Interstate 275

Interstate 275 is the primary urban freeway serving the Tampa-St. Petersburg metropolitan area, spanning a distance of 60.6 miles from I-75 in north Manatee County through St. Petersburg and Tampa via the Sunshine Skyway and Howard Frankland Bridge. The Northern Apex with I-75 lies at the Hillsborough / Pasco County line between Lutz and Wesley Chapel.

Interstate 275 Florida Guides

Locally known as the Southern Apex, I-275 stems west from I-75 at a growing suburban area of Manatee County to the north of Palmetto and west of Parrish. A rural freeway with four lanes, I-275 converges with U.S. 19 north, 5.23 miles from I-75 north. I-275/U.S. 19 combine for 12.19 miles from Terra Ceia northwest across the Sunshine Skyway to 34th Street S in south St. Petersburg. Tolls are collected along both directions of the Skyway with cash collection still an option.

U.S. 19 separates from I-275 along parallel 34th Street S, just to the west. The two routes advance north to 15th Avenue S before I-275 diverges eastward toward Downtown St. Petersburg. Interstate 275 passes west of Downtown by Tropicana Field, home of the Tampa Bay Rays MLB franchise, while I-175 (South Bay Drive) and I-375 (North Bay Drive) provide high speed routes to Downtown.

Navigating through a number of S-curves, Interstate 275 continues north through St. Petersburg by the Oakwood Gardens, Harris Park and Grovemont neighborhoods to 54th Avenue N (CR 202). The urban freeway runs between Sawgrass Lake Park and the Meadowlawn neighborhood to the Pinellas Park city line at the exchange with SR 694 (Gandy Boulevard). SR 694 east constitutes a limited access freeway to U.S. 92 at SR 687 (4th Street N) at Gateway in northern St. Petersbug. U.S. 92 overtakes Gandy Boulevard east to the Gandy Bridge, one of two bridges linking St. Petersburg and Tampa.

Interstate 275 remains north through St. Petersburg to the exchange with SR 690 (Gateway Expressway) west and SR 686 (Roosevelt Boulevard) near Lake Carillon. The Gateway Expressway is a toll road system connecting I-275 with both St. Petersburg-Clearwater International Airport (PIE) and the freeway along U.S. 19 north to Clearwater. It opened to traffic on April 26, 2024 along with the initial stretch of the tolled I-275 Express Lanes from north of SR 694 (Gandy Boulevard) at Exit 28 to south of SR 688 (Ulmerton Road) at Exit 31.

Beyond Roosevelt Boulevard, northbound I-275 defaults onto the Howard Frankland Bridge spanning Old Tampa Bay. SR 688 (Ulmerton Road) east, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Street N (CR 803) and SR 687 (4th Street N) all feed into the Howard Frankland Bridge approach. The Howard Frankland Bridge constitutes a pair of four lane spans. $865.3 million in construction underway through late 2025 builds a new eight lane bridge for both southbound traffic and tolled Express Lanes in each direction. Upon completion, the existing northbound span will be demolished and traffic shifted to the previous southbound bridge. The project spans 5.8 miles from SR 688 (Ulmerton Road) to SR 60 (Memorial Highway) in Tampa.

Leading east from the Howard Frankland Bridge, Interstate 275 meets Kennedy Boulevard and SR 60 (Memorial Highway) at the Westshore Interchange. Future road work reconstructs the substandard exchange to accommodate the I-275 Express Lanes. Additionally a high speed flyover will be built from I-275 north to the freeway along SR 60 west at George Bean Parkway to Tampa International Airport (TPA).

The right of way for Interstate 275 east from Westshore across West Tampa to the Hillsborough River expands to include a wide grassy median reserved for potential transit lines and tolled Express Lanes. I-275 crosses the river north of Downtown Tampa with Ashley Drive providing a partial high speed route to the central business district. Angling northeast from U.S. 41 Business (Tampa Street / Florida Avenue), I-275 enters the congested Downtown Interchange with Interstate 4. $223.5 million in improvements at the directional T interchange are underway to 2027.

Interstate 4 runs east past Ybor City to East Tampa while I-275 turns north paralleling SR 45 (Nebraska Avenue) from Tampa Heights to Southeast Seminole Heights. Beyond U.S. 92 (Hillsborough Avenue), I-275 runs between U.S. 41 Business (Florida Avenue) and U.S. 41 (Nebraska Avenue) to the Tampa neighborhoods of Seminole Heights, Sulphur Springs and North Tampa. I-275 leaves the city beyond the diamond interchange (Exit 51) with SR 582 (Fowler Avenue), which joins the freeway with the University of South Florida (USF) and the city of Temple Terrace to the east.

The remainder of Interstate 275 travels through unincorporated Hillsborough County, including the unincorporated community of Lutz. I-275 angles northeast from SR 678 (Bearss Avenue) to Livingston Avenue and across the Cypress Creek Nature Preserve to the Northern Apex with I-75 at the Pasco County line near Wesley Chapel. The north end of I-275 is a wye interchange with no access to I-75 south or from I-75 north.

Bridges along Interstate 275

Sunshine Skyway Bridge

Connecting Palmetto with St. Petersburg, the Sunshine Skyway is a cable-stayed bridge that carries I-275/U.S. 19 across the mouth of Tampa Bay. For more information on this famous crossing, please see the Sunshine Skyway Bridge guide.

• Sunshine Skyway Bridge

Dick Misener Bridge

Howard Frankland Bridge

Linking St. Petersburg and Pinellas County with Tampa at West Shore, the Howard Frankland Bridge crosses Old Tampa Bay. Serving commuter traffic and area visitors, separate spans accommodate four lanes of traffic in each direction. Traffic congestion is a regular occurrence, especially during the evening peak hours. Addressing issues with capacity, a Project Development and Environment (PD&E) study evaluated replacing the 1960 bridge and upgraded the 1991 crossing with provisions for a regional transit corridor. Work on the new crossing got underway in March 2020. Anticipated completion is late 2025.

When it opened, the Upper Tampa Bridge was officially named the W. Howard Frankland Bridge and designated as the westernmost extent of Interstate 4. Addressed by Governor LeRoy Collins, a dedication ceremony took place at the Tampa End of the newly built roadway on January 15, 1960. Frankland's granddaughter had the honor of the ribbon-cutting.² Construction on the 3.006 mile bridge section built by Hardaway⁵ ran from October 18, 1957 to August 1959.² Costing $3 million, the Tampa approaches for the span were completed by W.H. Armiston of Dunedin in August 1959. Work on the $6.3 million approaches in Pinellas County was delayed due to heavy rains and the commitment given by State Road Board member Al Rogero of Clearwater of dual access to the bridge from both 4th Street N and 9th Street (MLK) Street N. The pre-stressed concrete fixed span was previously anticipated to open in November 1959 and then subsequently delayed to December.²

Groundbreaking for the second Howard Frankland Bridge for Interstate 275 southbound took place on October 26, 1987. Expected to take two years to build, the new span was expected to alleviate traffic, as volume on the original span increased to 74,000 vehicles per day, and improve safety as the old span was without shoulders. With the second bridge, the crossing was proposed to accommodate six overall lanes plus two emergency lanes.⁷

The new bridge was previously scheduled for completion in Spring 1990. However costs and a design change from six to eight lanes for the span pushed back completion to July 1991. The new Howard Frankland Bridge was dedicated on July 20, 1991 with a ribbon cutting ceremony and 5K run attended by 13,000.⁹ Due to rainy weather, the $54 million span did not open to traffic until the weekend of August 24, 1991. When it did, it accommodated two-way traffic with two lanes and an outside shoulder per direction.⁸

The old Howard Frankland Bridge closed for reconstruction soon after the new crossing opened in August 1991. Work included removing the concrete median, rebuilding the side barriers and deck resurfacing. Two lanes of eastbound traffic opened initially on January 9, 1993.¹⁰ Work to open all eight lanes on the Howard Frankland Bridge ran between July 29 and August 9, 1993 in stages.¹¹

Tampa Bay Interstate Highway Numbering

Portions of Interstate 275 through Tampa and St. Petersburg were originally constructed as part of I-4 or I-75:

• 1960 to 1964 - St. Petersburg northeast across the Howard Frankland Bridge to Downtown Tampa - opened as Interstate 4.
• 1964 to 1967 - Downtown Tampa north to Pasco County - opened as Interstate 75.
• 1965 - Downtown Interchange area - opened as Interstate 4 to the east and west and Interstate 75 heading north.

This numbering configuration lasted until May 14, 1971, when Interstate 4 was truncated and replaced by an extension of I-75 west from the Downtown Interchange to the Howard Frankland Bridge and south into St. Petersburg. However, the I-75 designation south into Pinellas County would only last until August 24, 1973, as it was relocated onto the then proposed Tampa eastern bypass (originally I-75E) and replaced by Interstate 275.

The remainder of Interstate 275 through St. Petersburg to I-75 near Ellenton was completed in stages between 1978 and 1987. During this time period the freeway was extended south from Downtown St. Petersburg to U.S. 19 south near the north Skyway toll plaza and from Interstate 75 in Manatee County to U.S. 19 north near the south Skyway toll plaza. Those sections of freeway were opened to traffic by 1985. The remaining section of I-275 though would not open until April 30, 1987 when the current Sunshine Skyway bridge opened to traffic. The new cable-stayed structure replaced the original cantilever spans across Tampa Bay, one of which (the southbound span) was severely damaged in a freighter accident in May 1980.

scenes

Shield assemblies for Interstate 275 and U.S. 19 stand at the north exit of the South Skyway Rest Area. Heading toward I-275/U.S. 19 south also leads to the entrance for the South Skyway Fishing Pier. 10/08/16

I-275/U.S. 19 span the access road linking ramps for the North Skyway Rest Area. 04/15/22

The North Skyway Rest Area is orientated with one way traffic enters from the south and exits to the north. Blackthorn Memorial Park is part of the rest area. 04/15/22

I-275/U.S. 19 rise onto the Sunshine Skyway a short distance beyond the southbound entrance ramp the North Skyway Rest Area. The two lane access road to the North Skyway Fishing Pier extends south from the adjacent rest area entrance. 04/15/22

26th Avenue S at the entrance ramp to Interstate 275 south. The freeway continues southward from this half diamond interchange toward the Sunshine Skyway bridge and the Bradenton area. 08/24/13

26th Avenue S east at 31st Street S. The northbound entrance ramp for I-275 is located to the north at 22nd Avenue S. 04/03/20

28th Street S connects with Interstate 275 north at a half diamond interchange adjacent to Wildwood Park in St. Petersburg. 04/03/20

The ramp from Interstate 275 north at Exit 20 connects with 31st Street S in St. Petersburg. The left exit ramp was intended to connect with the northbound beginning of the St. Petersburg-Clearwater Expressway. 03/25/07

Ramps at Exit 20 curve eastward to intersect 31st Street S just beyond the overpasses for Interstate 275. 03/25/07

The St. Petersburg-Clearwater Expressway was proposed northwest from the wye interchange (Exit 20) with 31st Street S to the exchange joining U.S. 19 Alternate and SR 666 at Bay Pines. 03/25/07

The entrance ramp from 31st Street S joins the inside lanes of Interstate 275. 10/15/07

A two lane ramp merges onto the left side of Interstate 275 from the planned St. Petersburg-Clearwater Expressway. The freeway was planned in the 1970s as a 20.2 mile Interstate grade highway. Cancellation of the highway occurred on May 12, 1978 because the new Interstate was more than 10 miles in length. A federal rule instituted at that time indicated that any new Interstate consist of a "final link" in the Interstate system, rather than a new wholesale facility. 10/15/07

Ramp meters along the northbound entrance ramp from 54th Avenue N to Interstate 275 are used in conjunction with Bus Rapid Transit (BRT). BRT allows shoulder use along I-275 for transit busses. 01/14/22, 04/28/24

The southbound frontage road for SR 60 (Memorial Highway) links Cypress Street with the entrance ramp connecting SR 60 east with Interstate 275 south across the Howard Frankland Bridge. 09/16/17

Cypress Street west at the E Frontage Road for SR 60 (Memorial Highway). 08/30/23

An original Interstate 75 shield was posted at Grace Street west at Dale Mabry Highway, just south of the U.S. 92 interchange with I-275, until 2008. The "275" overlay had faded to reveal "75" over the course of three decades. 04/02/06, 05/11/07

An overhead was posted just north of Grace Street for the northbound on-ramp for I-275 to the Downtown Interchange with I-4. It was removed during work to upgrade the freeway. 04/02/06

Scott Street extends east from the Downtown West Interchange to Orange Avenue south for Amalie Arena and the Ybor City Historic District. 10/16/16

Scott Street continues east from Morgan Street to Jefferson Street and Orange Avenue south toward the Channel District and entrance ramps for I-275 northbound at the Downtown Interchange. 08/30/23

Two entrance ramps link Scott Street east and Orange Avenue north with the inside lanes of I-275 north for the continuation of the freeway to North Tampa and the outside lanes for I-275 north at I-4 east to YBor City. 10/16/16

Traffic lights were added by 2020 where the Interstate 275 entrance ramps from Scott Street east and Orange Avenue north cross. 08/20/22

Ashley Drive provides a direct route to Interstate 275 north from Tyler Street and Downtown Tampa. 06/02/22

Traffic on Ashley Drive north partitions at a trumpet interchange for Interstate 275. 02/23/20

Orange Avenue is a six lane urban boulevard between the couplet of Pierce and Jefferson Streets on the northeast side of Downtown and I-275 adjacent to the Downtown Interchange with I-4 east. 03/31/21

Separate entrance ramps join Orange Avenue with the left side of I-275 north toward Seminole Heights and the right side of I-275 north for Interstate 4 east. 03/31/21

Floribraska Avenue east at the northbound entrance ramp for Interstate 275. The four lane boulevard links U.S. 41 Business (Tampa Street / Florida Avenue) in Tampa Heights with U.S. 41 (Nebraska Avenue) in the VM Ybor neighborhood of Tampa. 07/14/16

Floribraska Avenue west at the half diamond interchange with I-275 north in Tampa. 01/17/20

Bird Street expands into a four lane boulevard as it connects U.S. 41 (Nebraska Avenue) and U.S. 41 (Florida Avenue) with Interstate 275 south at Seminole and Lamar Avenues. 01/18/14

Lamar Avenue forms a northbound service road from the I-275 northbound off-ramp to Bird Street for Waters Avenue. The shield for I-275 south was askew and faced perpendicular to Bird Street westbound. 01/18/14

Photo Credits:

• 04/02/06 by AARoads and Justin Cozart.
• 03/25/07 by AARoads.
• 05/11/07 by AARoads.
• 10/15/07 by AARoads.
• 08/24/13 by AARoads.
• 01/18/14 by AARoads.
• 07/14/16 by AARoads.
• 10/08/16 by AARoads.
• 10/16/16 by AARoads.
• 09/16/17 by AARoads.
• 01/17/20 by AARoads.
• 02/23/20 by AARoads.
• 04/03/20 by AARoads.
• 03/31/21 by AARoads.
• 01/14/22 by AARoads.
• 04/15/22 by AARoads.
• 06/02/22 by AARoads.
• 08/20/22 by AARoads.
• 08/30/23 by AARoads.
• 04/28/24 by AARoads.

Connect with:
Interstate 4
Interstate 75
Interstate 175 - South Bay Drive
Interstate 375 - North Bay Drive
U.S. 19
U.S. 41
U.S. 92
State Road 60
State Road 686 - East Bay Drive / Roosevelt Boulevard
State Road 694 / County Road 694

Page Updated 05-06-2024.