp and the tanker burst into flames as it fell into the city maintenance yard on the ground. The ramp from southbound Interstate 275 to eastbound Interstate 375 was closed for several weeks as crews had to demolish and rebuild sections of the flyover ramp as the intense heat from the tanker truck fire made parts of the flyover ramp unsafe.

You are probably asking yourself, “Why is Exit 23 becoming unsafe”? It’s a good question which deserves a good answer.

First, let’s start with an excerpt from a letter that I wrote to the St. Petersburg Times shortly after the 2007 tanker truck accident:

When this section of Interstate 275 was built in 1977 I believe the exit onto Interstate 375 (Exit 23A) should have been constructed as a right hand exit with access to 5th Avenue North. However, when the interstate was built with the left exit onto Interstate 375 the signage was well marked with advisories and warnings regarding the left exit and the reduced speed limit to 50 mph.

As a result of numerous sign replacement projects including the most recent one in conjunction with a concrete pavement rehabilitation project a while ago the left exit advisory signage - including the yellow "exit only" panel on the bottom of the sign - was replaced with nothing more than a diagrammatic sign without any mention of a left exit advisory. Any warning of a left exit onto Interstate 375 (or its counterpart, Interstate 175) from Interstate 275 today is nothing more than a little post mounted "Exit 50 mph" sign on the left side. I agree, once you are on that ramp onto Interstate 375 it's too late.

Next, let’s go over two important issues as to why Exit 23 is getting dangerous:

1. The Exit 23 ramps should have been built as a right exit which would have serviced both eastbound Interstate 375 as well as 5 Av N. A right hand exit is much safer as it promotes a safer highway by not having traffic jockeying for the correct lane as you approach the exit. Moreover, through traffic would continue to flow freely through St. Petersburg on Interstate 275 if the Exit 23 southbound off ramps were constructed as a right exit.

Presently Exit 23 from southbound Interstate 275 is a right exit – but only for Exit 23B, which is the exit for 5 Av N. Those wishing to reach downtown St. Petersburg by way of Interstate 375, also known as Exit 23A, must exit from the left lane.

2. The signage for Exit 23 from southbound as well as northbound Interstate 275 is inadequate as far as ramp warnings are concerned.

Back in 1977 when this section of Interstate 275 opened it featured signage for Interstate 375 complete with a bottom “Exit Only” panel and a large side mounted 50 mph advisory sign on the left side of the road. The same thing applied to northbound Interstate 275 at Exit 23 only that the exit is a right hand exit unlike its southbound counterpart.

Thirty years and several sign replacement projects later, this is what we see on Interstate 275 at Exit 23 in St. Petersburg:

No “Exit Only” warning on the bottom sign panel.

Small post mounted “Exit 50 mph” sign on the left hand ramp.

Diagrammatic advance signage that is adequate, but not adequate enough.

A sign with the word “Left” in black lettering on a yellow background placed atop the Exit 23 tab.

A large diamond right curve along with a very small 35 mph advisory sign on the right hand ramp from northbound Interstate 275.

Steep flyover ramps connecting Interstate 375 with Interstate 275, especially the one lane ramp from northbound Interstate 275 to eastbound Interstate 375.

You do not know that you are transitioning from Interstate 275 to Interstate 375 until it’s too late. In other words, you think you are headed to Bradenton/Sarasota or Tampa until you find out you are in downtown St. Petersburg.

A 3-foot high barrier is what separates you from a three story fall into the City of St. Petersburg Water Resources Department’s maintenance yard, with the only exception of a small chain link fence mounted atop the barrier on the left side of the ramp from northbound Interstate 275 to eastbound Interstate 375. Of course there are shoulders on each side, but the shoulders are not wide enough.

Now that you have the facts in hand, here are my recommendations to get Interstate 275 at Exit 23 (Interstate 375) fixed:

1. Erect large “tipping truck” warning signs along with flashing beacons on the ramps to Interstate 375 from both southbound and northbound Interstate 275. The signage is similar to warning signage on southbound Interstate 275 at Exit 39 in Tampa, where the ramp onto westbound FL 60 is an extremely sharp turn to the right.

2. Place easier to read and interpret warning signage on the advance signage for Interstate 375 from Interstate 275 on both directions. Signage stating that the exit is a left exit is good but not good enough.

3. In the long term, and when the economy gets back on track, consider relocating the exit for Interstate 375 from a left hand exit to a right hand exit. Another possibility would be to have all traffic for Interstate 375, Interstate 175 and 5 Av N exit Interstate 275 north of 5 Av N utilizing a dedicated right hand exit ramp which would collect traffic from Interstate 275 headed to downtown St. Petersburg and distribute it among Interstate 175, Interstate 375 and 5 Av N. The ramp would look similar to a collector-distributor off ramp which services Jefferson Street, Ashley Drive/Tampa Street and Doyle Carlton Drive from southbound Interstate 275 and westbound Interstate 4 in downtown Tampa.

I recently have drawn a diagram of what Interstate 275 at Interstate 375 looks like today compared to how it should have been built in 1977.

How many more accidents are we going to see at Exit 23 on Interstate 275 in St. Petersburg before the Florida DOT gets to doing something about it? How many more vehicles are going to end up in the City of St. Petersburg’s maintenance yard as a result of inadequate warning of the transition from Interstate 275 to Interstate 375 in downtown St. Petersburg?

You can read more about Interstate 375 in downtown St. Petersburg simply by clicking on this link to go over to the Interstate 375 page at Interstate275Florida.com. There you can see pictures of Interstate 375, including pictures of the interchange the morning after the 2007 tanker accident along with commentary.

Now I want your input on how we can fix the Exit 23 mess. Lastly, my condolences to the family of the driver who lost his life this past Monday (3/2/09) on Interstate 275 at Interstate 375.

An Update!

Recently the St. Petersburg Times did an article on how the ramp from southbound Interstate 275 to eastbound Interstate 375 and you can read it by clicking here. Hey, your Interstate275Florida.com webmaster is mentioned! Drew Harwell did a great job on this article.

One more item I forgot to mention in this blog entry is the lighting. When Interstate 275 and Interstate 375 was built in 1977, all the overpass bridges had brackets on the side for installation of highway lighting consistent with the rest of Interstate 275 through St. Petersburg. However, the Florida DOT opted for the high mast lighting throughout the viaduct section of Interstate 275 through Downtown St. Petersburg.

I think the highway lighting found on the sides of Interstate 275 should have been installed at the time Interstate 275 at Interstate 375 was built. If the highway lighting was better, it would have let motorists know of the ramp that is ahead, especially at night.

Elevate Gandy Yes, But Not Two Lanes

In Sunday’s St. Petersburg Times there was an editorial on building an elevated section of Gandy Blvd. from the southern terminus of the Selmon Crosstown Expressway to the east end of the Gandy Bridge. The plan calls for two elevated lanes, one eastbound and one westbound.

In my own opinion, we need a better route between the east end of the Gandy Bridge and the south end of the Selmon Crosstown Expressway by building an elevated section in the space where there is going to be a median for Gandy Blvd (the widening project that is taking place). However, it needs to be a minimum of four lanes, not the two lanes as planned. Why?

1. The majority of Gandy Blvd. traffic from the east end of the Gandy Bridge to the south end of the Selmon Crosstown Expressway is not local traffic. Instead, it is passing through traffic coming to or from St. Petersburg and the St. Petersburg Times is right on that. Every time when I take an occasional trip through this section of Gandy Blvd. that road is heavily used.

2. An elevated four-lane Gandy connector would provide an alternative to Interstate 275 and the Howard Frankland Bridge and at the same time would give commuters living in St. Petersburg and working in Tampa and vice versa an alternative route. Besides, those who live in St. Petersburg and want to get to Interstate 4 and the Orlando area attractions can also use this route (with a connection to Interstate 4 via Interstate 75 and the Selmon Crosstown Expressway) without having to fight traffic on Interstate 275 through Downtown Tampa, especially during the rush hour on weekdays.

3. It would provide an essential hurricane evacuation route for those St. Petersburg residents (as well as the beaches of southern Pinellas County) that needs to evacuate as a hurricane approaches. Remember when Hurricane Charley tried to pay the St. Petersburg area a visit in August 2004 and all the routes leading out of Pinellas County were next to gridlock? With an elevated four-lane Gandy connector, in the event of a hurricane evacuation all four lanes would be converted to eastbound use, which would extend to the Selmon Crosstown Expressway.

4. A two-lane Gandy connector would create nothing but gridlock during the morning and evening rush hours, as you would have only one lane going eastbound and one lane going westbound. A four lane Gandy connector with a center concrete divider similar to the concrete dividers on Interstate 275 would do the trick.

While we’re on the subject of Gandy Blvd. and the Gandy Bridge, here are more suggested improvements to bring another limited access highway between St. Petersburg and Tampa. A few of these suggestions have been on the shelves for many years; now is the time to consider dusting off the plans.

Gandy Bridge:

1. Tear down the 1956 westbound span, which used to be the Friendship Trail until the bridge had to be closed in its entirety due to the span being structurally deficient. Build a new westbound span (identical to the westbound span that was constructed in 1999) in the same location.

2. The present 1999 westbound span would become the eastbound span.

3. The older 1975 eastbound span could be put to use as the replacement Friendship Trail Bridge. This would appease motorists as well as pedestrians and bicyclists alike. Besides, the 1975 span is in better shape than the 1956 span.

Gandy Blvd. from the west end of the Gandy Bridge to Interstate 275’s Exit 28:

1. Convert the existing highway into a limited access highway much like what we are seeing now on US 19 in Pinellas County. Interchanges would be built at Brighton Bay Blvd NE (at the entrance to Derby Lane), 4 St N and Roosevelt Blvd., Martin Luther King St N and 16 St N. Access to businesses along Gandy Blvd. such as WTSP-TV (10 Connects) would be maintained by way of frontage roads.

2. Construct a recreation area on the south side of Gandy Blvd. as well as a recreational multi-purpose trail to connect the replacement Friendship Trail Bridge. This would retain the recreational character of the area south of Gandy Blvd. on the St. Petersburg approach to the Gandy Bridge, popularly called Gandy Beach.

3. Just west of Interstate 275, continue the limited access highway to US 19 where there is an interchange that was built in 1977. This is the interchange in Pinellas Park where Gandy Blvd. becomes Park Blvd. Construct an interchange at Grand Blvd. where access is provided into the Gateway Industrial Park as well as a frontage road.

4. As for the Interstate 275 interchange at Gandy Blvd. (Exit 28), I have a page on a suggested Exit 28 makeover over at Interstate275Florida.com which you can access by clicking on this link. I’ll let that page speak for itself.

In my opinion, the elevated Gandy connector from the east end of the Gandy Bridge to the south end of the Selmon Crosstown Expressway is a great idea which would benefit St. Petersburg residents. However, the Tampa-Hillsborough County Expressway Authority should consider a four lane elevated flyover – which would be compatible with the Selmon Crosstown Expressway and Gandy Blvd., both which are already four lanes – as a viable solution rather than a two lane solution.