Interstate 275 (Florida)

Interstate 275
Interstate 275
	I-275 highlighted in red
Route information
	Auxiliary route ofI-75
	Maintained byFDOT
Length	60.237 mi(96.942 km)
Existed	1973–present
NHS	Entire route
Major junctions
South end	I-75nearPalmetto
	US 19inTerra Ceia; I-175inSt. Petersburg; I-375in St. Petersburg; SR 60inTampa; US 92in Tampa; I-4in Tampa; US 92in Tampa;
North end	I-75nearWesley Chapel
Location
Country	United States
State	Florida
Counties	Manatee,Pinellas,Hillsborough,Pasco
Highway system
	Interstate Highway System; Main; Auxiliary; Suffixed; Business; Future; Florida State Highway System; Interstate; US; State Former; Pre‑1945; ; Toll; Scenic;

Interstate 275(I-275), located inFlorida,is a 60-mile-long (97 km)auxiliary Interstate Highwayserving theTampa Bay area.Its southern terminus is atI-75nearPalmetto,where I-275 heads west towards theSunshine Skyway Bridgecrossing overTampa Bay.From that point, I-275 passes throughSt. Petersburgbefore crossing Tampa Bay again on theHoward Frankland Bridge,then continues through the city ofTampa,where it connects to aninterchangewithI-4inDowntown Tampa.After the interchange, I-275 passes north through theTampasuburbs to its northern terminus at I-75 inWesley Chapel.

Route description

Southern terminus to St. Petersburg

I-275 begins at exit 228 ofI-75with two lanes in each direction in ruralPalmetto.I-275 immediately heads west of its parent Interstate and has an interchange withUS Highway 41(US 41) two miles (3.2 km) up the road. I-275's next interchange is withUS 19,beginning a concurrency that lasts 13 miles (21 km). After this exit, I-275 reaches the southern toll plaza for theSunshine Skyway Bridge.There is a corresponding northern toll plaza for southbound travelers. The Sunshine Skyway Bridge is a 4.1-mile-long (6.6 km) bridge that spansTampa Bay.After reaching the northern end of the bridge, I-275 entersSt. Petersburg.^[2]

St. Petersburg

At the northern end of the bridge, drivers briefly drive on the left side as the freeway's lanes invert for about half a mile (0.80 km) before US 19 exits the freeway at exit 17,^[3]serving as a local road in St. Petersburg. At this point, the Interstate expands to three lanes. I-275 has multiple exits in the city, each of them serving the residential neighborhoods that the freeway passes through. Between exits 22 and 23, the freeway becomes two lanes each way, expanding back to three thereafter. I-275 then has a major interchange withI-175,which provides access toAlbert Whitted AirportandTropicana Field,home of theTampa Bay Rays.^[4]The next major interchange occurs less than a mile (1.6 km) down the road withI-375,providing access to the waterfront along Tampa Bay.^[2]After this exit, I-275 continues through residential neighborhoods, widening to four lanes each way between exits 25 and 26, though the right lane in both directions being designated "exit only". It eventually passes besideSawgrass Lake Parkand then through an area of marshland. The freeway widens to four lanes in either direction at exit 30 before reaching its last interchange in St. Petersburg withSR 687(4th Street). After traveling 19 miles (31 km) in St. Petersburg, I-275 crosses theHoward Frankland BridgeoverOld Tampa BayintoTampa.^[2]

Tampa

I-275 reduces to three lanes at exit 39, as well as has an interchange withSR 60thereat, which provides access toSR 589andTampa International Airport.^[5]I-275 widens back to four lanes after this interchange.^[6]I-275 then has an interchange withUS 92(Dale Mabry Highway), the first of two interchanges with the road, allowing access toRaymond James Stadium,Steinbrenner Field,and South Tampa. I-275 then crosses theHillsborough Riverfor the first time along its route. Afterward, six miles (9.7 km) from its entry into Tampa, I-275 has its next major interchange withI-4,a junction known locally as "Malfunction Junction".^[2]This junction was always clogged with daily rush-hour traffic and was subsequently overhauled.^[7]This interchange serves as I-4's western terminus and allows access toOrlandoand the east coast of Florida. Furthermore, the freeway expands to four lanes through the interchange. After this major exit, I-275 reaches an interchange with US 92 (Hillsborough Avenue) again, allowing access toUS 41,the historicSeminole Heightsneighborhood, and East Tampa. After this interchange, US 41 (Nebraska Avenue) acts as a parallel local arterial for the freeway throughout the rest of its route through Tampa.^[8]I-275 crosses the Hillsborough River a second time and enters residential neighborhoods within Tampa. I-275 travels due north and parallel to US 41 for four miles (6.4 km) before turning northeast toward I-75.^[2]At this point, I-275 exits the outskirts of Tampa and entersLutz,a suburb of Tampa. I-275 then reconnects with its parent Interstate Highway (I-75) and reaches its northern terminus nearWesley Chapel.^[2]

History

Initial construction in Tampa

Model of the Downtown Distributor (c. 1960), from Malfunction Junction (right) to Hillsborough River (upper left)

I-275 originally opened in 1962 as a segment ofI-75,from the present northern terminus to adiamond interchangeatSR 678(Bearss Avenue). The portion of I-4 that would later become a part of I-275, theHoward Frankland Bridge,and its short freeway stubs at the bridge's endpoints, opened to traffic about a year earlier. In 1964, the stub of what was then known as I-4 between 50th Street (through "Malfunction Junction" ) and Armenia Avenue was completed. "Malfunction Junction's" northern end was a pair of ramp stubs that would later be filled in by I-75. In 1965, the segment of I-75 from "Malfunction Junction" to about Sligh Avenue was completed, and, by 1967, the remaining gaps in I-4 and I-75 were filled and opened to traffic.

Controversy and repeated delays in Pinellas

Around 1970, plans for the extension of I-75 into Pinellas County began. However, the first round of local opposition would lead to the eventual (and repeated) delays of I-75 through St. Petersburg. The first setback was led by4th Streetbusiness owners and residents who demanded that construction on I-75 be stopped, since thebridgewas already funneling unwanted traffic into the corridor. It has since seen many unforeseen business and residential booms due to the building of this bridge. At the same time, construction began on I-75 fromSR 686(Roosevelt Boulevard) to about 38th Avenue North. By this time, I-4 was truncated to "Malfunction Junction", allowing the I-75 designation to take over the freeway from the junction to 4th Street North. This segment was opened to traffic in 1973, with the gap between Roosevelt and 9th Street filled in a few years later. Around this time, I-75 was redesignated as I-275, and, after some more local opposition, I-275 was constructed to meander down toSR 595(5th Avenue North), near downtown St. Petersburg, in 1975.

The original plans called for I-75 to end in Tampa.

The construction of I-275 over nearly a 50-year period between 1970 and 2016 uprooted manyBlackfamilies in the Methodist Town, Gas Plant, and 22nd Street neighborhoods. These practices ofeminent domainby theSt. Petersburggovernment helped to shut down small companies in these neighborhoods and sustained white businesses that were located more centrally.^[9]Families in the Gas Plant neighborhood were assured good jobs atTropicana Fieldto help ease the burden of moving. During the 1970s, the government removed 285 buildings and 500 families to help build the Interstate which cost $11.3 million (equivalent to $68.4 million in 2023^[10]).^[11]The widespread demolition included 10 Black-American churches.^[12]The families in the bulldozed Gas Plant neighborhood were guaranteed cheaper homes and 600 new jobs by the city, but these offers were never delivered.^[13]

Many members in the affected neighborhoods found the actions taken by the government to be very controversial. In 1977, Chester James was appointed by the city government as the representative from Methodist Town to vote on the future development plans of his neighborhood. However, the city's unclear plans led him to vote in favor of evicting 377 families (including his own) from the neighborhood.^[9]There is also contention about the location of I-275 in southwest St. Petersburg, as its current placement is very similar to that of the 1935 segregation initiative perimeter.^[13]

Financial burdens through this part of the project caused further delays. However,I-375opened partially to traffic in 1979, with full operation by 1981, andI-175opened up in 1980.

With both downtownfeedersnow open, I-275 was extended to 28th Street South. However, another round of community revolts delayed the segment of I-275 between 28th Street South and 22nd Avenue South. In spite of the delay, the stretch was built by 1981. Exit 20 was configured for an anticipated westward expansion to a planned Pinellas Beltway. A freeway revolt killed many ofPinellas County's freeways during the 1970s and repeatedly delayed the construction of I-275. In addition, theSunshine Skyway Bridge collapseon May 9, 1980, during which the freighterMVSummit Venturetook down one of the two spans of theSunshine Skyway Bridgeand killed 35 people, reduced a portion of I-275 to two lanes until the opening of the present bridge in April 1987.

In 1982, the segment between 22nd Avenue South and 39th Avenue South was opened to traffic. ThePinellas Bayway/US 19interchange, opened to traffic in 1983–1984, is inverted for about half a mile (0.80 km). The reason for this configuration is unknown; however, to this day, traffic continues to flow smoothly through the interchange with very little congestion. At about the same time this interchange opened, I-275 was completed from the Sunshine Skyway Bridge to the southern terminus with I-75 inManatee County.

When the new Sunshine Skyway Bridge opened in 1987, the final link of I-275, between US 19 and the bridge, was completed and opened to traffic.

Reconstruction and later changes

The segment of I-275 between Memorial Highway (SR 60) and Himes Avenue was widened from four to six lanes in 1974. Additionally, amedianbarrier was built along the freeway from Himes Avenue toDowntown Tampa.

I-275 entering Downtown Tampa

Until the 1980s, the Memorial Highway/Westshore interchange was only ahalf diamond,and the West Shore Boulevard interchange was a full diamond. Both interchanges underwent drastic changes to allow safe, free-flowing movement to and fromTampa International Airport,theCourtney Campbell Causeway,and the future Veterans Expressway. Among the improvements were three free-flowing exit and entry ramps for Memorial Highway from I-275. The exit ramp from I-275 south to Memorial Highway was reconstructed into a directional ramp towards Memorial Highway northbound, the entry ramp from Memorial Highway onto northbound I-275 was removed, and an entry ramp from southbound Memorial Highway to southbound I-275 was constructed. The two western ramps on the nearby West Shore Boulevard interchange were also removed (truncating the West Shore interchange to a half diamond) in order to limit accidents via traffic weave caused by traffic entering and exiting the aforementioned Memorial Highway interchange. In 2004, the ramp from southbound Memorial Highway to southbound I-275 was realigned in order to ease congestion on the mainline lanes of the Interstate. In 2020, the interchange was reconfigured once again and widened I-275 to three lanes throughout the length of the interchange.^[14]

I-275 just leaving Dale Mabry Highway/US-92 heading south towardTampa International Airport

In 1984, the Himes Avenue exit/entrance was constructed. The exit was originally rumored to supplement a failed redevelopment project in the area during that time. Today, the Himes Avenue connection serves as reliever for nearbyRaymond James Stadium.

In 1991, following the expansion of theHoward Frankland Bridge,the 4th Street North interchange was reconstructed.

In 1994, the twodrawbridgeson the northern approach to theSunshine Skyway Bridge,dating to the original twin Sunshine Skyway bridges, were replaced with high-level fixed spans, eliminating bottlenecks caused by openings.

Between 1994 and 1998, there were no major projects taking place on the freeway, and I-275 saw very few changes. The hiatus ended in 1999, when a much needed, dual-stage, widening project took place betweenSR 580(Busch Boulevard) and Bearss Avenue. The project widened I-275 mainline from four to six lanes, rehabilitated the existing concrete surfaces, and improved interchange flow, lighting, signage, and drainage. The project was completed in 2003.

The northerntoll plazato the Sunshine Skyway Bridge was relocated south of the approach bridge in 2000 due to a lack of capacity. The original plaza only allowed three lanes, while the replacement allows six lanes to flow through, with the sixth lane dedicated toSunPassusers.

In 2001, the widening project for I-275 betweenSR 694(Gandy Boulevard) andSR 686began. The project increased I-275 from six to eight lanes, and its existing concrete surfaces were rehabilitated. A reconfiguration of the SR 686 interchange (exit 30) started in 2001 and added access to 118th Avenue North at the same interchange. The new connection to 118th Avenue North is the first phase of a proposed freeway to connect I-275 to theBayside Bridge(although it is unclear if future segments will be built). All construction in this area was completed by 2002. Reconstruction of I-275 between SR 686 and SR 687 quickly followed the widening project. Lane counts on I-275 were increased from four to mostly six lanes (with some eight-lane segments). The Ulmerton Road and 9th Street North interchanges were originally narrow 1959 configurations that caused much congestion in the area. Additionally, the 9th Street North/Martin Luther King Jr. Street North exit and Ulmerton Road entrance ramps were situated in the left lane of I-275, causing dangerous weaving patterns. These interchanges were reconstructed into right-lane configurations, and two new ramps were added from Ulmerton Road (one leading to 9th Street North and one exiting onto southbound I-275). The southbound I-275 exits to Ulmerton Road and Martin Luther King Jr. Street North were combined into one exit ramp to provide better flow. The Martin Luther King Jr. Street North interchange was shut down for several months as a result of the reconstruction. Finally, the ramps to and from 118th Avenue North were opened to traffic. The entire reconstruction project along I-275 in theGatewayarea was completed in 2005.

In 2003 operational improvements began for the notorious "Malfunction Junction" in Downtown Tampa. The project consisted of widening mainline I-275 and I-4, along with an array of ramp and bridge improvements, lighting and drainage work, and new signs. The entire project was completed on December 22, 2006, withintelligent transportation system(ITS) components installed by March 2007. The renovation of the I-4 corridor throughYbor Citywas finished around mid-2007, almost one year ahead of schedule.

I-275 at "Malfunction Junction"

The staged reconstruction project for I-275 between the Howard Frankland Bridge and Downtown Tampa was supposed to begin in mid-2006. However, bids received by theFlorida Department of Transportation(FDOT) for the project came in at $100 million (40 percent) over the projected estimates, which was blamed on the rising cost of asphalt and other materials, which was, in turn, partly blamed on the rising oil prices worldwide. As a result, FDOT commenced with the project in four smaller phases, rather than the original, large-scale, two-phase project. Construction began on phase one, the northbound lanes (south of the existing interstate) between Himes Avenue and Downtown Tampa, on August 13, 2007, and was completed in April 2010.^[15]Phase two, which includes construction of the northbound lanes from theWestshorearea to Himes, was originally scheduled to begin in 2008 but was delayed further. The third phase will consist of transferring northbound traffic onto the new northbound lanes, southbound traffic onto the existing northbound lanes, and the construction of the new southbound lanes from Himes to downtown. Finally, the fourth and final phase will construct the new southbound lanes from the Westshore area to Himes. The project also reconfigured the Dale Mabry Highway (US-92) and Lois Avenue interchanges. The Dale Mabry Highway interchange was converted from a partial cloverleaf into a diamond interchange. The offramp from southbound I-275 to Lois Avenue was relocated to access Lois Avenue via Cypress Street and flyover ramps were also constructed in order to limit traffic weave between the two interchanges. The entire project was originally scheduled to be completed by around 2013 or 2014, but it was extended until early 2015^[16]and costed an estimated $540 million (equivalent to $679 million in 2023^[10]), an increase from the original $350-million (equivalent to $440 million in 2023^[10])budget.^[17]Finally, on June 28, 2016, the fourth and final phase was finished with the new lanes finally opening, ending the long term project in Tampa.^[18]

In January 2011, construction began on widening the northernmost segment of I-275 fromUS 41(Nebraska Avenue) to the I-75 apex from four to six lanes. The project also includes constructing a dedicatedflyoverramp over I-75 towardsSR 56.^[19]This ramp, along with a new, extended ramp from I-75 to SR 56, opened on August 18, 2011.^[20]

On February 4, 2011, a new ramp connecting northbound I-275 to 118th Avenue North opened. This project, beginning in July 2009 and involving widening the existing ramp from northbound I-275 to SR 686, is being performed in conjunction with the project to build the Mid Pinellas Expressway, which has suffered numerous delays due to a lack of funding.^[21]

Other improvements

I-275 nouthbound approaching the Exit 30 interchange

Other sections not requiring a full-scale reconstruction have undergone improvements:

Concrete rehabilitation from 62nd Avenue North to exit 17 in Pinellas County, complete, 2001–2005
Resurfacing from the Howard Frankland Bridge to Himes Avenue (exit 41C), complete, 2002
Resurfacing from the US 41 overpass (exit 53) to I-75 junction in Lutz, complete, 2003
Resurfacing from the Howard Frankland Bridge to SR 687, complete, 2006
Concrete rehabilitation/bridge upgrade/lighting improvements from "Malfunction Junction" to Busch Boulevard, complete, 2007
Concrete rehabilitation from 26th Avenue North to exit 23, complete, 2008
Rehabilitation at exit 28, complete, 2008
Resurfacing between exit 17 to the Misner Bridge in Pinellas County (currently ongoing)^[22]
Widening of the northbound exit ramp at exit 51 in Hillsborough County, complete, 2012^[23]
Bridge reconstruction at SR 687 at exit 32 southbound, complete, 2024

The segment of I-275 in Manatee County has not changed dramatically since its construction in 1983, other than a toll plaza upgrade in the late 1990s and resurfacing of the mainline lanes between the I-75 apex and the US 19 exit. It is unclear if any other improvements are planned at this time.

Naming of the freeway

In November 2005, TheFlorida Legislaturededicated the section of I-275 inPinellas Countyas the "St. Petersburg Parkway/William C. Cramer Memorial Highway".William Cato Cramerwas a native of St. Petersburg who served as a member of the Florida Legislature from 1955 through 1971. He helped to procure the building of I-275 through Pinellas County.^[24]

Services

I-275 has two rest areas, one at each end of the Sunshine Skyway Bridge. Both rest areas, each accessible by traffic in both directions, have rest rooms, vending machines, picnic tables, dog walk areas, and nighttime security. These rest areas also provide access to the fishing piers, for an extra fee.

Exit list

County	Location	mi^[1]	km	Old exit^[25]	New exit	Destinations	Notes
Manatee		0.000	0.000	—	—	I-75(SR 93south /SR 93Anorth) –Naples,Tampa	south end of SR 93 concurrency; exit 228 on I-75
		2.279	3.668	1	2	US 41(SR 45) –Palmetto,Bradenton
	Terra Ceia	4.728	7.609	2	5	US 19south (SR 55) –Palmetto,Bradenton	South end of US 19 / SR 55 overlap; southbound exit and northbound entrance
	Terra Ceia	5.8^[26]	9.3	South Toll Plaza (northbound only)
		6.9^[26]	11.1	2A	—	South Skyway Fishing Pier; Rest Area
Tampa Bay		8.021– 12.164	12.909– 19.576	Sunshine Skyway Bridge
Pinellas	St. Petersburg	12.9^[26]	20.8	2B	—	North Skyway Fishing Pier; Rest Area
		13.567^[26]– 13.855	21.834– 22.297	Structure B overBunces Pass
		14.7^[26]	23.7	Scenic View (northbound only)
		15.1^[26]	24.3	North Toll Plaza (southbound only)
		15.579^[26]– 16.116	25.072– 25.936	Structure A overGulf Intracoastal Waterway
		16.968	27.307	3	16	Skyway Lane / Pinellas Point Drive
		17.424	28.041	4	17	US 19north /SR 682west (Pinellas Bayway) / 54th Avenue South –St. Pete Beach	North end of US 19 / SR 55 overlap; northbound left exit
		19.447	31.297	5	18	26th Avenue South	Northbound exit and southbound entrance
		19.699	31.702	6	19	22nd Avenue South	Southbound exit and northbound entrance
		20.377	32.794	7	20	31st Street South	Northbound exit and southbound entrance (both on the left side)
		20.697	33.309	8	21	28th Street South	Southbound exit and northbound entrance
		21.651	34.844	9	22	I-175east (SR 594) –Tropicana Field	Access toBayfront Health St. Petersburg
		22.412	36.069	10	23A	I-375east (SR 592) –Sundial,The Pier	Signed as exit 23 northbound
		22.418^[26]	36.078	11	23B	SR 595(5th Avenue North /US 19 Alt.)	Southbound exit and northbound entrance
		23.440	37.723	12	24	22nd Avenue North
		24.466	39.374	13	25	CR 184(38th Avenue North)
		25.492	41.025	14	26	CR 202(54th Avenue North)	Signed as exits 26A (east) and 26B (west) northbound; access to Northside Hospital
		27.695	44.571	15	28	SR 694(Gandy Boulevard) –Pinellas Park,Seminole	no access from I-275 south to SR 694 east or SR 694 west to I-275 north
		29.614	47.659	16	30	SR 686(Roosevelt Boulevard) /SR 690west (Gateway Expressway) toUS 19/CR 296(118th Avenue N)Module:Jct error: Invalid "to" argumentSt. Pete–Clearwater International Airport
		30.751^[26]	49.489	17	31	CR 803south (Dr Martin Luther King Jr. Street)	Southbound exit and northbound entrance; formerly exit 31A
		30.933	49.782	18	31	SR 688west (Ulmerton Road)	No northbound exit; formerly exit 31B
		31.580	50.823	19	32	SR 687south (4th Street North) toUS 92	Southbound exit and northbound entrance. Reopened March 2024 after bridge replacements on 4th Street North
Old Tampa Bay		33.797^[26]– 36.803	54.391– 59.229	Howard Frankland Bridge
Hillsborough	Tampa	38.422	61.834	20A	39	SR 60east (Kennedy Boulevard) /CR 587(Westshore Boulevard)	Northbound exit and southbound entrance; formerly exit 39A
		38.959	62.698	20	39	SR 60west toSR 589(Veterans Expressway) / Cypress Street –Clearwater,Tampa International Airport,	formerly exit 39B (old 20B) northbound
		39.424	63.447	21	40A	CR 587(Westshore Boulevard)	Southbound exit and northbound entrance
		40.056	64.464	22	40B	Lois Avenue	Southbound exit to westbound Cypress Street.^[27]
		40.638	65.401	23	41A	US 92(Dale Mabry Highway/SR 600)	Apartial cloverleaf interchangewith two exits until 2013. Formerly Exits 41A and 41B (2002-2013) and Exit 41A-B (2013-2015).^[28]^[29]^[30]
		40.910	65.838	23C	41B	Himes Avenue	Southbound exit (Exit 41C from 2002-2015)^[30]and northbound entrance
		41.978	67.557	24	42	Armenia Avenue / Howard Avenue	Access to Memorial Hospital of Tampa
		43.243	69.593	25	44	Downtown West (Ashley Drive / Tampa Street), Downtown East (Scott Street)	No southbound exit. Former southbound exit to Downtown West (Ashley Drive / Tampa Street) consolidated into Exit 45A.
		43.664	70.270	26	45A	Downtown East (Jefferson Street), Downtown West (Ashley Drive / Tampa Street)	Southbound exit and northbound entrance; signed as "Downtown East–West". Exit has ramps from both I-275 and I-4 (signed "Exit 45A" )
		44.256	71.223	27	45B	I-4east (SR 400) –Orlando	Interchange commonly known as Malfunction Junction; western terminus of I-4
		44.683	71.910	28	46A	Floribraska Avenue	Southbound exit and northbound entrance
		45.416	73.090	29	46B	SR 574(Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard)	Access to St. Joseph's Hospital, St. Joseph's Children's Hospital, and St. Joseph's Women's Hospital
		46.426	74.715	30	47	US 92(Hillsborough Avenue/SR 600) toUS 41south	Signed as exits 47A (east) and 47B (west) northbound
		47.437	76.342	31	48	Sligh Avenue
		48.267	77.678	32	49	Bird Street / Waters Avenue (CR 587A)	Northbound exit and southbound entrance
		48.984	78.832	33	50	SR 580(Busch Boulevard) –Temple Terrace	Folded diamond interchange; access toBusch Gardens
		50.480	81.240	34	51	SR 582(Fowler Avenue) –University of South Florida,Temple Terrace
	Lake Magdalene–Universityline	51.487	82.860	35	52	CR 582A(Fletcher Avenue /SR 579) –University of South Florida	Access to AdventHealth Tampa
	Lake Magdalene–Nowatneyline	52.776	84.935	36	53	SR 678(Bearss Avenue)
		59.462	95.695	—	59	SR 56–Land o' Lakes,Tarpon Springs	single northbound ramp that merges with I-75 exit 275
Pasco		60.237	96.942	—	—	I-75north (SR 93) –Ocala,Atlanta	north end of SR 93 concurrency; exit 274 on I-75
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi Closed/former Concurrencyterminus Incomplete access Tolled