Construction is confusing enough ,and here in Tampa Bay we know that feeling all too well. Barrels move day to day, lane configurations change, and exit and entrance ramps come and go as projects proceed.
Drivers on I-275 in Tampa between the Hillsborough River and Memorial Highway see these changes on a regular basis.
Tampa resident David Bryant noticed a discrepancy between the overhead signs and the lane markings that could put drivers in danger.
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The exit signs for southbound I-275 at Himes Avenue and Dale Mabry Highway indicate the right lane is an exit-only lane. Cars can be seen shifting at the last minute from the right lane to the center to avoid the exit, according to Bryant.
"They only have about a half-mile from the point where the sign is and where the Dale Mabry exit is, so they've only got a half-mile to react," Bryant said. "And if they think they're going in the wrong lane, then they kind of force their way into the middle lane."
In fact, the right lane is not an exit-only lane. It continues through the entire length of roadway from downtown to Memorial Highway.
As a complication, the Dale Mabry Highway sign indicates the center lane is an optional exit lane. Cars attempting to exit from that lane travel directly though the path of right lane through traffic.
Kris Carson with the Florida Department of Transportation says the signs will ultimately match the lanes.
"Within the next two weeks, traffic will shifted into the permanent configuration on southbound I-275. Traffic engineers are also reviewing placing pavement markings to assist drivers in selecting the correct lane."