TAMPA — Bruce B. Downs is shutting down.

The boulevard that functions as the main way in and out of New Tampa will be totally closed at night at the Interstate 75 junction for a week after the Thanksgiving weekend.

It’ll be blocked off from 9 p.m. to 5 a.m. for interpretation work, forcing late-night or early-morning drivers to be detoured nearly 10 miles out of their way.

This will start on Monday night, Nov. 26, and will likely continue through the following Friday night, highway officials said.

Crews will shut the road so they can install girders for a new flyover ramp that will eventually take

southbound drivers on Bruce B. Downs to southbound I-75.

"Hopefully they’ll get it done a night or so sooner," said John McShaffrey, a spokesman for the Florida department of Transportation.

When drivers on Bruce B. Downs approach the interchange, they’ll be detoured onto I-75. They’ll get off at the nearest exit — Fletcher Avenue to the south or State Road 56 to the north, each four or five miles absent. soon after they’ll return on the opposite side of the interstate to get to the other side of the Bruce B. Downs/I-75 interchange.

- Mike Brassfield, Times staff writer

Original post by Times staff