US 19 Lane Shift Starts Thursday Night

Drivers along US 19 should be prepared for new lane shifts as part of the Friday morning traffic rush as crews work to replace the overpass at Gulf to Bay Boulevard. Road work will require that traffic be reduced to two lanes in both directions starting Thursday night.

The roadway has three north bound lanes and two south bound lanes at that intersection. The work will expand the overpass to six lanes, completely replacing the existing structure, and should be complete around summer or fall of 2014.

The overpass will be built in two phases, each taking about 16 months to complete. The southbound side will be worked on first then the northbound. The sides of the overpass includes creating a beach scene which will feature the image of "."

To get this work done, traffic will be reduced to two lanes in both directions starting Thursday night.

A lane is being added to the frontage roads in both direction at Gulf to Bay Boulevard. Traffic will be able to continue through the intersection as well continue to make turns there. No changes are planned on Gulf to Bay Boulevard during this construction phase.

The 2.7 mile project to transfer the road into a limit access highway at Whitney Road and Seville Boulevard as well as the work at Enterprise Road will give drivers signal free travel from 49th Street to State Road 580.

Call the Florida Department of Transportation at (813) 975-6060 with any questions.