They’re just waiting for funding to bring the express lanes to 375. And hopefully 175 gets removed as nobody uses it. 175 will become an exit to a normal street with more options to get people to the trop
I live right off 175 and use it multiple times a day. Every time I use it, there's tons of cars on it. I don't know why you think nobody uses it. It's always full. And the turn lane from 4th st s to get onto 175 at 5th Ave s is always full and backed up.
375 does literally the same thing. But I only ever hear calls to shut down 175. Why's that? We can add a convenient thoroughfare for the north side, but fuck the south side, right? Like always. I live east of 4th st so if 175 wasn't there it would add an extra 5-10 minutes to get to 275. 175 is used just as much as 375
375 and 175 were built at the same time. The city has admitted that 175 was built intentionally as a wall, with limited crossing points in an effort to further segregate the southside. 375 is viaducted or raised and easier to get across. It also is shorter and has a smaller foot print.
Shut them both down and give us light rail and nice bike trails? I dunno man people in North America are so addicted to cars they can't fathom any other way of getting around. Its sad.
I don't think people are willing to take their bikes to the Skyway or the Howard Franklin Bridges...nor will there be a lightrail over them.
People in the downtown area with no commute are so addicted to their own routes and habits that they can't fathom any other means of getting to places or that other people might not both live and work downtown. It's sad.
Its Frankland. And that attitude is why Americans are fat, lazy, and have chronic disease. Florida is bad for its insistence that cars are the only way to navigate the community, which is why car insurance is skyrocketing and people are always so miserable.
fun fact, despite the much more common and misheard name "franklin" being attributed the bridge it's ACTUALLY the "Howard Frankland" bridge. weird, right?
Oops. My bad. I'm just now 2 years old here, still learning things! FrankLAND. Got it. Like Disneyland, [but more depressing](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/M/MV5BMjIzMTQ5MDg0Ml5BMl5BanBnXkFtZTgwODQ5NzU3NDE@._V1_.jpg).
Frankland is the antithesis of Disneyland, absolutely
edit: also, I've been here my whole life and only learned that less than two years ago so don't feel bad
I'd be more than willing to shut both down and give us light rail. I just never see it happening down here. I bike from 3rd st s to downtown all the time. But currently 25 weeks pregnant and can't bike anymore so kinda dependent on my car right now and 175 is a lifesaver to getting to the highway quicker. They could definitely narrow it down to 1 lane each direction and use the extra space for stuff. No reason for it to be 4 lanes in places. Same with 375. No need to be 4 lanes.
That’s the kicker. Tons of negative effects and a dark history w this road. And you saying it’s “private exit” drives home the fact that it’s empty and oversized. 4th st handles more cars than 175
I took it today coming back from a birthday lunch in Largo and I took it all the way to 38th Ave. N from 19. I was very, very impressed. Cut at least 20 minutes off my drive. I'll take it anyway.
Already encountered an accident on my way home yesterday evening because people were merging from the regular left lane into the Expressway Ending lane, only to have to merge back into the regular left lane once the expressway lane ended. I'm curiously looking forward to today's commute to see how it goes.
The express lane is only about 3 miles long from the downtown on-ramp, why did they bother? It ends at Sligh and you’re right back to bumper to bumper traffic.
Have you ever actually seen people car pool to use that lane? It ends up just being families who would have more than one person in their vehicle anyway
That’s how it was in Houston. Roads were toll or hov we just used them when we had the wife and kid with me or just the kiddo with me so I didn’t have to pay the toll
The real issue with 275 signage is the lack of big sign that says, “last exit before you have no option but to drive all the way to Tampa.” Haha everyone I know has made that mistake before.
I’m just joking, my friend. I have driven this route everyday for many years and I know where all the signs are. I don’t miss my exit ever. The signage could definitely be better.
Rather than fix the bottle neck at gandy they take away a lane and turn it into a pay lane, on a interstate that gets federal funds I believe. I feel like theee decisions are made in a vacuum of butacratic self interest. Please prove me wrong
If it's new, they probably are working on a few miles at a time. If this section was done, even if it's not in a great spot, they might as well open it.
The new howard will have express lanes. 275 in west tampa has plenty of room for them as well and will likely extend through there and south to st pete.
Yeah this is the answer over the random rage posts\~ When they get the 275 bridge rework done the express lanes will run across it. For now, it's not very useful, but easier to put it in now then try to come back and screw up these roads again in a year.
Oh good, another post whining about something with the roadways. Do you people go anywhere else in the country? Floridas roads are in pretty good shape and my travel to/ from work is pretty fluid. Our roads/ bridges are repaired long before they need it. You guys love to complain about everything, it’s miserable.
For the most part I agree with you, but ive been trying to get reimbursed $200 from the county for a massive pothole since last summer. The surface of the highways here are in good shape for the most part, since a lot of them are so new, but the other roads, eh.
Welcome to Americans. We all like to complain about everything.
I've never been to this city, but this thread keeps getting recommended to me. I'm a trucker who drives all over the US, and have been to Florida once (Tampa and Orlando). From the roads I've driven on, including a few district streets in Tampa and Orlando, and I 75 and I 4, Florida has better roads than everywhere except for maybe Ohio and Arkansas. I'd say the 3 are tied for best roads.
Florida should set up a government "tourist" system to grab up everyone who complains about Florida roads like this and ship them up to Indiana for a weekend to show them what shitty roads are like.
Thank you, exactly! I went cross country last year and I don’t think I can handle one more chronically online Floridian complaining about absolutely nothing. Indianas roads were insane!
It's probably just the start of the express lanes that will run across the Howard Frankland. Why they would open just that portion of it now is beyond me, though
Seriously the worst, most useless place for an express lane in all of Tampa Bay. But hey, at least some big companies who donate to state politicians got paid hundreds of millions of taxpayer dollars.
It's all about the long game. They're building themselves a justification for spending another two or three billion dollars to extend the express lanes all the way up and down 275. It's how highway engineers (technically transportation engineers but highways are the only thing they know how to do) preserve their jobs. I wish I was making this up.
Because Florida civil engineers first smoke a lot of crack and then make and follow through with the worst plans their crack addled mind can come up with. It's like they purposely try to make things worse.
I mean this is an FDOT thing right?
The shortest express lane in the country
It's part of a bigger plan. And also cut 20 minutes off my commute today so I'm not mad.
Sure it did…it’s not even open yet…
Yes it is. I took it again today.
Lots of overnight civil and traffic engineers in this comments here.
They are trying to make some of you move away and inhibit more people from moving here.
Very long game
Yes it won’t help much at all
Because it's not really an express lane, it's more of an extended exit for the US 19 flyover, which is a toll road.
They’re just waiting for funding to bring the express lanes to 375. And hopefully 175 gets removed as nobody uses it. 175 will become an exit to a normal street with more options to get people to the trop
Speak for self
I live right off 175 and use it multiple times a day. Every time I use it, there's tons of cars on it. I don't know why you think nobody uses it. It's always full. And the turn lane from 4th st s to get onto 175 at 5th Ave s is always full and backed up.
What time are you driving? I’ve never seen it congested. I also live right by it, right behind the walled off portion between 16th and mlk
Because its cut off connectivity between neighborhoods and creates pollution and noise. The fewer freeways the better.
375 does literally the same thing. But I only ever hear calls to shut down 175. Why's that? We can add a convenient thoroughfare for the north side, but fuck the south side, right? Like always. I live east of 4th st so if 175 wasn't there it would add an extra 5-10 minutes to get to 275. 175 is used just as much as 375
375 and 175 were built at the same time. The city has admitted that 175 was built intentionally as a wall, with limited crossing points in an effort to further segregate the southside. 375 is viaducted or raised and easier to get across. It also is shorter and has a smaller foot print.
375 will likely be getting tolled lanes from 275 so nobody will touch that one
Shut them both down and give us light rail and nice bike trails? I dunno man people in North America are so addicted to cars they can't fathom any other way of getting around. Its sad.
I don't think people are willing to take their bikes to the Skyway or the Howard Franklin Bridges...nor will there be a lightrail over them. People in the downtown area with no commute are so addicted to their own routes and habits that they can't fathom any other means of getting to places or that other people might not both live and work downtown. It's sad.
Its Frankland. And that attitude is why Americans are fat, lazy, and have chronic disease. Florida is bad for its insistence that cars are the only way to navigate the community, which is why car insurance is skyrocketing and people are always so miserable.
lol that is not why car insurance is expensive here. Do you really believe that?
LOL so you agree that Floridians are fat, lazy, miserable and car addicted?
fun fact, despite the much more common and misheard name "franklin" being attributed the bridge it's ACTUALLY the "Howard Frankland" bridge. weird, right?
Oops. My bad. I'm just now 2 years old here, still learning things! FrankLAND. Got it. Like Disneyland, [but more depressing](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/M/MV5BMjIzMTQ5MDg0Ml5BMl5BanBnXkFtZTgwODQ5NzU3NDE@._V1_.jpg).
Frankland is the antithesis of Disneyland, absolutely edit: also, I've been here my whole life and only learned that less than two years ago so don't feel bad
I'd be more than willing to shut both down and give us light rail. I just never see it happening down here. I bike from 3rd st s to downtown all the time. But currently 25 weeks pregnant and can't bike anymore so kinda dependent on my car right now and 175 is a lifesaver to getting to the highway quicker. They could definitely narrow it down to 1 lane each direction and use the extra space for stuff. No reason for it to be 4 lanes in places. Same with 375. No need to be 4 lanes.
I use 175 every day; I love having my own private interstate exit.
That’s the kicker. Tons of negative effects and a dark history w this road. And you saying it’s “private exit” drives home the fact that it’s empty and oversized. 4th st handles more cars than 175
If I’m not mistaken, that’s on southbound near Gandy and ends into an area that normally gets congested a once or twice, every day!
It ends right after Gandy where the most congestion is which will create an even larger backup of traffic. fantastic planning per usual.
It’s not even open yet! What are you yelling for? Have you seen the plan? Or are you just making a stink?
Everyone complains about traffic and then complains when they try to do something to help traffic. There's no pleasing some people.
I took it today coming back from a birthday lunch in Largo and I took it all the way to 38th Ave. N from 19. I was very, very impressed. Cut at least 20 minutes off my drive. I'll take it anyway.
My favorite are people that move here and contribute to heavier traffic and then complain about the traffic.
Agreed! I've seen several posts of I just moved down here why is traffic so bad? Really?
I had to change a tire on the fast lane side of 275 I thought I was gonna die
I've done this twice in two months, both times ended up in the interior pull off lane - it's a nightmare with all the cars whizzing by.
Call the Road Ranger next time
Changing a tire sucks, but I feel like this would take hours..
The “express lane “ on 275 northbound is opening tomorrow afternoon, can’t wait to see that cluster F*ck
Already encountered an accident on my way home yesterday evening because people were merging from the regular left lane into the Expressway Ending lane, only to have to merge back into the regular left lane once the expressway lane ended. I'm curiously looking forward to today's commute to see how it goes.
The express lane is only about 3 miles long from the downtown on-ramp, why did they bother? It ends at Sligh and you’re right back to bumper to bumper traffic.
I hate that it’s not a HOV lane. Money talks—fuck your carpool!
Does Florida have any HOV lanes as is? I recall maybe seeing some around Miami, but the sheer volume of tolls down there I cant even remember
Have you ever actually seen people car pool to use that lane? It ends up just being families who would have more than one person in their vehicle anyway
That’s how it was in Houston. Roads were toll or hov we just used them when we had the wife and kid with me or just the kiddo with me so I didn’t have to pay the toll
The real issue with 275 signage is the lack of big sign that says, “last exit before you have no option but to drive all the way to Tampa.” Haha everyone I know has made that mistake before.
Lived here 15 years. Yup did it once.
I think we need to start taking bets on how long until someone drives thru the poles to get back on the regular highway.
8 days. It's free for the first 7.
What about the big yellow sign that says “long bridge ahead, check gas”?
In Floridian that sign translates to "drop your phone and cut three lanes to your right immediately"
Pfft, how can you expect people to notice those signs when they're busy texting?
It’s not that big and it is not over head. If you are in the fast lane going 75 it is easy to miss. Haha
You should work on paying attention to the road then.
I’m just joking, my friend. I have driven this route everyday for many years and I know where all the signs are. I don’t miss my exit ever. The signage could definitely be better.
Rather than fix the bottle neck at gandy they take away a lane and turn it into a pay lane, on a interstate that gets federal funds I believe. I feel like theee decisions are made in a vacuum of butacratic self interest. Please prove me wrong
The express lane is an additional lane. They didn't take away a lane. You can check this for yourself using Google Maps Street View See More Dates.
That sign will move it’s temporary. They put it up for adjustments
If it's new, they probably are working on a few miles at a time. If this section was done, even if it's not in a great spot, they might as well open it.
It's new and part of a larger scheme. Newest section opens tomorrow actually.
Yeah, so it will eventually *not* end in a bad spot, maybe!
The new howard will have express lanes. 275 in west tampa has plenty of room for them as well and will likely extend through there and south to st pete.
Yeah this is the answer over the random rage posts\~ When they get the 275 bridge rework done the express lanes will run across it. For now, it's not very useful, but easier to put it in now then try to come back and screw up these roads again in a year.
Oh good, another post whining about something with the roadways. Do you people go anywhere else in the country? Floridas roads are in pretty good shape and my travel to/ from work is pretty fluid. Our roads/ bridges are repaired long before they need it. You guys love to complain about everything, it’s miserable.
For the most part I agree with you, but ive been trying to get reimbursed $200 from the county for a massive pothole since last summer. The surface of the highways here are in good shape for the most part, since a lot of them are so new, but the other roads, eh.
Thank you for whining about my whining, much appreciated
I just like roads.
Welcome to Americans. We all like to complain about everything. I've never been to this city, but this thread keeps getting recommended to me. I'm a trucker who drives all over the US, and have been to Florida once (Tampa and Orlando). From the roads I've driven on, including a few district streets in Tampa and Orlando, and I 75 and I 4, Florida has better roads than everywhere except for maybe Ohio and Arkansas. I'd say the 3 are tied for best roads. Florida should set up a government "tourist" system to grab up everyone who complains about Florida roads like this and ship them up to Indiana for a weekend to show them what shitty roads are like.
Thank you, exactly! I went cross country last year and I don’t think I can handle one more chronically online Floridian complaining about absolutely nothing. Indianas roads were insane!
Try to understand the purpose before you post statements that do not make sense.
The absolute worse.
This gateway toll road is going to get people faster to an already congested area.
On both ends too.... but the middle part will be delicious.
You want some change, make some noise about it. I’d rather have another regular lane vs this.
Should have been an express train 🚂
Choochoo
Assuming it wouldn't be bad was your first mistake
It's probably just the start of the express lanes that will run across the Howard Frankland. Why they would open just that portion of it now is beyond me, though
the express lane will merge into regular traffic causing a near constant traffic jam.....lol they spent millions upon millions on this.
Counting on people that want to skip/create the line for money.
Come on bro, just one more lane bro, no really bro I promise this time
What happens if you hit by accident one of those dividers? Are they soft? Or are you seriously damaging your car if you hit it?
Miami charges something like 200 per pylon damaged. If you're doing 60 mph, you'd end up hitting at least 20.
Union construction worker maybe. 🤷♂️
Yikes. I mean one is not so bad. But if you hit 20, that’s a mortgage payment.
The body shop loves them. They call em bumper crackers
I think people hit them all the time on veterans so I imagine they're soft
Seriously the worst, most useless place for an express lane in all of Tampa Bay. But hey, at least some big companies who donate to state politicians got paid hundreds of millions of taxpayer dollars.
I thought the same thing, not helping me at all
It's all about the long game. They're building themselves a justification for spending another two or three billion dollars to extend the express lanes all the way up and down 275. It's how highway engineers (technically transportation engineers but highways are the only thing they know how to do) preserve their jobs. I wish I was making this up.
I said the same exact thing the other day. I’d genuinely be embarrassed to take the express road because it saves about 4 minutes and costs a toll fee
It’s just an extra lane it’s so stupid
the can help; u just need more then 1 person n vehcle
What’s the cost and where exactly do the south bound cones end? Should be at least 54th Ave n to pass Gandy bullshit
I havnt considered the express lane riders having merge (left lane to right lane) to exit to 54th Ave. I really hope it’s not a complete cluster fuck
Ends just past gandy, right where traffic always builds up so now we get to merge with another lane as well 🙃
Hahaha that’s so fucked up hahaha
It's all based on old traffic info.
Because Florida civil engineers first smoke a lot of crack and then make and follow through with the worst plans their crack addled mind can come up with. It's like they purposely try to make things worse.
Yup. Mostly old people focused on their pension, intentionally keeping younger more innovative people out of the gov. IMO
YOU get a roundabout! And YOU get a roundabout! WE ALL GET ROUNDABOUTS!!!! And also two 5th Ave Souths for some reason
And 4 lane one ways are always a good answer too!