TAMPA, Fla. — There are more proposed changes to a spot that is a headache for many Bay area drivers.     

  • Talks ongoing about new I-275, I-4 interchange
  • Residents in neighborhoods surrounding malfunction junction concerned
  • FDOT I-275, I-4 information
  • FDOT Public Hearing: Tuesday, 6 p.m., County Building, 601 E. Kennedy Blvd.

The area in question is the Interstate 275 and Interstate 4 interchange in Tampa, better known as malfunction junction. The ideas to fix traffic problems at I-275 and I-4 from the Florida Department of Transportation are not new. 

What is new are animations that visually show the construction options and some Tampa neighborhood residents are not happy. 

The FDOT will hear from residents in Seminole Heights and Tampa Heights at a meeting Tuesday evening. The meeting will address the redesign of the interchange near downtown Tampa that reaches into surrounding neighborhoods. 

The FDOT posted four video clips on YouTube last month depicting various ways it could rebuild the interchange - including one option that includes 24 lanes of traffic.  

Those animations were seen by thousands, including area residents whose neighborhoods could be impacted by construction. Word spread quickly and now residents in those neighborhoods are encouraging each other to show up to tonight's meeting and protest the plan. 

Michelle Cookson with Sunshine Citizens represents residents in Tampa Heights and her group is pushing for public transit as a solution to jammed traffic, not more lanes. 

"I am very optimistic because the citizens have led a dramatic and very successful campaign to get this conversation to where it should have been all along," Cookson said. "Which is focused on transit, fixing our existing roads that are a mess, instead of further widening highways.  We need a complete transit system, not just a wider highway."

But will the FDOT actually listen to residents protesting interstate expansion?

Tuesday's public hearing is at 6 p.m. at the Hillsborough County Center building on Kennedy Boulevard in downtown Tampa.