After nearly six years of construction, the final pieces of the new $973 million Howard Frankland Bridge are in place.
Early Wednesday, the Florida Department of Transportation opened northbound express toll lanes across the new span, with the southbound express lanes open in a few days.
Also open is a shared-use path for pedestrians and cyclists on the north side of the bridge.
The Howard Frankland is the busiest bridge in the region, with an estimated 250,000 motorists traveling daily between St. Petersburg and Tampa, according to FDOT.
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The express lanes will increase by bridge capacity by 50%, making it nearly three times as big as the bridge it's replacing, the agency said.
The express lanes — two in each direction — are in the median and separated by barrier walls and flexible plastic poles from four general-use lanes in each direction.
There are currently no tolls during a testing phase, but when that ends, SunPass or any other transponder will be required to pay 50 cents.
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Work on the southbound express route — restriping and installation of traffic delineators — will be competed over the next few nights, weather permitting.
The shared-use path is nearly seven miles long, 12 feet wide and separated from traffic by a barrier. Four shaded, sail-adorned overlooks allow pedestrians and cyclists to rest and take in views of Old Tampa Bay.
The path is accessible from sunrise to sunset at Fourth Street in St. Petersburg and Reo Street in Tampa.
FDOT opened the new southbound span, which carries vehicles along Interstate 275, in March 2025.
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The original bridge was built in 1959, with a southbound span added in 1990 that was renewed and converted to the new northbound span in July.
Final work to remove the original bridge has been completed.
The new bridge, which is expected to last 100 years, is taller than its predecessors to better avoid storm surge spilling onto the roadway during tropical storms or hurricanes.
Plans for the project were first revealed in 2017 and construction began in 2020.
