Interstate 275 North - Howard Frankland Bridge to Downtown Tampa

Succeeding wye interchanges tie in SR 688 (Ulmerton Road) east, CR 803 (Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. St N) north and SR 687 (4th Street N) north ahead of the Howard Frankland Bridge over Old Tampa Bay.

02/15/26

Both directions of the I-275 Express Lanes will travel on the new Howard Frankland Bridge that opened on March 25, 2025.

02/15/26

The Tampa skyline appears to the east from the causeway leading onto the Howard Frankland Bridge. The span across Old Tampa Bay is one of three bridges joining Pinellas and Hillsborough Counties.

02/15/26

The Howard Frankland Bridge previously consisted of a four lane northbound span dating to 1960 and a four lane southbound span built from 1987 to 1991. The new Howard Frankland Bridge accommodates four lanes of southbound traffic and four Express Lanes.

02/15/26

The bridge taking I-275 northbound across Old Tampa Bay originally opened with two-way traffic in August 1991. It eventually switched to southbound traffic following rehabilitation of the 1960 span for northbound.

02/15/26

The 1991 span that previously carried southbound traffic was rehabilitated and converted for northbound traffic as part of the Howard Frankland Bridge project started in Spring 2025. I-275 northbound shifted to the 1991 span on July 9, 2025 (FDOT, 2026).

02/15/26

Interstate 275 crosses the Hillsborough County line northbound at the Howard Frankland Bridge hump. Daily traffic congestion from the bottleneck at the Memorial Interchange historically extended this far south.

02/15/26

The original Howard Frankland Bridge opened in January 1960 as a four lane crossing for Interstate 4. This span permanently closed on July 9, 2025. As of January 2026, demolition of the 1960 span was 90% complete (FDOT, 2026).

02/15/26

$6.6 million in construction combined the two gore points at the Memorial Interchange (Exit 39) to one departing further west from I-275 northbound. The project ran from August 16, 2009 to November 24, 2010 (FDOT, n.d.).

02/15/26

Continuing to the Westshore area of Tampa, Interstate 275 lines a lengthy causeway east to a three lane ramp at Exit 39 for SR 60 (Kennedy Boulevard).

02/15/26

WestShore Plaza mall lies just east of the Memorial Interchange (Exit 39) along Kennedy Boulevard (SR 60) while International Plaza mall is located north from Exit 40 B at Lois Avenue and SR 616 (Spruce Street). A proposal was announced in March 2024 to demolish WestShore Plaza.

08/22/15

SR 60 (Kennedy Boulevard) turns east from Exit 39 to Beach Park. SR 60 west follows Memorial Highway, a freeway connecting I-275 with Tampa International Airport (TPA) and SR 589 (Veterans Expressway) north to the suburbs of Carrollwood, Citrus Park and Lutz.

02/15/26

Exit 39 expands to three lanes ahead of the wye interchange with SR 60 (Kennedy Boulevard) east to Westshore Boulevard. A single lane ramp stays to the left for SR 60 (Memorial Highway) west at Spruce Street (SR 616) and George J. Bean Parkway north into TPA Airport.

05/03/21

SR 60 traverses northern reaches of Old Tampa Bay west from Memorial Highway across Courtney Campbell to Rocky Point and Clearwater. SR 589 is a toll road extending north along the Veterans Expressway and Suncoast Parkway to Pasco County, Brooksville and Crystal River.

04/26/24

Exit 39 separates with the ramp for Kennedy Boulevard east to West Shore Boulevard. An often congested commuter route along the Interbay Peninsula of Tampa, West Shore Boulevard (CR 587) leads south from International Plaza Mall to Sun Bay South, U.S. 92 (Gandy Boulevard) and Port Tampa City.

04/26/24

Road work started in March 2019 added a lane along both directions of I-275 at SR 60 and expanded ramps with SR 60. Costing $31 million, the I-275 Operational Improvements project was completed on November 9, 2020 (FDOT, 2024).

02/15/26

Raymond James Stadium, home of the NFL Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and George Steinbrenner Field, spring training site of the New York Yankees, are both located along Dale Mabry Highway north of Tampa Bay Boulevard. Lois Avenue via Exit 40 B provides an alternate route to the venues while U.S. 92 is the most direct route.

02/15/26

I-275 advances eastward by the Carver City / Lincoln Gardens neighborhood to a modified diamond interchange (Exit 40 B) with Lois Avenue and Exit 41 A for Dale Mabry Highway (U.S. 92).

02/15/26

A two lane loop ramp brings commuters from SR 60 (Memorial Highway) eastbound onto I-275 north ahead of the Westshore Boulevard underpass. An eastbound exit ramp to Westshore Boulevard here was removed by 1995.

03/11/26

2019-20 widening of I-275 northbound added a short auxiliary lane from the West Shore Boulevard entrance ramp to Exit 40 B with Lois Avenue to the Westshore Palms and North Bon Air neighborhoods. A diamond interchange (Exit 41 A) follows with U.S. 92 (Dale Mabry Highway) at Macfarlane Park.

03/11/26

A fourth through lane was also added to I-275 north across West Shore Boulevard during the I-275 Operational Improvements project (FDOT, 2024). The wide grassy median east is reserved for future tolled Express Lanes.

02/15/26

Lois Avenue connects Interstate 275 at Exit 40 B with parallel Cypress Street west to Cypress Point. There is no Exit 40 A.

03/11/26

Lois Avenue travels north to SR 616 (Boy Scout Boulevard) at International Plaza mall and south to Palma Ceia West.

03/04/16

U.S. 92 follows Dale Mabry Highway north from Gandy Boulevard in South Tampa to Hillsborough Avenue at Drew Park. The commuter route constitutes a busy commercial arterial linking MacDill Air Force Base to the south with Land O' Lakes in Pasco County to the north.

02/15/26

Prior to the widening of I-275, Exits 41 A/B was a six-ramp parclo interchange. Separate ramps for U.S. 92 were consolidated into a single ramp (Exit 41 A).

02/15/26

Dale Mabry Highway runs north from the gate to MacDill AFB through South Tampa to Carrollwood, Northdale and Lutz. The arterial carries multiple designations from south to north: SR 573, U.S. 92/SR 600, SR 580 and SR 597.

02/27/22

U.S. 92 (Dale Mabry Highway) parallels Lois Avenue to the east from Exit 41 A and Oakford Park south to Virginia Park.

02/27/22

Decorative columns and sails were added to bridges over U.S. 92 (Dale Mabry Highway) in March 2016 as part of the decorative hardscaping in the I-275 expansion through West Tampa.

03/22/16

An interchange sequence sign references Interstate 4 for the first time on I-275 north at 3.25 miles out.

02/15/26

I-275 confirming marker posted east of the entrance ramp from U.S. 92 (Dale Mabry Highway).

02/15/26

Interstate 275 runs along the Macfarlane Park neighborhood east to Exit 42 with the couplet of Armenia Avenue south and Howard Avenue north.

02/15/26

The Himes Avenue entrance ramp adds a fifth northbound lane to the split diamond interchange (Exit 42) with Armenia Avenue south to North Hyde Park and Howard Avenue north to Old West Tampa.
The Downtown Interchange with Interstate 4 east follows in 2.5 miles.

02/15/26

Confirming shields line both sides of Interstate 275 north at the MacDill Avenue underpass near Macfarlane Park.

02/15/26

Two lanes leave I-275 north for Green Street east at Armenia and Howard Avenues. The couplet runs from Swann Avenue at the Courier City community to Tampa Bay Boulevard at West Riverside Heights. Armenia Avenue extends north from there with two-way traffic to Carrollwood, part of which was formerly Florida Secondary 587A.

02/15/26

Northbound I-275 advances east to Exit 44 for the Ashley Drive connector and Exit 45 B for the eastbound beginning of Interstate 4.

03/11/26

Exit 44 serves all interests to Downtown Tampa via separate ramps signed as East and West. The West interchange links with Ashley Drive and Tampa Street (U.S. 41 Business) south toward the Convention Center and Performing Arts Center.

02/15/26

A pair of reassurance shields follow the entrance ramp from Howard Avenue at the Rome Avenue underpass.

02/15/26

Travel time signs referencing alternate routes to Tampa Interstates were erected along I-4, I-275 and SR 589 (Veterans Expressway) in April 2024.

02/15/26

The ramp for Downtown East at Exit 44 links with adjacent Scott Street ahead of U.S. 41 Business and Orange Avenue. Leading visitors to Benchmark International Arena (home of the NHL Tampa Bay Lightning) and the Channel District, where the Florida Aquarium and the Tampa cruise terminals are located, Orange Avenue heads south to Pierce Street through Downtown.

03/11/26

Exit 45 B departs in 1.25 miles for Interstate 4 east to Historic Ybor City, Plant City and Lakeland.

02/15/26

Painted shields advise motorists of the lane allocation for the upcoming Downtown Interchange with Interstate 4 east.

05/03/21

Spanning the Hillsborough River, Exit 44 departs from I-275 north for Downtown Tampa. Ashley Drive stems south from the freeway as multi-lane boulevard to Brorein Street by the Selmon Expressway (SR 618) and Tampa Convention Center. Tampa Street (U.S. 41 Business south) parallels one block to the east.

03/11/26

High rises from the Tampa central business district rise to the east of the Hillsborough River.

07/06/13

The Downtown East exit lowers onto Scott Street east at U.S. 41 Business (Tampa Street south / Florida Avenue north). U.S. 41 Business parallels I-275 north from Downtown to Lutz.

03/11/26

The Ashley Street connector provides an uninterrupted route south from a trumpet interchange with Interstate 275 to Tyler Street.

07/06/13

Many variable message signs (VMS) were installed in 2007 throughout the Tampa Bay Interstate system. VMS were often posted alongside supplemental signs, such as this assembly for the I-4 connections to Ybor City at Exit 1 and the Port Tampa Bay at Exit 3.

02/15/26

Interstate 275 elevates along a viaduct east from the Hillsborough River to the ramps with Orange Avenue and Jefferson Street.

02/23/20

Downtown Tampa from I-275 where the viaduct passes over over U.S. 41 Business.

07/06/13

Curving northeast, I-275 north expands to five lanes ahead of the three-wye interchange (Exit 45 B) with Interstate 4 east above SR 45 (Nebraska Avenue).

02/15/26

Ramps join both sides of I-275 north from Orange Avenue north ahead of the Downtown Interchange. The Downtown Tampa Interchange (I-275/I-4) Safety and Operational Improvements underway from Fall 2023 to early 2027 adds ramps from I-275 to Ybor City, separating local traffic from the beginning of I-4.

03/11/26

I-275 turns north with three lanes toward north Tampa. Interstate 4 commences a 132.3 mile long course to Lakeland, Orlando and I-95 at Daytona Beach.

02/15/26

A lane drop quickly occurs along the northbound mainline of I-275 under the flyovers with I-4.

02/15/26