Pinellas County drivers heading south on Interstate 275 will lose access to Exit 25 at 38th Avenue North beginning Monday, Oct. 5.

The Florida Department of Transportation will close the southbound exit ramp for about two months while crews perform widening, drainage, lighting and other work. FDOT expects the ramp to reopen in mid-December, weather permitting.

The closure is part of a $340 million project widening a 7.5-mile stretch of I-275 through St. Petersburg and Pinellas Park.

The ramp is scheduled to close early Monday morning after midnight Sunday.

Drivers will detour to 22nd Avenue North

FDOT posted the official detour on its Facebook page:

• Continue south on I-275 past Exit 25.
• Take Exit 24 at 22nd Avenue North.
• Turn right at the bottom of the ramp and travel west on 22nd Avenue North.
• Turn right onto U.S. 19, or 34th Street North.
• Travel north to 38th Avenue North.

Drivers who normally use Exit 25 to reach that part of St. Petersburg should allow additional time while the detour is in place.

$340 million I-275 expansion continues

The ramp closure is part of FDOT's widening of I-275 from north of 38th Avenue North to north of Fourth Street North.

The project will add two tolled express lanes in each direction from north of 38th Avenue North to south of Gandy Boulevard. From south of Gandy Boulevard to north of Fourth Street North, one additional tolled express lane will be constructed in each direction, bringing the total to two express lanes each way through that section.

The work also includes modifications to the interchanges at 38th Avenue North, 54th Avenue North, Gandy Boulevard and Roosevelt Boulevard, along with noise barriers and other improvements.

Prince Contracting LLC is the contractor. Construction began Aug. 11, 2025, and FDOT estimates the $340 million project will be completed in late 2030.

The same project closed two ramps at the 54th Avenue North interchange earlier this year. The southbound I-275 Exit 26 ramp to 54th Avenue North and the westbound 54th Avenue North entrance ramp to southbound I-275 reopened Sept. 11 after being closed since early April for reconstruction, drainage, noise barrier and concrete paving work.

Express lanes will connect regional network

Once completed, the I-275 express lanes will connect with the express-lane network on the Howard Frankland Bridge, extending the system through the St. Petersburg corridor.

The new Howard Frankland Bridge has two express lanes in each direction in addition to four general-purpose lanes each way.

FDOT opened the bridge's northbound express lanes in May, followed by the southbound lanes. The express lanes initially operated without tolls during a testing period before toll collection began.

The Exit 25 ramp is expected to reopen in mid-December, weather permitting.

Residents can find construction and closure updates through FDOT's Tampa Bay project website.