Red Side Arrivals traffic will see lane shift for several weeks
The temporary change is necessary as part of construction on the Red Express Curbsides on the north side of the Main Terminal.
Passengers being picked up from TPA’s Red Side Baggage Claim should be aware of a temporary traffic shift coming next week.
Normally the exit lane from Red Side Arrivals, outside the Red Baggage Claim on the first floor of the Main Terminal, is to the left side of the Departures ramp and merges onto the George Bean Parkway.
Next week, the exit lane will shift to the right side of the ramp (shown above), adjacent to a loop normally reserved for shuttles, buses and taxis.
The lane shift will start the morning of Monday, July 10, and be in place for 30 days. Normal traffic patterns are scheduled to return on Tuesday, August 8.
Signs, barriers and traffic workers will direct vehicles through the detour. The impact to traffic is expected to be minimal.
The shift is necessary as construction crews use heavy equipment to drill shafts next to the roadway on the north side of the Main Terminal. The drilled shafts are necessary to build supports for the Red Express Departures bridge as part of the new Red Express Curb going up where the Airport’s old Administration building once stood.
The Red Express Curbsides will mirror the current Blue Express Curbsides that opened in 2021 on the other side of the Main Terminal.
These lanes are part of Phase 2 of the Airport’s Master Plan and are scheduled to open by Summer 2025.