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Jeff Zito

Weekday Afternoons 3pm - 7pm

How To Avoid the Howard Franklin When It Closes

Zito February 6th
The Howard Franklin will soon start seeing frequent road closures. Here is how to avoid the Howard Franklin when it closes.

We will never be done with construction on 275 at this point. Every time I turn around they are breaking ground on some massive new project. Then they shorten the lanes causing chaos for us locals as people on vacation ask the same question we have been asking for years. “What in the hell is going on here?” Now the Howard Franklin is set to close tonight for a short time so they can put up signs around it.  Here is how to avoid the Howard Franklin when it closes.

#1  Use Clearwater Bridge

Ok, so this one is going to suck a little because one of the worst junctions on 275.  You will take Exit 20B. You can that is and its a bit of a nightmare. If you are not in a hurry though I suggest bumping off at Westshore taking it all the way to the Mall make a left and you can completely avoid the junction. It takes a few extra minutes but it is less stressful.

#2  Use the Gandy Bridge

There is going to be a pattern here but stick with me because you’ll think of this at the last second. So you can use the Gandy bridge but getting to Gandy means paying a little for tolls. But I recommend jumping on it off I4 if you are coming through that way because you’ll be better off. Do not use this if you want to go to Clearwater as it can be a pain to get back to 19 even in the middle of the night. Just take the Clearwater route.

#3  Go Up Through Oldsmar

Like the Gandy, if you are trying to get to a certain part of Pinellas County this may not be the route for you. Anywhere South of Pinellas Park this route is not for you. Because it will take you the long way around through Clearwater. You’ll need to get off I275 before the I4 Junction but you will be able to avoid any closures on the road.

What a Completed Howard Frankland Bridge Will Look Like

As you drive over the Howard Frankland, you see progress, but it’s still pretty tough to imagine what all of this work is going to look like upon completion. Work won’t finish until late 2025 according to the Florida Department of Transportation. The cost is expected to be about $865 million.

A new southbound/westbound (from Tampa to St. Pete) bridge is what you see currently being built north of the current southbound/westbound bridge. It’ll have 8 lanes – 4 for general use and 4 express lanes. There’s a bike and pedestrian path in the plan. The bridge we use now to go from Tampa to St. Pete will become the new northbound/eastbound part of 275 once the new bridge is ready. The bridge we use to go from St. Pete to Tampa will be taken down.

Not patient enough to wait until 2025 to see what this is all going to look like? Nor am I. Here’s a sneak preview from artist renditions shared by the Florida Department of Transportation.