The Gandy Boulevard overpass project is nearing the end, and drivers along Gandy are seeing some changes they don't necessarily like.
- Westbound traffic will be on new bridge next week
- Eastbound traffic will see new lanes next month
- Construction has created some changes in interim
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Will Young is a lifelong Tampa resident. Crossing the Bay is part of his daily routine along Gandy Boulevard.
Construction has meant changes to the way he gets on and off the road.
"But now, you know, you have to make the right turn, go down to 4th Street, pray that you hit the light cycle correctly because none of the lights around here are timed correctly anymore," Young said.
"And if the light isn't -- if you don't hit the light, you're going to be waiting. The other morning I waited almost 25 minutes," he said.
While it has always been busy, traffic on the north side of Gandy Boulevard could pull through the median and make a left turn toward Tampa. Orange construction barrels now block the way.
"And so I was just thinking to myself, 'If I'm inconvenienced, all these other people who are shopping at Barney's, have storage here, who are playing over here in the shopping center where there's a bar and all kinds of stuff, all these new apartments and everything, they have to be irritated by the inconvenience,'" Young said.
This isn't the first time we've seen access removed to vehicles as a result of construction. The Gandy project has very similar vibes to what we saw in Clearwater on U.S. 19.
And that's exactly what is going to happen when this project is complete, according to the Department of Transportation.
When completed, all traffic on Gandy Boulevard between 4th Street North and Brighton Bay Boulevard will only be able to turn right out of the driveways, then make the U-turn at either end.
And like folks on U.S. 19, Gandy drivers will eventually adjust.
The westbound traffic will be on the new bridge this week. Eastbound traffic will see the new lanes next month.