Governor DeSantis touts 'major progress' on Howard Frankland Bridge, I-275 widening projects

TAMPA, Fla. - Gov. Ron DeSantis spoke Tuesday about "major progress" on the Tampa Bay area's largest state-funded road projects, including the expansion of the Howard Frankland Bridge along with a stretch of I-275 in Pinellas County.

The governor talked about the latest steps in each project during a news conference at Tampa International Airport.

Howard Frankland Bridge project

DeSantis, along with Florida Department of Transportation Secretary Jared Perdue, announced Tuesday that demolition of the oldest span of the Howard Frankland Bridge has officially begun.

It’s part of the $865 million bridge replacement project that began in 2020.

Among the changes: northbound I-275 traffic shifted from the old bridge, which was built around 1960, to the 1990s span of the Howard Frankland Bridge.

Southbound traffic now uses the new span of the bridge, which opened earlier this year.

RELATED: New span of Howard Frankland Bridge opens to traffic

The project also includes a shared-use path and express lane on the new Howard Frankland Bridge, which FDOT says should be ready by spring 2026.

Expansion of I-275

DeSantis and Perdue also announced Tuesday that construction is now underway on a major widening of I-275 from 38th Ave. N to 4th St. N in Pinellas County.

The $354 million project includes two new express lanes in each direction, along with an additional express lane from Gandy Blvd. to 4th St. N.

State officials say the expanded interstate could reduce travel delays by up to 85% and bring a regional economic impact of $1.42 billion.

Moving Florida Forward

Dig deeper:

The governor said Tuesday that much of the progress that has been made on these projects comes from funding through the state’s Moving Florida Forward program, which launched in late 2022.

Since then, the Florida Legislature has contributed about $7 billion from state reserves to speed up a total of 20 major infrastructure projects statewide.

What they're saying:

During Tuesday’s news conference, DeSantis said Florida’s rapid growth in recent years has made transportation a top priority for the state.

"I want our transportation to be about getting people from point A to point B as efficiently as possible," DeSantis said.

Pictured: Gov. Ron DeSantis speaks at a news conference in Tampa on Aug. 26, 2025.

The governor also spoke specifically about the importance of reducing drive times for residents, tourists and truckers in the Tampa Bay area.

"This is quality of life, this is economic growth, this is everything you want to be seeing," DeSantis said.

As for the funding that has made these projects possible, Perdue took time to thank state lawmakers for making Moving Florida Forward possible.

"This is a once in a lifetime legacy investment," Perdue said. "You haven’t seen an investment like Moving Florida Forward anywhere else in this country."

Pictured: Florida Department of Transportation Secretary Jared Perdue speaks at a news conference in Tampa on Aug. 26, 2025.

What you can do:

For more information on Moving Florida Forward and the projects that have received funding through the program, click here.