April 24, 2024 • 8 mins
Newsradio WFLA's Read Shepherd talks to Greg Deese, F-DOT Regional Engineer, about the impending opening of the Gateway Expressway, which will connect I-275, US 19, and the approach to the Bayside Bridge. The toll road is set to open to drivers on Friday, April 26.
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Episode Transcript
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(00:00):
The Gateway Expressway is on the vergeof opening in Penelas County. I'm Ready
Shepherd from NewsRadio WFLA, and thisis Beyond the News. We're talking with
the regional engineer from f DOT,Greg Diese. Greg. Thank you so
much for coming on Beyond the News. And I guess just first of all,
(00:20):
I guess just tell us you knowwhy it was always why was felt
the project was needed. I knowthat we've got a lot of people moving
into the area, traffic flow isalways increasing, So what was what was
the thinking behind the Gateway Expressway.Sure, the Gateway Expressway has been in
the planning stages and DOT for youknow, well over ten years. It's
(00:46):
a much needed connection and a fastgrowing area of northeast Penelas County. And
really what it what it serves todo is it serves to provide a regional
connection between US nineteen and I twosteps twenty five, as well as the
Bayside Bridge and I two seventy fivethat would allow travelers to go through the
(01:06):
Gateway area without encountering a traffic signal, which would greatly increase the efficiency going
through the facility and also relieving thesurface streets such as Roosevelt one hundred and
eighteenth Avenue more available for local traffic. So it's going to be transformative for
both commuters as well as individuals goingto the Saint Pete International Airport are going
(01:27):
to different businesses one hundred and eighteen. And you mentioned it's going to connect
people to the approach to the BaysideBridge as well, right, correct,
Yeah, it has two The expresswayhas two main components. That has an
east west component which goes between USnineteen and two seventy five, and then
a north south component which goes betweenthe Bayside Bridge and I two seventy five.
(01:51):
And both of those directions on eachof those roadways will will be the
same. Right, You're going tohave the same travel experience way regardless of
direction you're traveling. When did theplanning begin on this project, greg I
wasn't involved in the very beginning,but I believe this has been in the
works at least conceptually since the earlytwo thousands. And uh I know that
(02:15):
this this was a project that ina lot of ways was impacted by the
COVID pandemic. Uh How did howdid that affect the construction? Uh?
I know there were there were somedelays going forward, and uh, how
how did that how did that impactthe project and and and the construction of
that. Yeah, sure, yeah, Uh, the Gateway is a very
(02:39):
large project. I mean it's reallyfour or five projects wrapped into one when
you consider all the different areas whereyou're working in. So it was already
a very heavy lift under perfect conditionsfor a contractor to finish, you know,
in the timeframe we had set.But uh, COVID for you know,
(03:00):
appeared that it was going to becauseyou could take lanes for longer during
you know, during the time wehad quarantined, but that was very short
lived. I think what we foundcoming out of the COVID was the supply
chain crunch that happened. You know, we had a lot of people moving
into Florida. We had crunches inboth material and labor markets, and that
(03:22):
really affected this job because of theof where it was at in construction,
both geographically in the Pennels County region, but also in the stage of construction
it was at. So it didhave more outside effect on Gateway than maybe
on our other projects. But again, you know, we're happy to get
getting the facility opened here this Friday. Now, one of the features of
(03:43):
the gateway I know is express lanesin both directions on two seventy five between
Gandhy Boulevard and Fourth Street North.Well, we already have express lanes in
Hillsboro County on no along than that. But how do you think people are
going to reac to those express lanes? Are they going to are they going
to use them properly? And doyou think? What do you what's what's
(04:06):
your feeling on that? Yeah,sure, I think people will express lanes
I believe, like you said,we have them on the Veterans Expressway,
but this will be the first implementationwe have on an interstate in the Tampa
Bay area. So we have alot of signings up that will direct people
as to where the lanes ingress andegress and where in the tolls that we'll
(04:30):
be charging for usage of those lanes. So I view we're going to have
them open between Gandhi and the Panelaside of the Howard Franklin Bridge for now.
So for the time being, it'llthe express lanes can be used to
you know, bypass congestion and thegeneral use lanes in that footprint. I
know southbound two seventy five in thatarea gets congested on a cap so these
(04:56):
will help to alleviate that. Theexciting thing about him is when we later,
you know, the end of thisyear beginning of next when we opened
trap on the new Howard Franklin Bridge, those express lanes will begin to extend
into Hillsborough County, And so whatwe're looking to accomplish is more of a
choice for drivers who could go fromeventually when we're all done, you know,
(05:19):
as far as downtown Saint Pete,enter an express lane and stay in
that express lane all the way todowntown Tampa. Obviously, we're many projects
away from that being a reality,but once those express lanes get to that
level of completion, they'll be transformativefor dependable travel times as well as for
(05:42):
our express buses, who will beable to provide a better level of service
or you know, transit type optionsfor you know, you don't have to
even be in a car to appreciatethe express lanes in that way. So
yeah, I was going to say, so you mentioned the the Howard Franklin.
I I as long as I've gotyou here, I might as well
ask you because the two projects areyou know, really quite closely connected.
(06:06):
Is what's the status of the newHoward Franklin and how's it coming. Yeah,
the new Howard Franklin is progressing verywell. The contractor is. I
mean, you can drive the joband see that it looks more like a
bridge now than it looks like,you know, just piles sticking out of
water. Contractor is moving ahead verywell, and we are anticipating opening the
(06:30):
new bridge at the end of twentytwenty four. And obviously, you know,
we're hoping for no impacts from hurricaneseason or other weather events, but
we're we're anticipating that, you know, barring some some emergencies such as that,
to really have that bridge done bythe end of the year. I
can certainly agree with you there onthose no impacts from a hurricane. Thank
(06:53):
you. Last question before I'll letyou go, Greg, is the toll
situation. What are the tolls goingto be? And tell me a little
bit I guess about the decision tomake this a toll road. Yeah,
what the tolls are going to varydepending on the on the the section that
(07:14):
you're driving on, so on theexpressway itself, the tolls will range anywhere
between twenty eight cents and eighty sixcents depending on the movement that you that
you pick, and for the expresslanes they will be set at at fifty
cents. So right now the expresslanes we're going for a fixed amount,
(07:34):
but in the future, you know, depending on the demand of the of
the facility, that number may increaseat certain peak times. We have that
in other express lanes on the state. But then the ones on the Gateway
Expressway itself are going to be sixed. Tolls. You know that they may
(07:55):
increase a couple percent year over year, but they're not going to change based
on the day for the time,and just so you know, when we
open on Friday, we do planon having the first seven days will be
we will not be charging tolls,so for drivers who want to try it
out, they'll be able to upuntil May third at noon. All right,
(08:20):
there you go, f dot RESAresident engineer Greg Nis talking about the
new Gateway Expressway project, which we'llopen to drivers officially on Friday. Greg,
thank you so much for joining uson wfla's Beyond the News. I'm
Reach Shepherd News Radio WFLA
The Gateway Expressway is on the vergeof opening in Penelas County. I'm Ready
Shepherd from NewsRadio WFLA, and thisis Beyond the News. We're talking with
the regional engineer from f DOT,Greg Diese. Greg. Thank you so
much for coming on Beyond the News. And I guess just first of all,
(00:20):
I guess just tell us you knowwhy it was always why was felt
the project was needed. I knowthat we've got a lot of people moving
into the area, traffic flow isalways increasing, So what was what was
the thinking behind the Gateway Expressway.Sure, the Gateway Expressway has been in
the planning stages and DOT for youknow, well over ten years. It's
(00:46):
a much needed connection and a fastgrowing area of northeast Penelas County. And
really what it what it serves todo is it serves to provide a regional
connection between US nineteen and I twosteps twenty five, as well as the
Bayside Bridge and I two seventy fivethat would allow travelers to go through the
(01:06):
Gateway area without encountering a traffic signal, which would greatly increase the efficiency going
through the facility and also relieving thesurface streets such as Roosevelt one hundred and
eighteenth Avenue more available for local traffic. So it's going to be transformative for
both commuters as well as individuals goingto the Saint Pete International Airport are going
(01:27):
to different businesses one hundred and eighteen. And you mentioned it's going to connect
people to the approach to the BaysideBridge as well, right, correct,
Yeah, it has two The expresswayhas two main components. That has an
east west component which goes between USnineteen and two seventy five, and then
a north south component which goes betweenthe Bayside Bridge and I two seventy five.
(01:51):
And both of those directions on eachof those roadways will will be the
same. Right, You're going tohave the same travel experience way regardless of
direction you're traveling. When did theplanning begin on this project, greg I
wasn't involved in the very beginning,but I believe this has been in the
works at least conceptually since the earlytwo thousands. And uh I know that
(02:15):
this this was a project that ina lot of ways was impacted by the
COVID pandemic. Uh How did howdid that affect the construction? Uh?
I know there were there were somedelays going forward, and uh, how
how did that how did that impactthe project and and and the construction of
that. Yeah, sure, yeah, Uh, the Gateway is a very
(02:39):
large project. I mean it's reallyfour or five projects wrapped into one when
you consider all the different areas whereyou're working in. So it was already
a very heavy lift under perfect conditionsfor a contractor to finish, you know,
in the timeframe we had set.But uh, COVID for you know,
(03:00):
appeared that it was going to becauseyou could take lanes for longer during
you know, during the time wehad quarantined, but that was very short
lived. I think what we foundcoming out of the COVID was the supply
chain crunch that happened. You know, we had a lot of people moving
into Florida. We had crunches inboth material and labor markets, and that
(03:22):
really affected this job because of theof where it was at in construction,
both geographically in the Pennels County region, but also in the stage of construction
it was at. So it didhave more outside effect on Gateway than maybe
on our other projects. But again, you know, we're happy to get
getting the facility opened here this Friday. Now, one of the features of
(03:43):
the gateway I know is express lanesin both directions on two seventy five between
Gandhy Boulevard and Fourth Street North.Well, we already have express lanes in
Hillsboro County on no along than that. But how do you think people are
going to reac to those express lanes? Are they going to are they going
to use them properly? And doyou think? What do you what's what's
(04:06):
your feeling on that? Yeah,sure, I think people will express lanes
I believe, like you said,we have them on the Veterans Expressway,
but this will be the first implementationwe have on an interstate in the Tampa
Bay area. So we have alot of signings up that will direct people
as to where the lanes ingress andegress and where in the tolls that we'll
(04:30):
be charging for usage of those lanes. So I view we're going to have
them open between Gandhi and the Panelaside of the Howard Franklin Bridge for now.
So for the time being, it'llthe express lanes can be used to
you know, bypass congestion and thegeneral use lanes in that footprint. I
know southbound two seventy five in thatarea gets congested on a cap so these
(04:56):
will help to alleviate that. Theexciting thing about him is when we later,
you know, the end of thisyear beginning of next when we opened
trap on the new Howard Franklin Bridge, those express lanes will begin to extend
into Hillsborough County, And so whatwe're looking to accomplish is more of a
choice for drivers who could go fromeventually when we're all done, you know,
(05:19):
as far as downtown Saint Pete,enter an express lane and stay in
that express lane all the way todowntown Tampa. Obviously, we're many projects
away from that being a reality,but once those express lanes get to that
level of completion, they'll be transformativefor dependable travel times as well as for
(05:42):
our express buses, who will beable to provide a better level of service
or you know, transit type optionsfor you know, you don't have to
even be in a car to appreciatethe express lanes in that way. So
yeah, I was going to say, so you mentioned the the Howard Franklin.
I I as long as I've gotyou here, I might as well
ask you because the two projects areyou know, really quite closely connected.
(06:06):
Is what's the status of the newHoward Franklin and how's it coming. Yeah,
the new Howard Franklin is progressing verywell. The contractor is. I
mean, you can drive the joband see that it looks more like a
bridge now than it looks like,you know, just piles sticking out of
water. Contractor is moving ahead verywell, and we are anticipating opening the
(06:30):
new bridge at the end of twentytwenty four. And obviously, you know,
we're hoping for no impacts from hurricaneseason or other weather events, but
we're we're anticipating that, you know, barring some some emergencies such as that,
to really have that bridge done bythe end of the year. I
can certainly agree with you there onthose no impacts from a hurricane. Thank
(06:53):
you. Last question before I'll letyou go, Greg, is the toll
situation. What are the tolls goingto be? And tell me a little
bit I guess about the decision tomake this a toll road. Yeah,
what the tolls are going to varydepending on the on the the section that
(07:14):
you're driving on, so on theexpressway itself, the tolls will range anywhere
between twenty eight cents and eighty sixcents depending on the movement that you that
you pick, and for the expresslanes they will be set at at fifty
cents. So right now the expresslanes we're going for a fixed amount,
(07:34):
but in the future, you know, depending on the demand of the of
the facility, that number may increaseat certain peak times. We have that
in other express lanes on the state. But then the ones on the Gateway
Expressway itself are going to be sixed. Tolls. You know that they may
(07:55):
increase a couple percent year over year, but they're not going to change based
on the day for the time,and just so you know, when we
open on Friday, we do planon having the first seven days will be
we will not be charging tolls,so for drivers who want to try it
out, they'll be able to upuntil May third at noon. All right,
(08:20):
there you go, f dot RESAresident engineer Greg Nis talking about the
new Gateway Expressway project, which we'llopen to drivers officially on Friday. Greg,
thank you so much for joining uson wfla's Beyond the News. I'm
Reach Shepherd News Radio WFLA
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