TAMPA, Fla. — The Florida Department of Transportation has launched the first phase of a $643 million project to rebuild the West Shore Interchange in Tampa, bringing nightly ramp closures on I-275 and a series of public meetings this week for residents who want to learn more.
The West Shore Interchange project is part of a broader program valued at more than $1 billion. The first phase is currently underway and is expected to run through the end of 2029 and into 2030. Future phases are scheduled for funding in 2030 and 2032.
WATCH: Tampa West Shore Interchange project enters new phase with nightly I-275 detours and public meetings
The project is an effort to modernize the interchange through roadway and infrastructure improvements. The ultimate design for the I-275/SR 60 interchange includes a full reconfiguration to enhance traffic flow, capacity, and safety. When complete, the redesigned interchange will feature new flyover ramps with direct connections to I-275 north, SR 60, and Tampa International Airport, along with dedicated lanes for local and airport traffic to reduce weaving conflicts. Wider lanes and longer merge areas will provide safer entry and exit movements, while enhanced drainage, lighting, and landscaping will improve both safety and the overall appearance of the corridor.
Zachary Stringer, a special projects construction manager for FDOT, described what the first phase will deliver.
"The first phase will be new construction on 275 northbound, west of State Road 60. There'll be a major flyover from northbound 275 going up State Road 60 towards the airport. There's gonna be a new bridge from Reo Street that goes over 275 and connects the north and south side of 275," Stringer said.
The Priority 1A phase includes reconstructing portions of I-275 and SR 60 with updated general-use lanes, constructing northbound I-275 Express Lanes from the Howard Frankland Bridge to the future Reo Street Bridge, replacing the existing loop ramp from eastbound SR 60 to northbound I-275 with a new flyover ramp, and constructing a new flyover ramp from the Howard Frankland Bridge to SR 60 and Tampa International Airport. The phase also adds a new southbound I-275 entrance ramp from Reo Street, reconnects local roadways at Reo Street, Occident Street, and Trask Street, and enhances pedestrian and bicycle connectivity through shared-use paths and aesthetic improvements.
Stringer said the first phase also continues construction of I-275 northbound coming off of the Howard Frankland Bridge, which is expected to finish this year, and that it is important to build this portion now so that it is able to receive the traffic coming from the Howard Frankland Bridge.
The project has been years in the making. FDOT previously demolished the former DoubleTree Hotel on West Cypress Street to make way for the interchange. That site is now being used as a staging area for construction.
Frustration with traffic on I-275 is nothing new for Tampa Bay commuters. One driver, Saadiyah Ismael, told Tampa Bay 28 reporter Jada Williams that said she goes out of her way to avoid the corridor entirely.
"I avoid highways. On my GPS, I click avoid highways, tolls, all of that. I avoid 275 just because it is annoying," Ismael said.
Other drivers, interviewed during the hotel demolition in 2023, described the congestion this way:
"It's getting worse, for sure, with the population growing," one driver said.
"It's just so many cars going nowhere, or they're fast, they don't use their signals. It's just not enough traffic space for all these people," another driver added.
Nightly ramp closures begin this week
Starting Monday night, the left northbound I-275 Exit 39 ramp bridge to SR 60 West and SR 589 North, serving Clearwater and Tampa International Airport, will close nightly from 10 p.m. to 5 a.m. The closures are scheduled Monday, March 2, through Friday, March 6, and Sunday, March 8, through Friday, March 13, weather permitting.
"One of the first things drivers will notice is coming up, there will be a detour nightly for traffic coming 275 northbound heading towards 60 West or the airport. They'll be detoured onto Kennedy and then they'll take Kennedy up to 60," Stringer said.
Drivers traveling to Tampa International Airport, SR 60 (Memorial Highway), and northbound SR 589 (Veterans Expressway) should take Exit 39 and continue east on West Kennedy Boulevard/SR 60, then turn left at the signalized intersection onto SR 60 northbound and follow signs to Tampa International Airport or SR 589 (Veterans Expressway). The eastbound access to Kennedy Boulevard and Westshore will remain open.
Advanced warning signs and message boards will be placed to assist motorists during the closures.
These temporary nighttime ramp closures are necessary for crews to install Maintenance of Traffic elements, including advanced warning signs and a temporary barrier wall, as part of early construction activities.
Additional road closures in effect
E. Frontage Road from Century Park Drive to W. Laurel Street, located east of SR 60/Memorial Highway, is closed through March 3, 2026, to allow crews to perform utility relocation and install drainage infrastructure.
Motorists traveling from West Laurel Street should detour south on North O'Brien Street to access businesses near West Cypress Street. Motorists traveling from Century Park Drive should turn south onto East Frontage Road, continue east to West Cypress Street, then north on North O'Brien Street to reach West Laurel Street.
Additionally, Frontage Road from W. Cypress Street to W. Lemon Street is closed 24 hours a day through January 2027. Frontage Road from W. Cypress Street to Cypress Center Drive has a continuous lane closure 24 hours a day through January 2027.
Public meetings scheduled for Wednesday, March 4
FDOT District Seven is hosting two public open house events this Wednesday for residents who want to learn more about the project. The information presented will be identical at both events.
A virtual open house will be held Wednesday, March 4, from noon to 1 p.m. Residents can register here. The virtual presentation will remain on the project webpage after the meeting date.
An in-person open house will be held Wednesday, March 4, from 4 to 6 p.m. at 5517 West La Salle Street, Tampa, FL 33607, where engineers will be available to answer questions.
Residents can also click here to sign up for closure notifications and register for the open house.
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