The Howard Frankland Bridge has long been the most heavily traveled connection between Tampa and St. Petersburg, Florida. Traversing Old Tampa Bay and carrying I-275, the bridge is not only the primary route for approximately 200,000 vehicles each day, but also a critical component of the region’s evacuation preparedness.

The original span, built in 1959, was a four-lane structure with two-way traffic, a narrow center divider and no emergency lanes. As the Tampa Bay region grew and cross-bay travel increased, the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) built a second, parallel bridge in 1991 to expand capacity, enhance safety and carry southbound traffic.

After more than 60 years of saltwater exposure and increasing traffic loads, the northbound bridge had reached the end of its serviceable life. FDOT determined that a replacement, rather than continual maintenance, was necessary to better serve the region’s long-term safety, capacity and reliability needs.

As the largest transportation project delivered in FDOT District 7’s history, FDOT undertook the replacement bridge project as part of Tampa Bay Next, a comprehensive program to modernize the region’s transportation infrastructure and prepare it for the future. HNTB served as the owner’s representative, working alongside FDOT’s staff and leveraging its technical expertise to establish the bridge project criteria, oversee procurement, conduct reviews during design and construction, and ensure alignment with FDOT’s broader transportation goals for the region.

Enhancing a critical crossing 

The I-275 Howard Frankland Bridge replacement project presented FDOT with an opportunity to reimagine the cross-bay link as a higher-capacity connection designed to meet present and future mobility demands. Chief among the agency’s goals were expanding capacity and creating more reliable travel times across Old Tampa Bay.

“Building the new bridge gave FDOT an opportunity to reimagine one of Tampa Bay’s most critical transportation links,” said Julian Gutierrez, HNTB department structures manager. “The result is a more resilient and reliable crossing that expands mobility today while positioning the region for future growth.”

The new bridge, constructed north of the existing spans, is nearly six miles long and carries four southbound general-purpose lanes and four express lanes, with two operating in each direction. Together with the four northbound general-purpose lanes on the rehabilitated 1991 span, the completed crossing provides 12 vehicular lanes, increasing overall capacity by 50%.

The delivery of the Howard Frankland Bridge fulfills the Department’s vision for continuing to provide travel time certainty for users looking to cross the Bay, keeping up with the rapidly increasing growth in the area, while also maintaining a focus on our community and providing features they can enjoy as well,” said Austin Petersen, FDOT interstate resident engineer.

The bridge also was planned in coordination with the Gateway Expressway and I-275 Express project in Pinellas County, which introduced new tolled connections among U.S. 19, the Bayside Bridge and I-275 and express-lane infrastructure toward the western bridge approach.

FDOT initially planned one express lane in each direction on the new bridge. HNTB’s traffic team recommended increasing that number to two in each direction, adding cross-bay capacity and creating a stronger connection with the developing express-lane network on both sides of Old Tampa Bay.

“Adding a second express lane in each direction allowed the bridge to do more than meet the needs of a single corridor,” said Claire Apaliski, HNTB public engagement lead. “It created a critical cross-bay connection between the Gateway-area improvements in Pinellas County and the broader express-lane network envisioned for the region.”

The design change also gave FDOT greater flexibility to advance subsequent express-lane improvements along I-275 and connect future investments across the region.

Rather than functioning as a stand-alone bridge project, the new Howard Frankland Bridge became a strategic link in the long-term development of a more connected regional transportation network.

After the new bridge opened to southbound general use traffic in March 2025, northbound traffic shifted to the 1991 span and FDOT crews began dismantling the original structure.

Designed for coastal conditions

Recognizing the region’s exposure to extreme coastal conditions, the new bridge was designed to withstand a 100-year storm. Its deck stands approximately 10 feet higher than that of the original bridge, increasing clearance between severe wave action and the superstructure.

The foundation is supported by more than 3,000 prestressed concrete piles driven between 62 and 220 feet below the bay floor to provide stability and limit settlement. Increased concrete cover and wider barriers around reinforced components also help slow the penetration of saltwater and chlorides, protecting the internal reinforcing steel from corrosion.

“Working with FDOT, we incorporated additional hardening measures, including aggregate fill and marine mattresses along the mechanically stabilized earth walls to help prevent washouts caused by severe wave action,” Gutierrez said. “Together, these measures enhance the resilience of this critical cross-bay connection.”

Designed for a 100-year service life, the new bridge strengthens a high-capacity evacuation corridor and is intended to remain functional following a major storm.

New ways to cross the bay

For the first time, people can cross Old Tampa Bay on foot or by bicycle using the new bridge’s 12-footwide, 5.8-mile long, barrier-separated shared-use path. Four shaded overlooks with sail-inspired canopies invite users to pause and experience panoramic views of the bay.

“The area has an active outdoor community, and the Howard Frankland Bridge path offers that community a more direct and safer route to their destinations,” Apaliski said.

Walking and biking advocates and communities throughout the area supported the shared-use connection, celebrating it as a major victory for regional connectivity. The path merges into existing Hillsborough and Pinellas County trails with new trails underway on both sides of the bay that will further expand the region’s connectivity.

HNTB also developed technical requirements that preserve the bridge’s ability to accommodate potential future transit. A portion of the structure was designed to support the weight of light-rail vehicles and connect with future transit infrastructure on either side of the bay, should the region advance such a system.

Advancing regional mobility

The Howard Frankland Bridge modernization represents a significant investment in the region’s mobility. Its additional capacity, express-lane connections and multimodal features provide more options for traveling between Tampa and St. Petersburg while strengthening a critical regional and evacuation corridor.

The project also established an important foundation for continued interstate modernization on both sides of Old Tampa Bay, connecting current improvements with future investments across the region.

“The Howard Frankland Bridge is helping shape how future transportation improvements connect across Tampa Bay,” Gutierrez said. “By improving cross-bay mobility and creating stronger links between projects on both sides of the water, the bridge will support the region’s transportation needs for generations.”