TAMPA, Fla. — Work is now underway on one of the busiest areas in Tampa: The Westshore Interchange.
What You Need To Know
Work is now underway on the Westshore Interchange in Tampa
FDOT says the changes will eventually make it easier for drivers to navigate
The design includes new lanes on SR-60 and I-275 and flyover ramps to better connect the roads
The first phase costs $643 million and is expected to be complete by the end of 2029
The Florida Department of Transportation says the changes will eventually make it easier for drivers to navigate.
The Westshore Interchange is where the Veterans Expressway, Memorial Hwy (SR-60), and I-275 all merge, near the Tampa International Airport.
FDOT officials say the interchange can see more than 400,000 vehicles per day.
FDOT: This project will fully reconstruct Tampa’s Westshore Interchange (I-275/SR 60) with a modern design and added capacity with general use and express lanes. (FDOT MAP)
Because of that, drivers will often sit in traffic delays and have to weave across several lanes of traffic to make their exits.
FDOT is now in the first phase of modernizing this interchange, beginning work in January.
“We have to build it now because the demand requires us to build it,” said Zachary Stringer, FDOT Project Manager.
The design includes new lanes on SR-60 and I-275 and flyover ramps to better connect the roads.
It will also help traffic on local streets like Reo and Trask.
“We get hundreds of thousands of cars per day, which lead to congestion. What this new project will do is allow drivers to make their decisions on which track they’re going earlier, which will get them in dedicated lanes and reduce weaves,” Stringer said.
FDOT also says there will be clearer signage, improvements to drainage, and safety enhancements, including for pedestrians and cyclists.
The first phase costs $643 million and is expected to be completed by the end of 2029.