The Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) has issued a request for proposals to solicit competitive bids for the design and construction of the Howard Frankland Bridge.
The new remodeled eight-lane southbound bridge will be carrying I-275 over Tampa Bay. The project also entails the removal of the existing northbound bridge over Tampa Bay. The existing northbound bridge has to be replaced because it has reached the end of its serviceable life, and signs of that replacement are already visible. The contract amount limit is around $814 million and will be advertised on Dec. 10.
FDOT has been discussing plans for years to replace the aging northbound span of the bridge in 2020, which would result in a completely different flow of traffic into Tampa. The bridge also will include a dedicated pedestrian and bike lane. It will have four general-purpose southbound lanes and two express lanes in each direction. Of the two northbound express lanes coming into Tampa, one will continue on I-275 and turn back into a general-purpose lane. The other will exit to S.R. 60.
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Source: Tampa Bay Business-Journal
