108-748: State Road 618 ( SR 618 ), also known as the Lee Roy Selmon Expressway , and formerly known as the Crosstown Expressway , is a 14.168-mile (22.801 km) controlled-access toll road in Hillsborough County , Florida . It connects the South Tampa neighborhood near MacDill Air Force Base with Downtown Tampa and the bedroom community of Brandon . The expressway was built in stages, opening between 1976 and 1987. An approximately 1.9-mile extension to
216-663: A dual highway ) in 1932 between Cologne and Bonn . It then rapidly constructed the first nationwide system of such roads. The first North American freeways (known as parkways) opened in the New York City area in the 1920s. Britain, heavily influenced by the railways, did not build its first motorway , the Preston By-pass ( M6 ), until 1958. Most technologically advanced nations feature an extensive network of freeways or motorways to provide high-capacity urban travel, or high-speed rural travel, or both. Many have
324-466: A median separates the opposite directions of traffic. This strip may be as simple as a grassy area, or may include a crash barrier such as a " Jersey barrier " or an "Ontario Tall Wall" to prevent head-on collisions . On some freeways, the two carriageways are built on different alignments; this may be done to make use of available corridors in a mountainous area or to provide narrower corridors through dense urban areas . Control of access relates to
432-590: A "queue" jump for lights on Gandy Boulevard. It makes its way northeast next to a lightly used CSX rail corridor for the first four miles before heading east towards downtown Tampa. From Florida Ave, the highway winds through the Channelside District and the southern fringe of Ybor City before continuing due eastward towards 78th St. There is a connection to I-4 just east of 22nd St that allows commuters to easily move between various points throughout Hillsborough County and beyond. Just west of 78th St,
540-530: A 3/4-mile, six-lane viaduct, spanning the Hillsborough River in downtown Tampa, ending at Florida Avenue. Ridership was low when it opened in 1976, as people were less willing to drive the toll road when free roads were available nearby. The remaining nine miles of the expressway were built and opened in stages between 1979 and 1987, with the expressway extending to Falkenburg Road in 1983 and connecting to its eastern terminus of I-75 in 1987. In 1975,
648-449: A 5k and 10k run across the REL. The project was officially completed in 2007 after four years of construction at the cost of $ 420 million. On November 1, 2006, THEA in partnership with Florida's Turnpike Enterprise , began a pilot program, known as "Toll-by-Plate." This program allows occasional commuters to utilize the REL without having a transponder. A system of high-resolution cameras (at
756-561: A class of highways with somewhat less isolation from other traffic. In countries following the Vienna convention , the motorway qualification implies that walking and parking are forbidden. A fully controlled-access highway provides an unhindered flow of traffic, with no traffic signals , intersections or property access . They are free of any at-grade crossings with other roads, railways, or pedestrian paths, which are instead carried by overpasses and underpasses . Entrances and exits to
864-707: A cloverleaf and trumpet interchange when it opened in 1937, and until the Second World War , boasted the longest illuminated stretch of roadway built. A decade later, the first section of Highway 401 was opened, based on earlier designs. It has since gone on to become the busiest highway in the world. The word freeway was first used in February 1930 by Edward M. Bassett . Bassett argued that roads should be classified into three basic types: highways, parkways , and freeways. In Bassett's zoning and property law -based system, abutting property owners have
972-415: A contest was held to determine the logo of the expressway. Only one entry was submitted, a picture of pirate Jose Gaspar with the title "TAMPA CROSSTOWN EXPRESSWAY", all on a blue background. This logo was phased out in the early 2000s. In 2006, an "interim" logo featuring a bridge over a highway reading "Selmon-Crosstown Expressway" was unveiled but was never widely implemented along the expressway. In 2008,
1080-404: A distance of two and a half miles, making it the longest automobile toll bridge in the world at that time. Its double steel bascule drawbridge had a clearance span of 75 feet (23 m) and operated electrically. The original toll to cross the bridge was $ .75 for an automobile and driver and $ .10 for additional passengers. The bridge stopped collecting tolls on April 27, 1944, after it was seized by
1188-620: A freeway, specialized pedestrian footbridges or tunnels may also be provided. These structures enable pedestrians and cyclists to cross the freeway at that point without a detour to the nearest road crossing. Access to freeways is typically provided only at grade-separated interchanges , though lower-standard right-in/right-out (left-in/left-out in countries that drive on the left) access can be used for direct connections to side roads. In many cases, sophisticated interchanges allow for smooth, uninterrupted transitions between intersecting freeways and busy arterial roads . However, sometimes it
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#17327733328571296-434: A larger number of guide signs than other roads, and the signs themselves are physically larger. Guide signs are often mounted on overpasses or overhead gantries so that drivers can see where each lane goes. Exit numbers are commonly derived from the exit's distance in miles or kilometers from the start of the freeway. In some areas, there are public rest areas or service areas on freeways, as well as emergency phones on
1404-499: A legal status which limits the types of vehicles that can use a highway, as well as a road design that limits the points at which they can access it. Major arterial roads will often have partial access control , meaning that side roads will intersect the main road at grade, instead of using interchanges, but driveways may not connect directly to the main road, and drivers must use intersecting roads to access adjacent land. At arterial junctions with relatively quiet side roads, traffic
1512-527: A milepost system but does not use milepost markers. In Europe and some other countries, motorways typically have similar characteristics such as: Two-lane freeways , often undivided, are sometimes built when traffic volumes are low or right-of-way is limited; they may be designed for easy conversion to one side of a four-lane freeway. (For example, most of the Bert T. Combs Mountain Parkway in eastern Kentucky
1620-464: A more permanent logo was unveiled, which consists of the FDOT standard "TOLL 618" plates and a "Selmon Expressway" logo. This new logo, which replaced the previous Crosstown Expressway logos, reads "SELMON EXPRESSWAY" with downtown Tampa in purple as well as two teal and one yellow ribbon extending from the city. In 2001, a city truck equipped with a hydraulic lift slammed into the 34th Street overpass when
1728-447: A motorway is understood as a public road with dual carriageways and at least two lanes each way. All entrances and exits are signposted and all interchanges are grade separated. Central barrier or median present throughout the road. No crossing is permitted, while stopping is permitted only in an emergency. Restricted access to motor vehicles, prohibited to pedestrians, animals, pedal cycles, mopeds, agricultural vehicles. The minimum speed
1836-777: A national-level or even international-level (e.g. European E route ) system of route numbering . There are several international standards that give some definitions of words such as motorways, but there is no formal definition of the English language words such as freeway , motorway , and expressway , or of the equivalent words in other languages such as autoroute , Autobahn , autostrada , autocesta, autoput , that are accepted worldwide—in most cases these words are defined by local statute or design standards or regional international treaties. Descriptions that are widely used include: One green or blue symbol (like [REDACTED] ) appears at motorway entry in countries that follow
1944-600: A number of patterns. The actual pattern is determined by a number of factors including local topology, traffic density, land cost, building costs, type of road, etc. In some jurisdictions feeder/distributor lanes are common, especially for cloverleaf interchanges ; in others, such as the United Kingdom, where the roundabout interchange is common, feeder/distributor lanes are seldom seen. Motorways in Europe typically differ between exits and junctions. An exit leads out of
2052-624: A park and where intersecting streets crossed over bridges. The Southern State Parkway opened in 1927, while the Long Island Motor Parkway was closed in 1937 and replaced by the Northern State Parkway (opened 1931) and the contiguous Grand Central Parkway (opened 1936). In Germany, construction of the Bonn-Cologne Autobahn began in 1929 and was opened in 1932 by Konrad Adenauer , then
2160-537: A planned toll hike that would increase the mainline toll plazas by 25 cents and raise the 22nd St exit tolls to 75 cents from its original date in 2009 to 2007. The toll hike took effect on January 1, 2007, with the hike for the 22nd St ramps going into effect in late June 2006. On September 17, 2010, cash collection on the Selmon Expressway ended in favor of all-electronic tolling. The original toll plazas were removed and replaced with toll gantries similar to
2268-411: A portion of the elevated bridge collapsed during construction, halting construction for about a year. The segment was repaired and all other piers were reinforced when construction resumed in 2005. In spring 2005, two realigned sections of the eastbound lanes opened. One section is between 22nd Street and 39th Street, the other is between 78th Street and I-75. The at-grade sections of the REL now follow
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#17327733328572376-457: A private venture, was the world's first limited-access roadway. It included many modern features, including banked turns , guard rails and reinforced concrete tarmac . Traffic could turn left between the parkway and connectors, crossing oncoming traffic, so it was not a controlled-access highway (or "freeway" as later defined by the federal government's Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices ). Modern controlled-access highways originated in
2484-609: A reduction in deaths in a range from 20% to 50% on those sections. Speed, in Europe, is considered to be one of the main contributory factors to collisions. Some countries, such as France and Switzerland, have achieved a death reduction by a better monitoring of speed. Tools used for monitoring speed might be an increase in traffic density; improved speed enforcement and stricter regulation leading to driver license withdrawal; safety cameras; penalty point; and higher fines. Some other countries use automatic time-over-distance cameras (also known as section controls ) to manage speed. Fatigue
2592-541: A separate roadway or altogether eliminates it. In some parts of the world, notably parts of the US , frontage roads form an integral part of the freeway system. These parallel surface roads provide a transition between high-speed "through" traffic and local traffic. Frequent slip-ramps provide access between the freeway and the frontage road, which in turn provides direct access to local roads and businesses. Except on some two-lane freeways (and very rarely on wider freeways),
2700-545: A settlement between the THEA and other parties for the 2004 collapse of the REL. In 2014, the REL were selected by USDOT as one of ten sites throughout the U.S. that could test out automated vehicles. Such testing would occur during off-peak hours and would require a complete closure of the REL during those times. Then, in 2019, in cooperation with the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) International, THEA successfully conducted
2808-510: A similar system of express and local lanes for a maximum width of 21 lanes on a 2-mile (3.2 km) segment between Interstate 805 and California State Route 56 . In Mississauga , Ontario, Highway 401 uses collector-express lanes for a total of 18 lanes through its intersection with Highway 403 / Highway 410 and Highway 427 . These wide freeways may use separate collector and express lanes to separate through traffic from local traffic, or special high-occupancy vehicle lanes , either as
2916-411: A special restriction on the innermost lane or a separate roadway, to encourage carpooling . These HOV lanes , or roadways open to all traffic, can be reversible lanes , providing more capacity in the direction of heavy traffic, and reversing direction before traffic switches. Sometimes a collector/distributor road , a shorter version of a local lane, shifts weaving between closely spaced interchanges to
3024-483: A viaduct over the roadway's median or as a separate limited access roadway paralleling Gandy either to the north or south. Community opposition brought the project to a standstill multiple times and eventually caused the north and south limited access highway options to be cancelled outright. The remaining option for the elevated viaduct over the median of Gandy survived but was further halted due to additional community opposition, as well as budgetary issues brought upon by
3132-597: Is an elevated north-south toll road that connects I-4 with the Selmon Expressway, two major east-west corridors in the Tampa region. The new roadway crosses several urban streets, State Road 60, and CSX railroad tracks, including interchanges with I-4 and the Selmon Expressway. The Connector has exclusive truck lanes that provide direct access to the Port of Tampa and remove commercial traffic from Ybor City's local roads. The toll road uses an All-Electronic Toll (AET) system. In 2014,
3240-472: Is considered as a risk factor more specific to monotonous roads such as motorways, although such data are not monitored/recorded in many countries. According to Vinci Autoroutes , one third of accidents in French motorways are due to sleepy driving. Gandy Bridge Gandy Bridge is the southernmost bridge spanning Old Tampa Bay from St. Petersburg, Florida to Tampa, Florida . The original 1924 span
3348-735: Is controlled mainly by two-way stop signs which do not impose significant interruptions on traffic using the main highway. Roundabouts are often used at busier intersections in Europe because they help minimize interruptions in flow, while traffic signals that create greater interference with traffic are still preferred in North America. There may be occasional interchanges with other major arterial roads. Examples include US 23 between SR 15 's eastern terminus and Delaware, Ohio , along with SR 15 between its eastern terminus and I-75 , US 30 , SR 29 / US 33 , and US 35 in western and central Ohio. This type of road
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3456-489: Is in Hillsborough County . All exits are unnumbered. Controlled-access highway A controlled-access highway is a type of highway that has been designed for high-speed vehicular traffic, with all traffic flow—ingress and egress—regulated. Common English terms are freeway , motorway , and expressway . Other similar terms include throughway or thruway and parkway . Some of these may be limited-access highways , although this term can also refer to
3564-655: Is necessary to exit onto a surface road to transfer from one freeway to another. One example in the United States (notorious for the resulting congestion) is the connection from Interstate 70 to the Pennsylvania Turnpike ( Interstate 70 and Interstate 76 ) through the town of Breezewood, Pennsylvania . Speed limits are generally higher on freeways and are occasionally nonexistent (as on much of Germany's Autobahn network). Because higher speeds reduce decision time, freeways are usually equipped with
3672-450: Is not lower than 50 km/h [31 mph] and the maximum speed is not higher than 130 km/h [81 mph] (except Germany where no speed limit is defined). Motorways are designed to carry heavy traffic at high speed with the lowest possible number of accidents. They are also designed to collect long-distance traffic from other roads, so that conflicts between long-distance traffic and local traffic are avoided. According to
3780-431: Is provided with separate carriageways for the two directions of traffic). Principal arterials may cross through urban areas, serving suburban movements. The traffic is characterized by high speeds and full or partial access control (interchanges or junctions controlled by traffic lights). Other roads leading to a principal arterial are connected to it through side collector roads. In this view, CARE's definition stands that
3888-407: Is sometimes called an expressway . Freeways are usually limited to motor vehicles of a minimum power or weight; signs may prohibit cyclists , pedestrians and equestrians and impose a minimum speed. It is possible for non-motorized traffic to use facilities within the same right-of-way, such as sidewalks constructed along freeway-standard bridges and multi-use paths next to freeways such as
3996-480: Is specially sign-posted as a motorway and is reserved for specific categories of road motor vehicles." Urban motorways are also included in this definition. However, the respective national definitions and the type of roads covered may present slight differences in different EU countries. The first version of modern controlled-access highways evolved during the first half of the 20th century. The Long Island Motor Parkway on Long Island , New York , opened in 1908 as
4104-545: Is the result of several changes, including infrastructure safety and road user behavior (speed or seat belt use), while other matters such as vehicle safety and mobility patterns have an impact that has not been quantified. Motorways are the safest roads by design. While accounting for more than one quarter of all kilometres driven, they contributed only 8% of the total number of European road deaths in 2006. Germany's Federal Highway Research Institute provided International Road Traffic and Accident Database (IRTAD) statistics for
4212-493: Is the southern component of what was planned to be a system of expressways throughout the Tampa area from the 1950s to 1970s, but the rest were cancelled by the 1980s due to financial problems, land acquisition and community revolts. The first six miles of the tollway were built in the mid-1970s next to a CSX rail line, from the western terminus at Gandy Blvd at Dale Mabry Highway , making an eastward turn at Platt Street/Willow Avenue, snaking around historic Hyde Park before ending at
4320-408: Is two lanes, but work has begun to make all of it four-lane.) These are often called Super two roads. Several such roads are infamous for a high rate of lethal crashes; an outcome because they were designed for short sight distances (sufficient for freeways without oncoming traffic, but insufficient for the years in service as two-lane road with oncoming traffic). An example of such a "Highway to Hell"
4428-662: The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act . A peer review done by E.C. Driver and Associates disagreed on the repair estimate claiming it would take $ 48 million to repair the bridge. Also in July 2009, the animal rights group, People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) offered to contribute funds to help save the Friendship Trail. However, the group asked for fishing to be banned throughout
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4536-629: The Dartford Crossing (the furthest downstream public crossing of the River Thames ) or where it was not economic to build a motorway alongside the existing road such as the former Cumberland Gap . The A1 is a good example of piece-wise upgrading to motorway standard—as of January 2013, the 639-kilometre-long (397 mi) route had five stretches of motorway (designated as A1(M)), reducing to four stretches in March 2018 with completion of
4644-867: The Suncoast Trail along the Suncoast Parkway in Florida . In some US jurisdictions, especially where freeways replace existing roads, non-motorized access on freeways is permitted. Different states of the United States have different laws. Cycling on freeways in Arizona may be prohibited only where there is an alternative route judged equal or better for cycling. Wyoming , the second least densely populated state, allows cycling on all freeways. Oregon allows bicycles except on specific urban freeways in Portland and Medford . In countries such as
4752-538: The United Kingdom new motorways require an Act of Parliament to ensure restricted right of way. Since upgrading an existing road (the "King's Highway") to a full motorway will result in extinguishing the right of access of certain groups such as pedestrians, cyclists and slow-moving traffic, many controlled access roads are not full motorways. In some cases motorways are linked by short stretches of road where alternative rights of way are not practicable such as
4860-424: The United Kingdom , do not distinguish between the two, but others make a distinction; for example, Germany uses the words Kreuz ("cross") or Dreieck ("triangle") for the former and Ausfahrt ("exit") for the latter. In all cases one road crosses the other via a bridge or a tunnel, as opposed to an at-grade crossing . The inter-connecting roads, or slip-roads , which link the two roads, can follow any one of
4968-490: The shoulder at regular intervals. In the United States, mileposts usually start at the southern or westernmost point on the freeway (either its terminus or the state line). California , Ohio and Nevada use postmile systems in which the markers indicate mileage through the state's individual counties. However, Nevada and Ohio also use the standard milepost system concurrently with their respective postmile systems. California numbers its exits off its freeways according to
5076-485: The 1956 bridge reopened to pedestrian and bicycle traffic on December 11, 1999, as the Friendship Trail Bridge. On November 6, 2008, the Friendship Trail was shut down "indefinitely" (though the ends remained open) after a state inspection determined that there were significant structural problems with the bridge's superstructure. The bridge had been decaying for years, eventually forcing the closure of
5184-502: The 2009 recession. In 2016, the THEA began public outreach efforts to restart the project and execute construction in a manner which would not cause a detrimental impact on the surrounding community. The agency also launched its Shop Gandy initiative to help businesses along the Gandy corridor before, during, and after the course of construction. The project was completed in March 2021, and the extension opened to traffic on April 19, 2021, in
5292-486: The 78th Street gantry) take photos of license plates. The commuter is then sent a bill via mail. The program's success led to the eventual expansion of All-Electronic Tolling to the rest of the Selmon Expressway. Level of service was upgraded from an "F" to an "A" as commuters are now able to travel at full speed, cutting travel time by as much as 60 minutes per day. The REL project won the prestigious "2007 IBTTA President's Award: Most Innovative Toll Transportation Project in
5400-501: The A1(M) through North Yorkshire . The most frequent way freeways are laid out is by building them from the ground up after obstructions such as forestry or buildings are cleared away. Sometimes they deplete farmland, but other methods have been developed for economic, social and even environmental reasons. Full freeways are sometimes made by converting at-grade expressways or by replacing at-grade intersections with overpasses; however, in
5508-654: The Gandy Bridge is one of three bridges connecting the mainland of Hillsborough County and Pinellas County ; the others being the Howard Frankland Bridge and the Courtney Campbell Causeway . In 1910, H. Walter Fuller was a director of three companies owned by F. A. Davis . George S. Gandy Sr was the president of all three companies. Fuller prepared a map including a proposed bridge that would cross upper Tampa Bay following
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#17327733328575616-569: The I-4/Selmon Expressway Connector ramps. The connector opened to traffic on January 6, 2014. In conjunction with the I-4/Selmon Connector project, the THEA widened the section of the downtown viaduct from just east of Morgan St to 20th St from four lanes (two in each direction) to six lanes (three in each direction). This particular project was budgeted at $ 70 million, with some of the funds coming from
5724-457: The REL operates the express lanes westbound from 6:00-10:00 am. From 10:00 am–1:00 pm, the road is in a split operation in which the express lanes western segment between 78th Street and Downtown Tampa carries westbound traffic, and the express lanes eastern segment from US 301 to Brandon Parkway carries eastbound traffic. Then, from 3:00 pm through 6:00 am the next morning, the REL operates the express lanes eastbound only. On weekends and holidays,
5832-609: The REL stays operating in the eastbound direction from 3:00 pm Friday afternoon through 6:00 am Monday morning. Officially known as just the Selmon West Extension , the project is a two-lane elevated viaduct over the median of Gandy Blvd in order to provide commuters a signal-free drive from the Brandon terminus all the way to the Gandy Bridge . Plans for the project originally surfaced in the late 1990s as either
5940-643: The REL. A toll gantry is located just east of 78th Street and is the only toll gantry along the entire REL. Between 78th Street and US 301, slip-ramps exist for both directions (exiting and entering the REL). The REL crosses over I-75 and ends at Town Center Boulevard in Brandon (near Westfield Brandon ). From there, the highway disperses onto the Brandon Parkway, which connects to Providence Road and other redesigned thoroughfares to allow seamless connection to points within Brandon and surrounding areas. On weekdays,
6048-552: The Reversible Express Lanes were designated by USDOT as a testbed for automated vehicles . In May 2015, the Selmon Greenway opened to the public. The Selmon Greenway is a pedestrian-friendly urban trail that runs through downtown Tampa. The Greenway connects several popular neighborhoods of Tampa, including Ybor City, Channelside, and Water Street. On April 19, 2021, after three years of construction,
6156-524: The Selmon Extension opened to the public. The Selmon Extension is a 1.9-mile toll lane located in the median of Gandy Boulevard, which allows a choice for local residents and regional travelers: use Gandy Boulevard for local destinations or use the Selmon Extension for a direct connection to the Selmon Expressway or Dale Mabry Highway. The Reversible Express Lanes (REL), aimed at cutting traffic congestion times, were originally envisioned in 1995 by
6264-632: The Tampa Hillsborough Expressway Authority (THEA) as an innovative idea to increase capacity along the Lee Roy Selmon Expressway from Downtown Tampa to Brandon without acquiring additional right-of-way. Instead, an elevated, three-lane bridge was built over the existing median of the expressway. Planning for the project began around 1995/1996, but final designs/planning were not made until the later 1990s. Construction commenced in 2003 but in 2004,
6372-409: The US, any at-grade intersection that ends a freeway often remains an at-grade intersection. Often, when there is a two-lane undivided freeway or expressway, it is converted by constructing a parallel twin corridor, and leaving a median between the two travel directions. The median-side travel lane of the old two-way corridor becomes a passing lane. Other techniques involve building a new carriageway on
6480-484: The United States, allow for limited exceptions: some movable bridges , for instance the Interstate Bridge on Interstate 5 between Oregon and Washington , do require drivers to stop for ship traffic. The crossing of freeways by other routes is typically achieved with grade separation either in the form of underpasses or overpasses . In addition to sidewalks (pavements) attached to roads that cross
6588-712: The Vienna Convention. Exits are marked with another symbol: [REDACTED] . The definitions of "motorway" from the OECD and PIARC are almost identical. In the European Union , for statistical and safety purposes, some distinction might be made between motorway and expressway . For instance a principal arterial might be considered as: Roads serving long distance and mainly interurban movements. Includes motorways (urban or rural) and expressways (road which does not serve properties bordering on it and which
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#17327733328576696-452: The World," along with 22 awards for engineering excellence and community-friendly design. This modern solution is a prototype for managing urban traffic congestion and reducing green house gases. In June 2009, a settlement was reached between THEA, URS, and other parties, regarding the 2004 collapse of the REL and the lawsuit that followed. THEA was able to obtain approximately $ 75 million from
6804-581: The administration of Franklin D. Roosevelt . On December 23, 1945, a federal jury awarded The Gandy Company $ 2,383,642 in compensation for the property, plus $ 100,000 in interest. The bridge reduced the distance between Tampa and St. Petersburg from 43 to 19 miles (31 km). Its location enabled travel by auto along the route of the world's first scheduled airline flight , which operated between Tampa and Saint Petersburg for six months in 1914. The Gandy Bridge opened on November 20, 1924 Sixteen visiting state governors and several foreign dignitaries attended
6912-426: The aging third (1975) span. The new span is slated to be constructed along the north side of the fourth (1996) span, perhaps right over where the second (1956) span once stood. While the agency has identified that work will include widening the fourth span, it is currently unclear as to whether the span will only have widened shoulders, or if an additional travel lane will be added. It is also unclear as to how many lanes
7020-568: The bridge On June 27, 2012, the Hillsborough County Commission voted to allow the group more time to evaluate their options for the bridge. It would also allow the commission to decide on a plan to possibly present a referendum to voters in November to hike the property tax to fund park improvements. Despite the various community efforts to save the bridge, none were able to fully materialize. Gradual demolition work
7128-547: The bridge as "outmoded, too narrow and a traffic bottleneck." In 1956 a second slightly higher, fixed span was added to the Gandy Bridge to serve westbound traffic. The first span would then serve eastbound traffic until 1975. The second bridge remained in use until February 1997. Years before, the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) deemed the bridge structurally deficient to vehicular traffic unless costly repairs were made. FDOT initially planned to demolish
7236-793: The bridge. The Queen Elizabeth II Bridge / Dartford tunnel at London Orbital is an example of this. London Orbital or the M25 is a motorway surrounding London , but at the last River Thames crossing before its mouth, motorway rules do not apply. (At this crossing the London Orbital is labeled A282 instead.) A few of the more common types of junction are shown below: There are many differences between countries in their geography, economy, traffic growth, highway system size, degree of urbanization and motorization, etc.; all of which need to be taken into consideration when comparisons are made. According to some EU papers, safety progress on motorways
7344-501: The center median for most of its journey. Almost the entire route is elevated, with the exception of at-grade segments between 26th Street and 39th Street, as well as between 78th Street and I-75. An at-grade provision was made between 26th Street and 39th Street to accommodate the Interstate 4/Selmon Expressway Connector . This at-grade portion is equipped with an eastbound (only) slip-ramp to allow commuters from South Tampa to utilize
7452-492: The common European definition, a motorway is defined as "a road, specially designed and built for motor traffic, which does not serve properties bordering on it, and which: (a) is provided, except at special points or temporarily, with separate carriageways for the two directions of traffic, separated from each other, either by a dividing strip not intended for traffic, or exceptionally by other means; (b) does not cross at level with any road, railway or tramway track, or footpath; (c)
7560-517: The early 1920s in response to the rapidly increasing use of the automobile , the demand for faster movement between cities and as a consequence of improvements in paving processes, techniques and materials. These original high-speed roads were referred to as " dual highways " and have been modernized and are still in use today. Italy was the first country in the world to build controlled-access highways reserved for fast traffic and for motor vehicles only. The Autostrada dei Laghi ("Lakes Motorway"),
7668-769: The early afternoon. By using the extension, commuters are able to travel between the Brandon terminus and Pinellas County without encountering a stoplight. For most of its length, the Selmon is four lanes (two in each direction). However, some six-lane segments (three lanes in each direction) exist. The expressway has no toll gates. To accommodate motorists who do not have transponders, the Tampa-Hillsborough Expressway Authority and Florida's Turnpike Enterprise utilize its All-Electronic Tolling program. Vehicles without transponders are photographed and their license plates are read. Notification of
7776-421: The entire span. In April 2010, both Hillsborough and Pinellas County Commissions voted to demolish the entire structure. In March 2011, citizens came together to save the bridge again, proposing a public/private partnership to fund repairs. In April 2011, Hillsborough County Commission voted to delay the demolition in order to give a group of citizens 30 days to come up with a viable plan to repair and re-open
7884-552: The existing terminus interchange to Big Bend Rd. On July 22, 2023, the Hillsborough County Board of County Commissioners provided approval to allow the THEA to move ahead with the planning process, including needed community outreach. The project is expected to cost $ 1.8 billion, but would not see major construction commence until around 2040 The entire route is in Tampa , Hillsborough County . The entire route
7992-495: The expressway crosses over Palm River (the southernmost portion of the Tampa Bypass Canal ) and makes a southeastward curve towards US 301 . From there, the highway crosses over US 301 and Falkenburg Road before ending at a trumpet interchange with I-75 in Brandon. The Reversible Express Lanes (REL), also known as State Road 618A , begin at Meridian Avenue in downtown Tampa, following the main expressway's path in
8100-485: The first built in the world, connecting Milan to Lake Como and Lake Maggiore , and now parts of the A8 and A9 motorways, was devised by Piero Puricelli and was inaugurated in 1924. This motorway, called autostrada , contained only one lane in each direction and no interchanges. The Bronx River Parkway was the first road in North America to utilize a median strip to separate the opposing lanes, to be constructed through
8208-412: The first half of the 20th century. Italy was the first country in the world to build controlled-access highways reserved for fast traffic and for motor vehicles only. Italy opened its first autostrada in 1924, A8 , connecting Milan to Varese . Germany began to build its first controlled-access autobahn without speed limits (30 kilometres [19 mi] on what is now A555 , then referred to as
8316-460: The first-ever publicly accessible autonomous vehicle demonstration in Tampa, Florida. In 2023, the THEA launched initial plans to begin examining the possibility of constructing an elevated expressway spur to Riverview via US Hwy 301 to Big Bend Rd. The corridor would be constructed similarly to that of the Gandy extension, but with four lanes (two lanes in each direction). An alternative alignment would call for tolled express lanes along I-75 from
8424-504: The highway are provided at interchanges by slip roads (ramps), which allow for speed changes between the highway and arterials and collector roads . On the controlled-access highway, opposing directions of travel are generally separated by a median strip or central reservation containing a traffic barrier or grass. Elimination of conflicts with other directions of traffic dramatically improves safety, while increasing traffic capacity and speed. Controlled-access highways evolved during
8532-469: The mayor of Cologne . The German Autobahn became the first nationwide highway system. In Canada , the first precursor with semi-controlled access was The Middle Road between Hamilton and Toronto , which featured a median divider between opposing traffic flow, as well as the nation's first cloverleaf interchange . This highway developed into the Queen Elizabeth Way , which featured
8640-437: The middle section of the bridge (including the hump) and leave the remaining fishing pier segments intact. The demolished segments would have then been used for an artificial reef. When residents and community groups in both Pinellas and Hillsborough Counties lobbied together against FDOT and the governments of the two counties to save the 1956 bridge, FDOT dropped its demolition plan. After two years of hearings and funding issues,
8748-400: The motorway system, whilst a junction is a crossing between motorways or a split/merge of two motorways. The motorway rules end at exits, but not at junctions. However, on some bridges, motorways, without changing appearance, temporarily end between the two exits closest to the bridge (or tunnel), and continue as dual carriageways . This is in order to give slower vehicles a possibility to use
8856-436: The new bridge, compared to the number that was expected. These findings may be blamed partly on the lack of advance notification to commuters, the number of commuters who owned a SunPass transponder, and an unrelated traffic incident on Ashley Drive in downtown Tampa. The eastbound direction opened to traffic on August 29, 2006 at 3:30 pm. A "Grand Opening" celebration was held on September 23, 2006, with festivities including
8964-402: The new span will have, though a trail component will be included to replace the trail link lost when the second span was demolished, thus fully reactivating the Friendship Trail. Should FDOT commence with the project, the design phase will begin sometime in 2025. Upon completion of the fifth span, all three Pinellas-Hillsborough bridge crossings over Old Tampa Bay will have trail components. Also,
9072-413: The northern and southern piers). There was also a repair plan in place for the bridge that would have repaired the pylons at a cost of $ 4.2 million. That project was cancelled due to the new developments. December 17 brought further gloom for the trail when preliminary estimates to retrofit the bridge added up to about $ 30 million. Furthermore, the projected costs would only provide a temporary solution to
9180-503: The old alignments. The Brandon Gateway section of the REL opened in November 2005 and gained overwhelmingly positive input from commuters. On July 18, 2006 at 6 am, the REL opened to westbound morning traffic (only). Long lines were formed at the Brandon Gateway well in advance as many anticipated using the new road. However, the scene from news helicopter snapshots showed that only a handful of drivers actually ended up using
9288-503: The ones installed on the Reversible Express Lanes, allowing free-flowing movement throughout the tollway. The expressway takes transponders from different states, including Florida's SunPass transponder. Customers who do not have a transponder account will be billed later for their use on the expressway. In 2013, the Selmon Expressway celebrated its 50th anniversary. Also, in the same year, the I-4 Connector opened. The I-4 Connector
9396-479: The opening ceremony. During George Gandy's speech, he stated; "The bridge is built!" The bridge was dismantled in 1975 immediately after completion of a third span. Efforts to preserve the bridge for recreational purposes were not supported by the Pinellas County Commission, which felt the idea was too expensive, too dangerous, and unnecessary. By 1947, state Sen. Raymond Sheldon described
9504-439: The other. Other methods involve constructing a service drive that shortens the long driveways (typically by less than 100 metres (330 ft)). An interchange or a junction is a highway layout that permits traffic from one controlled-access highway to access another and vice versa, whereas an access point is a highway layout where traffic from a distributor or local road can join a controlled-access highway. Some countries, such as
9612-477: The rate is higher than the risk on urban roads. Speeds are higher on rural roads and autobahns than urban roads, increasing the severity potential of a crash. According to ETSC, German motorways without a speed limit, but with a 130 km/h (81 mph) speed recommendation, are 25% more deadly than motorways with a speed limit. Germany also introduced some 130 km/h (81 mph) speed limits on various motorway sections that were not limited. This generated
9720-528: The report was released, Hillsborough and Pinellas County officials decided to close the entire bridge permanently. The report suggested the following: In May 2009, the initial estimates were revised: After a series of meetings in May, June, and July 2009, the Friendship Trail bridge oversight committee voted to explore the $ 15 million option to retrofit the entire bridge, which would add about 10 years to its lifespan, with supporters hoping that it would be funded by
9828-643: The rights of light , air and access to highways, but not parkways and freeways; the latter two are distinguished in that the purpose of a parkway is recreation, while the purpose of a freeway is movement. Thus, as originally conceived, a freeway is simply a strip of public land devoted to movement to which abutting property owners do not have rights of light, air or access. Freeways, by definition, have no at-grade intersections with other roads, railroads or multi-use trails . Therefore, no traffic signals are needed and through traffic on freeways does not normally need to stop at traffic signals. Some countries, such as
9936-529: The route of Ninth Street North in St. Petersburg. Gandy partnered with Fuller, incorporating three companies towards design and construction of the bridge. Survey crews decided to change the route from Ninth Street to Fourth Street. In 1918, World War I required that all projects exceeding $ 250,000 required a certificate of necessity from the War Industries Board headed by Bernard Baruch . The project
10044-455: The settlement, which will be used to pay off debts and help fund a widening and rehabilitation project along the downtown Tampa viaduct. This is a connection between the Selmon Expressway and nearby Interstate 4 to the north, designed to help filter hazardous cargo away from Ybor City to the Port of Tampa . The 39th Street interchange (Exit 10) permanently closed on May 13, 2010 to make way for
10152-432: The side of a divided highway that has a lot of private access on one side and sometimes has long driveways on the other side since an easement for widening comes into place, especially in rural areas. When a third carriageway is added, sometimes it can shift a directional carriageway by 20–60 metres (50–200 ft) (or maybe more depending on land availability) as a way to retain private access on one side that favors over
10260-477: The span to vehicular traffic. However, the inspection yielded that the corrosion of the superstructure had worsened and that the overall condition of the bridge was no longer suitable to keep it open due to safety issues. Only a couple months before, the Sunshine Skyway Bridge 's fishing piers were deemed to the same fate (A recent inspection there had forced the closure of the eastern span on both
10368-413: The structure that would only last about ten years. With the state and the nation in recession, county governments saw no way to meet the staggering costs, leaving the trail likely closed for good. December 20, 2008 a report done by Kisinger Campo & Associates and SDR Engineering Consultants showed that the bridge could potentially collapse due to the amount of decay on the structure. Immediately after
10476-487: The thoroughfare's western terminus opened to traffic on Monday, April 19, 2021. The expressway was supposed to be part of a multi-expressway system that failed in the 1970s due to heavy local opposition and financial burdens. The original designation for the expressway was State Road 449 , but it was switched to State Road 618 , which remained a hidden designation until the early 2000s when it began appearing on maps and in atlases. The expressway features an elevated bridge,
10584-483: The three bridges are obvious to observers. The westbound span is nine feet higher than the older eastbound span, and has a more gradual hump than its counterpart. The design and architecture of the westbound bridge is similar to the Clearwater Pass Bridge replacement, which was completed in 1994. In June 2021, FDOT announced that it is conducting a study to construct a fifth span to eventually replace
10692-506: The toll is mailed to the vehicle's owner with an added administrative fee. Fines are imposed if tolls are not paid within 60 days. If tolls are not paid within 120 days, a hold can be placed on the registration of the vehicle. Someone who tries to re-register their vehicle with a hold on it is expected to satisfy the outstanding toll balance before re-registering their vehicle. As the industry moves interoperability, AET accepts different transponders from different states. The Crosstown Expressway
10800-448: The vehicle's lift was unknowingly raised. The accident crippled a support beam, which had to be replaced. In 2005, a similar vehicle destroyed the overhead exit sign at Euclid Ave (Exit 2) and over a month passed before a replacement sign (and structure) were installed. Also, a few accidents have made headlines over the years, including wrong way, speeding and impaired drivers. In 2004, the Tampa Hillsborough Expressway Authority accelerated
10908-503: The world's first reversible, all-electronic, elevated express lane project, opened in 2006, called the Reversible Express Lanes and with the hidden designation of State Road 618A . The entire expressway ended cash collection on September 17, 2010, going to the state's All-Electronic Tolling system for both the REL and the main expressway. The expressway, originally known as the Southern Crosstown Expressway ,
11016-406: The year 2010, comparing overall fatality rates with motorway rates (regardless of traffic intensity): The German autobahn network illustrates the safety trade-offs of controlled access highways. The injury crash rate is very low on autobahns, while 22 people died per 1,000 injury crashes—although autobahns have a lower rate than the 29 deaths per 1,000 injury accidents on conventional rural roads,
11124-443: Was European route E4 from Gävle to Axmartavlan , Sweden. The high rate of crashes with severe personal injuries on that (and similar) roads did not cease until a median crash barrier was installed, transforming the fatal crashes into non-fatal crashes. Otherwise, freeways typically have at least two lanes in each direction; some busy ones can have as many as 16 or more lanes in total. In San Diego, California , Interstate 5 has
11232-411: Was built right over where the first (1927) span once stood and thus north of the third (1975) span, was initially opened to eastbound traffic while the 1975 bridge was closed to allow FDOT to install street lighting and conduct other bridge work. Westbound traffic at that time continued to utilize the 1956 bridge. The 1996 bridge was converted to westbound traffic in February 1997. The differences between
11340-558: Was dismantled in 1975. The second bridge, constructed in 1956 was used for vehicular traffic until 1997, when it was converted to recreational use by non-motorized traffic. It became known as the Friendship Trail Bridge and was demolished in 2016, after closing in 2008 due to hazardous conditions and several failed efforts to preserve the span. The third (1975) and fourth (1997) spans of the Gandy Bridge are currently being used for vehicle traffic. Almost three miles long,
11448-457: Was not approved and financing was canceled. Gandy bought out Fuller's interests and continued alone. In 1922, Gandy hired promoter Eugene M. Elliott to attract new investment. Gandy sold enough stock to finance the bridge, which cost $ 1.932 million. Construction began in September 1922 and the bridge was completed for a formal opening on November 20, 1924. The steel and concrete bridge spanned
11556-598: Was renamed Lee Roy Selmon Expressway in 1999 in honor of former Tampa Bay Buccaneers hall-of-fame football player Lee Roy Selmon . The "Crosstown" portion of the name was dropped in 2008. By 2020, the Crosstown signs were removed, and navigation systems were updated to "Selmon Expressway" or "SR 618". The expressway begins at the western edge of U.S. Route 92 (Gandy Boulevard) in Hillsborough County. The Selmon Extension, which opened in 2021, serves as
11664-443: Was underway by 2015, and was completed as of July 2016. A third span was opened to traffic on October 20, 1975, and was originally without street lighting. It was built along the south side of the original span. The 1975 bridge replaced the original 1927 span which was immediately dismantled. On December 21, 1996, another parallel span was built in between the two existing spans to replace the aging 1956 bridge. The new bridge, which
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