Politics & Government

Veterans Expressway Construction: What You Need to Know

Motorists who use the expressway to get around are in for a number of changes in the weeks ahead as the Florida Department of Transportation continues work on a $386 million widening project.

Drivers who use the Veterans Expressway or roads near it during their daily commutes might want to keep their eyes open for a number of traffic flow changes and closings scheduled as work on a $386 million widening project continues.

One of the biggest developments scheduled in the near future involves the closing of the Eisenhower Boulevard U-turn at Hillsborough Avenue, according to Christa Deason, spokeswoman for the Florida Department of Transportation.

“Please pay special attention to the U-turn closure at Eisenhower being implemented for pile driving for the new bridge spans,” Deason said in an email. “Motorists will need to add about five minutes to their normal commute since they will have to go up to Hillsborough Ave., sit through a signal and backtrack.  This will be in place for about a month.”

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The U-turn closing is expected to begin Oct. 15 and will last through Nov. 14.

Other upcoming closings and traffic flow changes motorists need to know about include:

Find out what's happening in Lutzwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Linebaugh Avenue to Gunn Highway

  • Work on new spans of the Rocky Creek bridges continues. This requires inside lane closures north- and southbound overnight, Oct. 16 to set bridge beams.
  • Pile driving continues at Linebaugh Avenue. Motorists should be on the alert for single lane closures on Linebaugh Avenue, both east- and westbound, daily from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
  • The northbound Veterans Expressway lanes will close overnight from 9 p.m. to 5 a.m. Oct. 21-25 between Waters Avenue and Wilsky and between Gunn and Waters. Motorists should follow the temporary detour signs.
  • The Linebaugh Avenue northbound off-ramp will be closed to traffic overnight, 9 p.m. to 6 a.m., October 12-13, 19-20 and 26-27 as follows:
  1. The southbound Linebaugh on-ramp will be closed October 11, 12, 14 and 15 from 9 p.m. to 5 a.m.
  2. The northbound Linebaugh off-ramp will be closed October 16 and 17, 9 p.m. to 6 a.m.

Memorial to Waters

  • Expect northbound single lane closures on the inside lanes between 9 p.m. to 5 a.m., Sunday, Oct. 13 and Friday, Oct. 18 to accommodate Henry Street Ditch Bridge demolition.
  • Westbound Hillsborough Avenue will be closed from 9 p.m. to 6 a.m., Sunday, Oct. 13 to Wednesday, Oct. 16. Traffic will be routed along Benjamin Road, to Waters Avenue, to Hanley Road, and back to Hillsborough Avenue.


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