Interstate 375 (Florida)

Infobox road
state=FL
type=I
route=375


maint=Florida DOT
length_mi=1.34
length_round=2
length_ref=cite web|url=http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/reports/routefinder/table2.cfm|title=Route Log and Finder List - Interstate System: Table 2|publisher=FHWA|accessdate=2007-10-03]
established=
direction_a=West
terminus_a=Jct|state=FL|I|275 in St. Petersburg
junction=
direction_b=East
terminus_b=Jct|state=FL|US-Alt|19|dab1=St. Petersburg|SR|595 in St. Petersburg
previous_type=FL
previous_route=589
browse_route=
next_type=FL
next_route=594

Interstate 375 (I-375) in St. Petersburg, Florida, also known as North Bay Drive, is a 1.34-mile-long spur route from Interstate 275 into downtown. It is also designated as the unsigned State Road 592. There is a sibling segment of freeway nearby designated as I-175.

History

Original aspirations

Interstate 375 was originally planned as a much longer, state highway, extending beyond Interstate 275 and following a CSX rail line towards a proposed toll road near Clearwater. When I-75 was relocated in the late 1970s/early 1980s, five miles (8 km) of additional interstate became available, thus the St. Pete feeder sections of I-375 and neighboring I-175 were upgraded to interstate status. However, the interstate standards at the time would not allow the 375 extension to receive federal interstate funding. As a result, the original plans failed and only the downtown St. Petersburg stretch was built.

It is because of the cancellation of the rest of Interstate 375 that US 19, north of Gandy Boulevard and south of the Pinellas-Pasco line, is getting a freeway-style reconstruction.

Contrary to popular belief, the ramp stub at the I-375 interchange was not a result of the failed freeway extension. A connection to 20th St N was originally planned from this stub. However, the 20th St N and 5th Ave N Intersection was already convoluted prior to I-275's construction and FDOT decided not to build the connection as a result. The planned freeway extension of I-375 was cancelled by FDOT in the mid 1970s. Otherwise, the I-275/I-375 interchange may have had been constructed differently, with several more ramps than it has today.Fact|date=February 2007

2007 Tanker Incident

On March 27, 2007, a tanker entering I-375 east from I-275 south lost control and hit the retaining wall, catching fire and burning for several hours. The resulting fire became so intense, that it severely damaged a large section off the I-375 overpass from southbound I-275. Intense flames also fell to a city-owned (St. Petersburg) construction equipment yard and destroyed 8 to 10 city vehicles, causing an estimated $500,000 in damage to the yard. The fire also spread to St. Pete's stormwater system, blowing off manhole covers within the vicinity. One St. Pete police officer was injured as a result of one of those manhole covers.

In the end, the driver of the tanker died on-scene due to the fire; the I-375 overpass remained closed for almost four weeks as FDOT rebuilt the damaged sections of the bridge. [http://www.mytbi.com/news/details.asp?newsid=2207] Tampa Bay Interstates reports that all work was finished on April 21, 2007. Reconstruction of the I-375 overpass included the rebuilding of one entire span, plus 11 concrete beams. In addition, one of the support columns underwent significant repairs to ensure its strength in supporting the roadway. The flyover reopened to traffic on the morning of April 22,2007 (about one week ahead of schedule). The St Petersburg Times reports that FDOT will place signage along I-275 south, indicating the left exit onto I-375 [http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/sptimes/access/1254701291.html?dids=1254701291:1254701291&FMT=FT&FMTS=ABS:FT&date=Apr+14%2C+2007&author=&pub=St.+Petersburg+Times&edition=&startpage=1.B&desc=AFTER+THE+INFERNO] .

Many visitors took alternate routes to the Grand Prix race in downtown St. Petersburg (which started three days after the accident), including 5th Ave N and I-175. The accident is comparable to a similar incident in April, 2007 at the MacArthur Maze in Oakland in terms of roadway damage. However, the truck driver in the Oakland incident survived.

Exit list

The entire route is in St. Petersburg, Pinellas County.

References

* [http://www.baynews9.com/content/36/2007/3/29/234958.html?title=Tanker+crash+kills+one,+shuts+down+Interstate+375 Tanker explosion shuts down I-375 overpass indefinitely] Bay News 9 - 3/29/07
* [http://www.tboblogs.com/index.php/newswire/story/tanker-truck-burns-on-i-275/ Grand Prix Fans Must Take Alternate Route] [http://www.tbo.com TBO.com] - 3/29/07
* [http://www.abcactionnews.com/news/local/story.aspx?content_id=6262eb81-c1c6-4c6e-95aa-1fe5d74d4db4 Deadly tanker explosion in St. Pete] WFTS - 3/29/07
* [http://www.wtsp.com/news/local/article.aspx?storyid=51830 Fatal tanker truck fire closes I-375 in St. Pete] WTSP - 3/29/07
* [http://www.myfoxtampabay.com/myfox/pages/Home/Detail?contentId=2794872&version=14&locale=EN-US&layoutCode=TSTY&pageId=1.1.1 Widespread damage from crash, explosions] WTVT - 3/29/07
* [http://www.myfoxtampabay.com/myfox/pages/Home/Detail?contentId=2799896&version=2&locale=EN-US&layoutCode=TSTY&pageId=1.1.1 Highway not repairable] WTVT - 3/29/07
* [http://www.myfoxtampabay.com/myfox/pages/Home/Detail?contentId=2794881&version=15&locale=EN-US&layoutCode=VSTY&pageId=1.1.1 Scorched highway must be replaced] WTVT - 3/29/07
* [http://www.sptimes.com/2007/03/29/Tampabay/Crashed_tanker_unleas.shtml Crashed tanker unleashes blaze] St. Petersburg Times - 3/29/07
* [http://www.bn9.com/content/36/2007/3/30/235219.html?title=FDOT:+Overpass+will+have+to+be+demolished FDOT: Overpass will have to be demolished] Bay News 9 - 3/30/07

External links

* [http://www.kurumi.com/roads/3di/i375.html#375fl Kurumi - I-375 Florida] General Info
* [http://www.interstate275florida.com/I375.htm Interstate 375 Florida page at Interstate275Florida.com] History and Photos
* [http://snap.tbo.com/pages/gallery.php?gallery=311618] Photos of the I-375 flyover after the tanker accident mentioned above.