Widening project on I-275 in Pinellas begins

PINELLAS COUNTY, Fla. — A major widening project is now underway on I-275 in Pinellas County.

It’s part of Gov. Ron DeSantis’ Moving Florida Forward initiative, which is to give drivers relief from traffic across the state. 

This new project on I-275 goes from 38th Ave North to 4th Street North.

Two express lanes will be built in each direction of I-275, from 38th Ave N to just south of Gandy Blvd. And an additional express lane will be added to the ones that opened on I-275 last year with the Gateway Expressway, from south of Gandy Blvd to 4^th Street, making two in both directions in that area.

FDOT officials say that thanks to the new state funding, construction on the $340 million project will now start sooner.

“It would’ve been another 8-10 years to get this project to construction had we not had this new funding,” said John McShaffrey, community outreach manager with FDOT. “And with the congestion we have out there, the sooner we can build the new lanes and express lanes, the better for everybody to move traffic through the area more freely.”

These new express lanes will be tolled lanes. FDOT officials say using the tolled lanes has been successful in reducing traffic in other areas.

“We’re using express lanes all over the state. It’s an alternative for people. It’s a choice. So if people are willing to pay the extra money to get into the express lanes, they have more consistent and more reliable travel times. But in turn, that also frees up traffic in the general use lanes for everybody else,” McShaffrey said.

And future plans call for extending those new express lanes to downtown St. Petersburg.

This project is set to be done in 2030. Drivers will see crews out there now getting it started.

If you have any questions about this new project, FODT is holding a public workshop about it on Sept. 25 at the PSTA office in St. Petersburg, from 4:30 to 6:30.