If you use the Howard Frankland Bridge to get between Tampa and St. Petersburg, did you know you're driving on a 60-plus year-old bridge?
But early next year, you should be driving on a new, upgraded version.
Construction crews are hard at work on the new bridge, with a goal of opening it to traffic sometime in the spring of 2025. That timeline is still in place despite recent hurricane delays.
David Alonso, a senior project manager for the Florida Department of Transportation, said the express lanes being added to the new bridge will add some much-needed traffic congestion relief.
"This being the most traveled bridge between Hillsborough and Pinellas County, in terms of commuters, we estimate about 250,000 people cross this bridge every day. It's going to add so much capacity. It's so needed," Alonso said.
There are no set prices for the express lanes yet.
Alonso said this project has also been notably different from others in the way it hasn’t affected traffic while being constructed.
“There is very minimal impacts at this time to the traveling public, so they can just enjoy the largest bridge being built in all of Florida without seeing more congestion being added to the roads,” Alonso said.
The steel on the Howard Frankland has been corroding for years from being hit by constant salt water, and maintenance of it was becoming more expensive and extensive.
This new version is expected to have a 100-year shelf life, with wider concrete barriers so it takes the salt water longer to ever reach the bridge's steel.
The new version will feature paid express lanes that could relieve traffic clutter, a longer overall life span because of the way its being built, and a wide multi-use path for bikers and pedestrians.
Greg Dees, resident engineer for the project, said it was important to make that multi-use path as accessible and secure as possible. As a result, they made the barrier wall extra tall, and built multiple rest stations.
"You have four of them on the structure,” Dees said. “So if you need a respite from the travel, there will be shaded areas for you to sit on, put your bike down, and things of that nature."
And on either side of the bridge, they'll connect to trail systems for bikers and pedestrians to use, too.
As of late last week:
- 100% of pilings have been driven.
- 99.8% of bridge footings have been completed. 493 of 494 footings.
- 99.6% of bridge columns have been completed. 492 of 494 columns.
- 99.1% of bridge caps have been completed. 224 of 226 caps.
- 96.7% of the bridge superstructure beams have been placed.
The project was started in spring 2020, with an estimated cost of $865 million.
Once the new Howard Frankland is ready for traffic, there will be an overnight swap of traffic onto the new bridge.
Ultimately, the old Howard Frankland will be demolished and recycled.
