The long-awaited transformation of one of Tampa Bay’s most congested highway hubs is officially moving forward. Florida transportation officials have awarded the $643 million Westshore Interchange reconstruction to a joint venture between Lane Construction Corporation and Superior Construction, marking the largest Florida Department of Transportation project in the region.
A rendering of the future Westshore Interchange released by FDOT shows a completely reimagined network of ramps and connectors designed to serve the 10-square-mile Westshore District, Florida’s largest central business district and home to about 4,000 businesses.
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The overhaul will include a full reconstruction of the interchange, upgrades along the east end of the Howard Frankland Bridge toward downtown Tampa, and improvements north on State Road 60 extending to State Road 589.
Transportation planners say the project is focused on moving more vehicles through the corridor while reducing bottlenecks that routinely snarl traffic near Tampa International Airport.
Capacity will be added with general-use and tolled express lanes, along with new flyover ramps and tolled direct-connect ramps to improve flow between Interstate 275, Tampa International Airport, the Veterans Expressway and SR 60.
Work on the phased design-build project has already started and is scheduled for completion in December 2029. Key elements will include:
Project partner Webuild Group said the finished interchange will significantly improve both safety and traffic capacity on some of the region’s busiest corridors.
Webuild Group expects the finished project to improve safety and traffic capacity on corridors like I-275, SR 60 and the Veterans Expressway.
The benefits could be felt by hundreds of thousands of drivers.
“An estimated 400,000 motorists are expected to experience reduced travel times,” according to Webuild Group. The interchange currently handles 180,000 commuters a day.
Lane Construction, a subsidiary of international contractor Webuild Group based in Cheshire, Connecticut, is leading the effort with Jacksonville-based Superior Construction. The joint venture has been involved with the project since 2023, when it signed a $10 million design services contract during early development.
The design-build approach allows engineering and construction to proceed simultaneously, a method FDOT has increasingly used to accelerate major infrastructure programs.
Local leaders view the interchange as critical to the economic future of the Westshore area, which functions as a second downtown for Tampa. The district includes major office towers, hotels, retail centers and the region’s primary airport.
Congestion around the interchange has long been cited as a constraint on growth. By separating local and through traffic and creating direct airport connectors, planners hope to improve reliability for commuters, freight haulers and tourists.
The addition of pedestrian and cycling upgrades also signals a broader effort to make the corridor more accessible beyond automobiles, connecting neighborhoods that have historically been divided by highway infrastructure.
With construction now underway, motorists should expect phased traffic shifts over the next several years as crews build new structures alongside existing roadways. FDOT says updates on detours and lane changes will be released throughout the project.
When complete, the rebuilt Westshore Interchange is expected to stand as one of Florida’s most complex and technologically advanced highway systems—reshaping how people move through Tampa Bay for decades to come.
Originally reported by Ben Thorpe in Equipment World.
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