TAMPA, Fla. — As work begins on the Westshore Interchange, drivers want to know if the project will help with the traffic issues there.
The Westshore Interchange is where the Veterans Expressway, State Road 60 (Memorial Highway/Kennedy Boulevard), the Howard Frankland Bridge and I-275 all meet near Tampa International Airport.
Sean O’Flannery drives through the area every day.
“You have too many cars all trying to exit one location,” he said.
O’Flannery is also a driving instructor for Hillsborough County Schools. He says the roads by the airport always come up in class.
“I use the satellite map and try to show the students how we could do better in this traffic area to avoid a crash,” he said.
And that’s his big concern at the interchange: the crashes.
With so many cars merging, even a minor incident can jam the roads for hours.
“Normal commute will take about 45 minutes, but with a crash, I’ve had about an hour and a half to two hours to get to my destination,” O’Flannery said.
Florida Department of Transportation officials say the project there should make the interchange safer and more efficient.
Among the changes, direct access to the airport and I-275 will be constructed as flyover ramps. In addition, State Road 60 will be widened, and new express lanes on I-275 will also be built.
The idea is to eliminate some of the weaves drivers have to make there now.
O’Flannery hopes it all helps. As a driving instructor, he said there are many things drivers can do in the meantime to help traffic flow better there.
“We as drivers could do a whole lot more," he said. "No. 1, we could reduce our speed. No. 2, use a blinker. Three, give yourself enough distance from the car in front of you."
Work on the interchange is expected to increase this year.