Howard Frankland shared-use path, express toll lanes open

The Howard Frankland Bridge’s shared-use path and tolled express lanes have opened, finishing all major work on the Florida Department of Transportation’s $974 million, nearly six-year project to build a new southbound bridge span across Tampa Bay.

The 12-foot-wide, nearly seven-mile shared-use path runs along the north side of the new bridge span that opened in 2025. A barrier wall separates the path from Pinellas County-bound traffic. Four shaded overlooks decorated with sail-shaped sculptures offer views of Old Tampa Bay. 

The shared-use path is open to cyclists and pedestrians from sunrise to sunset, FDOT says. Access points are at the north end of Fourth Street in St. Petersburg and the south end of Reo Street in Tampa. As part of separate projects, FDOT will build additional connections at Ulmerton Road in Pinellas County and Reo Street in Tampa. 

The Westshore Alliance is hosting a ribbon-cutting ceremony for the Howard Frankland Bridge shared-use trail at the Reo Street trail head at 9 a.m. on Saturday, June 6th. Speakers will be Westshore Alliance Executive Director Michael Maurino, Hillsborough Transportation Planning Organization Executive Director Johnny Wong, City of Tampa Mobility Director Brandon Campbell, the city’s Transportation Engineering Manager Tarek Lotfy Kamal, the Trust for Public Lands Florida Gulf Coast Trail Program Director Charles Hines, and AtkinsRéalis Senior Project Manager Alice Price.

Toll lanes

The northbound and southbound toll lanes are both on the new southbound bridge span. The express lanes are toll-free temporarily, then 50 cents a trip payable by SunPass. Toll-by-plate will not be available. Here are more details FDOT has provided on the express lanes:

“The new express lanes extend from 4th Street North in St. Petersburg to just north of the bridge in Tampa,” FDOT says on the Howard Frankland project page. “The lanes are in the median of I-275 and separated from the general-use lanes by barrier walls and flexible plastic poles. Southbound I-275 motorists can enter the express lanes just north of the bridge, continue across the Howard Frankland Bridge, and remain in the express lanes to continue south on I-275. Drivers can also merge back into the general-use lanes before the 4th Street North exit. Motorists traveling northbound on I-275 can access the express lanes just north of 4th Street North, continue across the Howard Frankland Bridge, and merge back into the general-use lanes just north of the bridge.”

For more information, go to FDOT Howard Frankland