Howard Frankland Bridge Replacement — Tampa, FL

We lead the Howard Frankland Bridge Replacement as the design-build partner (through legacy BCC Engineering), expanding capacity and reducing congestion on one of Tampa Bay’s most-traveled corridors. This work adds new general purpose and tolled express lanes in each direction to improve mobility and support long-term regional growth.

Project Description And Key Objectives

This high-profile project includes the design and construction of a new southbound I‑275 Howard Frankland Bridge and the removal of the existing northbound bridge from the 1960s. The current southbound bridge will carry northbound traffic after construction. Additionally, we’re upgrading roadway connections, adding express lanes, improving safety, increasing capacity, and planning for future light rail. The bridge extends more than 3 miles across a sensitive environment shaped by vessel collision risks and complex soil conditions.

Major Features Of The New Bridge

The Howard Frankland Bridge Replacement includes several major structural and operational enhancements:

• Largest bridge in Florida with more than 2.6 million square feet of deck area
• 113 spans supported by 1726 Florida I beams totaling more than 241,000 linear feet
• 44 hammerhead piers for high level spans and 180 multi column piers for low level spans
• 3006 square prestressed concrete piles ranging from 62 to 220 feet in length
• Vessel collision design forces up to 2000 kips

Pedestrian Enhancements And Additional Structures

We strengthen multimodal access by adding:

• A 12 foot barrier separated shared use path
• Four scenic overlooks to elevate the pedestrian experience

The project also includes two single span shared use path bridges, a 1040 foot elevated walkway structure, bulkhead walls, overhead sign structures, and tolling facilities.

Our Role As Lead Designer

We’re guiding the Howard Frankland Bridge Replacement through full engineering and permitting responsibilities, including:

• Structures
• Roadway
• Drainage
• Lighting
• ITS
• Utilities
• Signing and pavement marking
• Maintenance of traffic
• Environmental permitting

Our approach ensures a safe, resilient, and future ready crossing for Tampa Bay.