Tampa's Lee Roy Selmon Expressway is about to get wider, giving commuters a more streamlined trip to and from downtown Tampa from points south and east in Hillsborough County.
According to Kris Carson of the
Florida Department of Transportation, construction is slated to begin in November 2011. The project will add a lane in both directions of the
Selmon Expressway from just west of Morgan Street to just west of 21st Street, relieving congestion due to frequent repairs.
"This heavily traveled section requires continual maintenance that often results in lane closures and traffic disruption," says Carson. "It has ceased to meet the needs of area traffic. This project will relieve the cost and inconvenience of maintenance and at the same time expand the bridge to six lanes, easing congestion."
Carson estimates the project's cost at approximately $110 million, and notes that it will tie in with proposed work on the
Crosstown Connector that will join the expressway with Interstate 4. The toll expressway spans a continuous bridge structure that looms above southeast Tampa from Gandy Boulevard to Brandon neighborhoods. Carson says the project will require removing and replacing decks on both bridges that carry commuters in each direction.
"The existing bridge piers will remain,'' she says. "New piers will be added to support the new widening.''
Carson says the bidding process will begin in June 2011, and the project's completion date is yet to be determined. "The maximum allowable contract time is 760 calendar days, but the design-build teams may include a shorter schedule with their bids."
Writer:
Missy KavanaughSource: Kris Carson, Florida Department of Transportation
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