Overnight detours planned as TPA continues major roadway upgrade

Visitors to Tampa International Airport can expect to see heavy roadway construction and detours in the coming months as part of an effort to upgrade to the Airport’s roadways.

The work, which is scheduled to begin Aug. 2, involves replacing ten large overhead signs, including several that span the Airport’s main entrance and exit road, and other connecting roads.

“These new overhead signs will be wider so that we can add new lanes to our roadways and accommodate future passenger growth,” said Executive Vice President of Facilities Al Illustrato. “The signs will be bigger, easier to read and will match the aesthetics of our new facilities.

In total, the roadway project is expected to continue through the fall and involve approximately 40 nights of detours during this period. Visitors coming during the day can expect to see lane closures and roadway construction related to the project.

The detours will typically happen between 8:30 p.m. and 4:30 a.m. to minimize passenger impacts. While TPA doesn’t expect the detours to add significant time, the Airport advises passengers to continue to arrive two hours prior to departure to ensure a smooth journey.

The roadway construction is expected to move faster and have less of an impact because of a reduction in passenger numbers due to COVID-19.

“In previous months, we wouldn’t be able to give workers such long construction windows – even overnight - because of high traffic,” said Illustrato. “We don’t like to see lower passenger numbers, but we’re doing our best to get this impactful work out of the way before more guests return.”

Some of the most impactful work will occur in early August, impacting passengers as they come in and out of TPA.

Here's a quick look at the most impactful closures, as currently scheduled:

• Aug. 4 and Aug. 5: The inbound Parkway will be closed from 8:30 p.m. to 4:30 a.m. each day. From there, vehicles will follow signs to the Bessie Coleman Service Road, which will take them back to the main Parkway.
• Aug. 6: The outbound Parkway will be closed from 10 p.m. to 8 a.m. During this time, all traffic will be diverted to the Bessie Coleman Service Road near the Marriott and will reenter the Parkway near the Post Office.
• Aug. 8 and Aug. 10: From 8:30 p.m. until 4:30 a.m., traffic coming into the Airport from State Road 60 or Interstate 275 will be directed to Spruce Street, where vehicles will make a U-turn and be redirected to the inbound Parkway via the Spruce Street on-ramp.

Tampa International Airport will provide roadway updates and information about future detours as it becomes available. For specific details, please follow us on Twitter @FlyTPA or reach out to us via email at AskTPA@TampaAirport.com.