Rising costs increase bids for I-275 construction

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State transportation officials are in sticker shock over the price to complete a Tampa construction project.

Plans to rebuild and widen I-275 from the Howard Frankland Bridge to Himes Avenue just got a lot more expensive, about a $100 million more.

The Department of Transportation (DOT) budgeted $250 million for the project. But bids are coming in at more than $350 million. State transportation officials blame the skyrocketing costs on the prices of oil, materials and asphalt.

But that doesn't mean the project will get nixed. The DOT is considering building the project in smaller stages to compensate for the costs.

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