Florida State Road 618 – East

Jose Gaspirilla reassurance marker for the Tampa Crosstown Expressway posted beyond the eastbound on-ramp from U.S. 92 (Dale Mabry Highway) east. 05/11/07

Replaced guide sign for the Willow Avenue and Platt Street off-ramp (Exit 4). 05/11/07

Entering the diamond interchange (Exit 4) with Willow Avenue on SR 618 east. The sign replacement for Exit 4 did not include a replacement for the centered exit tab. 05/11/07

Older trailblazer for the Selmon Crosstown Expressway at the Platt Street eastbound on-ramp. 10/28/06

This set of signs preceded the former main line toll plaza at Hyde Park. 10/28/06

Entering the toll plaza on Florida 618 eastbound. The left most lane was a SunPass-dedicated only lane, allowing account holders non-stop access through the plaza. Others were required to stop and pay at the attended booths. 10/28/06

Crossing the Hillsborough River, excellent views of the Tampa Downtown skyline are afforded to the north. 10/28/06

This set of signs posted for the Downtown Interchange (Exits 6A/B) was replaced by 2006. The Downtown East ramp (Exit 6B) descends traffic onto Channelside Drive east ahead of Morgan Street while Exit 6A loops onto Florida Avenue north into the central business district. 12/08/03

Exits 6A/B departed SR 618 (Crosstown Expressway) east by the Tampa Convention Center and the then-St. Pete Times Forum. These signs were also replaced by 2006. 12/08/03

SR 618 curves northeast to the parclo interchange (Exit 9) with 22nd Street N to Ybor City. 03/07/07

Exit 9 provides access to Port Tampa Bay via 20th Street south. Ybor City began in 1886 by cigar makers Vicente Martinez-Ybor and Ignacio Haya when the two moved their operations from Key West to Tampa. Ybor city produced more cigars than anywhere else for 50 years. 03/07/07

Completed in 2006, the elevated Express Lanes begin at the eastward turn from Channelside Drive (SR 60) near Adamo Drive. 03/07/07

Ybor City, a subsection of Tampa, was once its own city with a market cornered on cigar making. Nowadays the area is an entertainment and historical district. 12/08/03

The elevated Crosstown Express lanes accompany SR 60 east above Exit 9 to 22nd Street N (old SR 585). 05/11/07

Looking at early construction of the elevated express lanes of the Crosstown Expressway. 12/08/03

This overhead sign is now located beyond the egress ramp to the I-4 Selmon Connector (Exit 10). 10/28/06

The Selmon Expressway Express lanes just ahead of their opening along SR 618 east near N 34th Street. 10/28/06

This advance sign for U.S. 41 (50th Street) was moved onto an overhead when the new flyover ramp from the Selmon Connector was constructed to the right. 10/28/06

The on-ramp from 39th Street (SR 569) pictured here was removed due to construction of the Selmon Connector. 10/28/06

Older Exit 11 signs used Arial font for U.S. 41 (50th Street). This ramp was expanded to two lanes. 10/28/06

An older style Tampa Crosstown Expressway reassurance marker after Exit 11. 10/28/06

Exit 12 joined the Crosstown Expressway with 78th Street South just east of the main line toll plaza. 10/28/06

The elevated Express Lanes shift to the north and bypassed the main line east toll plaza. 10/28/06

SR 60 branches away from SR 618 (Crosstown Expressway) beyond Exit 12 with 78th Street South. 12/08/03

This sign was removed after the Express Lanes opened, as motorists are now directed to take them to Brandon. 10/28/06

Looking at the departure of Exit 12 during early construction of the elevated Express Lanes. The Arial-font based guide sign for 78th Street remained in use through 2015. 12/08/03

Historical look at Exit 13 during early road work to built the Express Lanes. U.S. 301 parallels the Interstate 75 corridor from Sarasota northward to Ocala. 12/08/03

Addition of the Express Lanes resulted in the expansion of the Falkenburg Road off-ramp from one to two lanes. 12/08/03

SR 618 ended at the ramp partition for Interstate 75 south to Naples and north to Ocala. Interstate 75 overall joins the Tampa Bay area with Miami and Atlanta. 12/08/03