New Howard Frankland Bridge to open for Tuesday morning commute

After years of construction, the new Howard Frankland Bridge is finally ready to take drivers across Tampa Bay. Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) officials held a ribbon-cutting ceremony on Monday morning, but the official switch from the old bridge will be happening overnight. That means drivers will experience the new bridge during their morning commute on Tuesday, March 25. The new Howard Frankland Bridge will have four general-use lanes from Tampa to St. Petersburg. There will also be four express lanes — two lanes for each direction — which will open sometime next year. The new bridge also will have a separate pathway for pedestrians and bicyclists. What will happen to the old Howard Frankland Bridge? Parts of the old Howard Frankland Bridge will still be in the equation. For now, the new bridge will carry southbound traffic. So, those driving from Tampa to St. Petersburg on I-275 will be diverted right onto the new span starting on Tuesday. Northbound traffic will remain in the same lanes until the summer when they'll take over the old southbound bridge. The northbound bridge was built in 1959 and is nearing the end of its natural lifespan. Once the switch is made this summer, the old northbound bridge will be demolished piece by piece.