I-275 Southbound Closing Announced

Motorists who use southbound Interstate 275 to get through the downtown area or to head over to Pinellas County might want to plan a new route for Friday night and Saturday morning.

The Florida Department of Transportation has announced that traffic will be detoured off southbound I-275 as preparations are made to open new lanes.

“Southbound I-275 will be closed to all traffic from the Hillsborough River to west of West Shore Boulevard between 11:30 p.m. Friday (March 27) and 5:30 a.m. Saturday (March 28),” the department wrote in an email to media. “No vehicles will be allowed to enter southbound I-275 at any ramp from downtown to Lois Avenue during that time.”

The closing will also impact westbound traffic from Interstate 4.

“Traffic merging onto southbound I-275 will also be directed to the same detour,” the state noted in its email.

“If the detour/traffic switch does not take place Friday night due to rain, it will be moved to Saturday night or the next suitable night thereafter.”

Southbound traffic will be detoured off I-275 at Exit 45A and routed south on Jefferson Street/Orange Street/Pierce Street, the agency noted. Motorists can turn right on Kennedy Boulevard and proceed west. From Kennedy, vehicles can reenter southbound I-275 by continuing west on Kennedy Boulevard to the entrance ramp west of WestShore Plaza (left turn at signal and continue to the end of Kennedy Boulevard onto the entrance ramp).

The state offers these detour suggestions:

• For those heading to Howard Avenue, Himes Avenue, Dale Mabry, Lois Avenue and West Shore Boulevard: Continue west on Kennedy Boulevard. As you continue west, turn on any of these crossroads.
• For those heading to westbound State Road 60: Continue west on Kennedy Boulevard and continue under I-275 on State Road 60 (Memorial Highway) towards Tampa International Airport.

Motorists can anticipate some backups on southbound I-275 and westbound I-4 during the closing, the state warns.

“Drivers should plan at least 15-30 extra minutes into their travel schedule to make it through the detour route.”

The detour is enabling the opening of three of the four new lanes on I-275 from the Hillsborough River to west of West Shore Boulevard. Once these lanes are open, motorists may want to note these things about the new configuration:

• All exit and entrance ramps will be on the right side (enter to and exit from the right lane).
• Three new exit points are in close succession: Exit 41B to Himes Avenue; Exit 41A to Dale Mabry Highway; Exit 40B to Lois Avenue.
• The southbound exit ramp onto West Shore Boulevard (Exit 40A) will be also reopen once the switch is complete.

Image via Shutterstock

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