When does the Selmon Extension open?

TAMPA, Fla — The paint is dry, the pavement fresh, and the lights are lit as crews scramble to end up any very last-minute operate on and beneath the Lee Roy Selmon Extension.  

The $230-million job will prolong the present tollway an supplemental 1.9 miles to the Gandy Bridge. 

Early Monday morning, crews finished up final-minute work, unwrapping the indications that will immediate cars and trucks onto the westbound lanes of the new extension.

Workers could also be found cleaning the roadway and performing on the SunPass sensors.

“It’s magnificent! I’m excited,” explained Jacob Merrett who life in south Pinellas County and commutes each day to work in Tampa.

He states the new elevated roadway will mean no additional waiting around for lights at Dale Mabry, Lois, Manhattan and Westshore. Individuals lights would generally snarl targeted visitors throughout hurry hour and on Rays and Lightning match nights as commuters would check out to get from 1 facet of the bay to the other.

The travel time down Gandy all through heavy website traffic could conveniently choose involving 15 and 30 minutes.   

A spokesperson for the Expressway Authority says the new travel time on the Selmon Extension will reduce that time down to two minutes.

“I type of consider I’m never ever going to have to prevent on Gandy all over again,” claimed Merrett. “People are likely to be equipped to preserve heading mainly because there’s not going to be site visitors lights.”

Get the job done on the job commenced in 2018, and immediately after two and a fifty percent extensive many years of developing, the elevated connector is scheduled to open Monday sometime all-around midday.    

A clock posted on the Selmon Extension web-site counts down the several hours, minutes and seconds.

Commuters heading to Pinellas will uncover a new ramp on to the extension and will no for a longer time have to exit at Gandy.

For those coming from South Tampa or MacDill Air Force Base, there will be more on-ramps serving equally instructions for drivers heading north or south on Dale Mabry. 

This new connector won’t be absolutely free.  The toll will operate commuters 95 cents if they have a SunPass or $1.31 if they do not and utilize toll-by-plate.

The further $10 round excursion for an common workweek is effectively value the revenue for some.

Merrett suggests it will signify extra time dwelling with his son.

“It’s not heading to be a chore.  It’ll be good to not have to wait around as very long.”

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