Drivers who travel through South Tampa need to be aware of a major traffic nightmare beginning on Wednesday, May 11.
The City of Tampa is closing Westshore Boulevard from West Bay Way Drive to Beachway Drive for up to three months.
The road is closing as part of the Watrous Canal Rehabilitation Project. A city contractor needs to close Westshore Boulevard to replace the existing utilities and box culvert.
City officials recommend commuters who normally use Westshore Boulevard find an alternative northbound and southbound route.
The northbound detour is as follows: From Westshore Boulevard drivers will turn right onto Bay to Bay Boulevard, left onto Manhattan Avenue (following it as it bends right and turns into Henderson Boulevard), left onto Dale Mabry Highway, left at Kennedy Boulevard, and right onto N. Westshore Boulevard.
The southbound detour is as follows: Turn left onto Kennedy Boulevard, right onto Dale Mabry Highway, right onto Henderson Boulevard (following it as it bends left and turns into Manhattan Avenue), right onto Bay to Bay Boulevard, and left onto S. Westshore Boulevard.
Pedestrian access will be maintained on one side of Westshore Boulevard at all times.
Westshore Boulevard is scheduled to reopen for traffic in July.
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Note: The article has been update to indicate the road closure will begin on May 11, 2016. The City of Tampa originally planned to begin the closure on April 27, 2016 but delayed it twice.
