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Expressway-Gandy Bridge Extension Moves Forward

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By RICH SHOPES, The Tampa Tribune

Published: December 18, 2007

TAMPA - After being scrapped amid neighborhood opposition four years ago, a proposal is moving forward to extend the Lee Roy Selmon Expressway to the Gandy Bridge.

Steve Daignault, the city's administrator for public works and utility services, on Friday sent a letter to the state's Department of Transportation asking for permission to study the extension idea.

The nearly 1.5-mile structure would look like the expressway's newly opened elevated expressway and depend on right-of-way belonging to Gandy Boulevard, a federal highway administered by the state. The plan will need the state's blessing.

"We're not talking about popping this thing out of the ground tomorrow," Daignault said. "This is will be very gradual process."

The project wouldn't start for five to 10 years, if at all.

Officials backed off four years ago amid heavy criticism that the structure, then estimated at $50 million to $100 million, would overpower South Tampa's residential and commercial neighborhoods.

The Tampa-Hillsborough County Expressway Authority is proposing the extension, as it did back then.

"This is our Main Street. Picture Main Street in Dunedin or Route 192 in Kissimmee. How do you think the people would react over there if a big elevated, concrete expressway ran down the middle of their Main Street?" asked Al Steenson, president of the Gandy Civic Association.

The city is aware those same criticisms could emerge this time around, but there are traffic issues and the threat of hurricanes to consider.

A traffic study released earlier this year indicated that new housing will contribute 30,000 more vehicle trips on major north-south roads below Gandy Boulevard.

That's on top of the 84,200 daily trips recorded on those roads in 2004.

Although the housing market has slowed, delaying some new developments, traffic is destined to increase once the market rebounds.

"At some times of the day, we're already getting pretty close to gridlock down there," Daignault said.

The new highway would relieve congestion by diverting traffic from St. Petersburg.

Motorists would get an alternative to the Howard Frankland Bridge and a straight shot into Tampa and to Interstate 75, although they would have to pay several tolls.

In addition, the road would provide an evacuation route in the event of hurricanes.

Steenson said he's not happy with the way the project is coming up again.

"I'm a little surprised the city is making contacts with the DOT, and obviously has had discussions with the expressway authority, without first making overtures to the community," he said.

He said he has a meeting set in January with Joe Waggoner, executive director of the Expressway Authority. That meeting was scheduled a couple of weeks ago.

"This will probably be part of the conversation," Steenson said.

Reporter Rich Shopes can be reached at (813) 259-7633 or at rshopes@tampatrib.com.

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