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Project Description

Financial Project #s 408459-2, 408459-3, 405492-8
Project Length: 11.4 miles
Construction Cost: $96.6 million
Contractor: Prince Contracting Company
Start Date: October 14, 2011
Estimated Completion: Spring 2016

About this Project
The Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) is widening Interstate 75 from four to six/eight lanes from Fowler Avenue (Hillsborough County) to State Road 56 (Pasco County).

When finished, there will be at least three through-lanes in each direction throughout the project, with auxiliary lanes near interchanges to improve traffic flow entering and exiting the highway. Combined with other ongoing work, it will also result in at least three through-lanes in each direction of I-75 throughout Hillsborough County and from the Hillsborough County line to north of County Road 54/State Road 54 in Pasco County.

Besides adding the additional lanes, work will include resurfacing existing travel lanes, retaining wall construction, drainage improvements, pond construction, improved lighting, and traffic signal work on Fowler Avenue, Fletcher Avenue, and Bruce B. Downs Boulevard (County Road 581).

Three new bridges will be constructed, including the replacement of the I-75 bridges over Bruce. B. Downs Boulevard and the westbound Fowler Avenue bridge over the Hillsborough River. Sixteen other bridges will be widened.

Project work will also include improvements at these interchanges: Fowler Avenue, Fletcher Avenue, Bruce B. Downs Boulevard, southbound I-75 at southbound I-275, and State Road 56.

At Fowler Avenue, the ramp from northbound I-75 to westbound Fowler Avenue will be widened to two lanes. The additional lanes will combine with existing lanes to form four lanes and extend across the new bridge over the Hillsborough River to Riverhills Drive. The right lane will then become a "right turn only" lane onto Riverhills Drive, leaving the remaining three through-lanes to join the existing three lanes on the west side of Riverhills Drive.

At Fletcher Avenue, the northbound I-75 exit ramp will be widened to two lanes. This ramp will split with two turn lanes flowing freely onto westbound Fletcher Avenue and two left-turn lanes and a new signal to go east on Fletcher. At the new traffic signal, there will also be two turn lanes on eastbound Fletcher Avenue to the entrance ramp onto northbound I-75.

Road widening and signalization improvements will also be done on Bruce B. Downs Boulevard from Commerce Palm Drive to Dona Michelle Drive. This work will match up with the new sections of Bruce. B. Downs currently under construction.

Intelligent Transportation System (ITS) construction will also be a feature of the project. ITS devices, such as changeable message signs, traffic cameras, vehicle detection equipment and fiber optic cable will be installed and connected to the existing ITS network to allow traffic managers the ability to monitor traffic in real time. The information gathered through the network enables quicker response to emergencies and allows traffic information to be passed along to drivers so that they may make informed travel decisions and be alerted to conditions impacting traffic flow.


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GRAPHICS & VIDEO

View of the project on presentation boards

South of Fowler Avenue to north of Bruce B. Downs Blvd.
Click here to view the boards

North of Bruce B. Downs Blvd. to State Road 56
Click here to view the boards


"Drive-through" Video
Click here to view the animated video of driving I-75 with the improvements in place

The viewing quality of the video relies on many factors -- your computer speed, internet connection speed, etc. It may take a second viewing to allow your computer to capture the video and display it smoothly.


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Improvement Highlights

• Widen the interstate from 4 to 6/8 lanes to improve traffic flow and increase safety.
• Improve interchanges.
• Improve roadway surface, drainage and lighting.
• Add Intelligent Transportation System devices to better manage traffic and relay important information to drivers.

Traffic Flow
The construction phasing is designed so that all existing lanes of traffic and interchange ramps will be open on I-75 during peak traffic hours.


Night Work
In order to maintain the construction schedule, and to minimize the impact to the traveling public, lane closures and construction work are planned for nighttime hours.


Lane Closure Hours

• Southbound Interstate 75: 10:30 p.m. to 5 a.m.
  
• Northbound Interstate 75: 11 p.m. to 6 a.m.
  
• Fowler Avenue: 9 p.m. to 6 a.m.
  
• Fletcher Avenue: 9 p.m. to 6 a.m.
  
• Bruce B. Downs Boulevard: 10 p.m. to 6 a.m.

• Contact Person(s)

  Public & Media Contact
  John McShaffrey, APR
  Interstate Construction Office
  (813) 975-6930