$752M Selmon Expressway plan to incorporate 4 main initiatives and group investments

TAMPA – Greg Slater, CEO & Govt Director of the Tampa Hillsborough Expressway Authority (THEA) mentioned the Selmon Expressway started as a commuter route via Downtown Tampa. 

He mentioned, “What it is developed into is that this very important artery within the metropolis. The expansion that we’re seeing is not simply in these peak areas. It is in the course of the day, we’re seeing that quantity progress.”

The backstory:

In 2020, the expressway averaged practically 131,000 clients a day. This 12 months a mean of 250,000 autos use it each day.

THEA lately authorised the work plan, $700 million of which is able to go solely in direction of building initiatives. The primary is the South Selmon Capability Mission.

He mentioned, “Inside these six years we now have a full reconstruction of the southern portion of the expressway, together with the Hillsborough River bridge, including a lane in every course.” The undertaking extends to the Gandy Blvd extension. “That undertaking additionally contains noise partitions via the complete hall. It contains redevelopment of all of the underpasses, expertise,” he mentioned.

Crews will then transfer on to the Whiting Road undertaking.

He mentioned, “There’s increasingly issues to do in downtown than there ever was.” Whiting Road will lengthen to hook up with Meridian Ave. He defined, “And we’re taking the ramp out over by Amalie Area, and so we’re including a brand new ramp that is going to hook up with Whiting Road.”

The plan additionally features a portion of the East Selmon Capability Mission which spans from the I-4 connector to I-75.

It should fund the engineering part of including one native lane to every aspect of the highway. 

A PD&E research will probably be performed to look at the capability of a 10-mile stretch of US 301 from Causeway Blvd. to Massive Bend Highway. 

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Slater mentioned expertise enhancements are additionally included within the workplan.

“Full alternative of our digicam system to get extra digicam analytics and AI and people forms of issues,” he mentioned. Along with wrong-way driving detection. He mentioned, “The entire ramps, in the event you enter the improper method will set off indicators which is able to then set off flashing lights but additionally set off a notification in our visitors administration facilities.”

Plus, pedestrian crosswalk expertise close to Brorein St. He mentioned, “Equipping the crosswalks on the backside of our ramps with digicam expertise and if there is a pedestrian in that crosswalk, it would set off an indication on high of the expressway that can have a flashing gentle to allow them to know that there are pedestrians current in these crosswalks on the backside of the ramp that they cannot see but.”

The development of group belongings are additionally included. 

“We have a twelfth road park entering into over right here,” he defined, “We have a Meridian Well being Path we’ll full the following two phases of. We will refresh Meridian Avenue.”

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