The closure of State Road 56 to all traffic, at Interstate 75, is planned to begin at 11 p.m., on April 30 and to end in the late afternoon of May 1 — weather permitting.
The closure is needed to accommodate reconfiguring the intersection to create the Diverging Diamond Interchange (DDI) traffic pattern, according to a news release from the Florida Department of Transportation’s (FDOT’s) District Seven office.
A closure of State Road 56 at this location had been planned before, but was forced to be delayed because of the weather.
When the closure is in effect, no traffic will be allowed to travel through the work zone across I-75.
When the traffic pattern switches to the DDI on May 1, it will not operate at full capacity until the project is closer to completion, expected in Summer 2022.
That’s because the contractor will need to complete more work to open an additional through-lane on both eastbound and westbound State Road 56, and an additional turn lane from the northbound exit ramp onto westbound State Road 56, according to FDOT.
Here are the details on the detours during the planned April 30 through May 1 closure:
Eastbound State Road 56: Eastbound State 56 traffic will be detoured to the northeast on Wesley Chapel Boulevard (County Road 54) to State Road 581 (Bruce B. Downs Boulevard), then south on State Road 581 (Bruce B. Downs Boulevard) back to State Road 56. Additionally, the right-turn lanes on the south side of State Road 56 at Grand Cypress Boulevard onto eastbound State Road 56 will be closed and the left-turn lanes at Grand Cypress Boulevard on the north side of State Road 56 will be closed to prevent travel onto eastbound State Road 56. The eastbound State Road 56 ramp onto southbound I-75 will be open; any traffic traveling on eastbound State Road 56 past Grand Cypress Boulevard will be forced to enter southbound I-75.
Westbound State Road 56: Westbound State Road 56 traffic wanting to cross I-75 will be directed north on State Road 581 (Bruce B. Downs Boulevard) to State Road 54, then southwest on County Road 54 (Wesley Chapel Boulevard) to State Road 56. Any westbound State Road 56 traffic between State Road 581 (Bruce B. Downs Boulevard) and Cypress Ridge Boulevard will be directed to U-turn at Cypress Ridge Boulevard to head back east on State Road 56 to State Road 581 (Bruce B. Downs Boulevard) and follow the remainder of the route outlined above.
Access to I-75: Available at the State Road 54/County Road 54/Wesley Chapel Boulevard interchange north of State Road 56 or Bruce B. Downs Boulevard interchange south of State Road 56. The only access to I-75 will be from eastbound State Road 56 onto southbound I-75.
Northbound I-275 and northbound I-75 to State Road 56: Access will only be open onto eastbound State Road 56. The northbound I-275 (Exit 59) and northbound I-75 (Exit 275) exit ramps to westbound State Road 56 will be closed. Drivers wanting to go west on State Road 56 will continue north past State Road 56 and use I-75 (Exit 279) to State Road 54/County Road 54. At the bottom of the ramp, turn left and go southwest on Wesley Chapel Boulevard/County Road 54 to State Road 56 and State Road 54, west of I-75.
Due to expected periodic backups on the Exit 279 ramp to westbound County Road 54/Wesley Chapel Boulevard, northbound I-75 drivers wanting to go west of I-75 on State Road 56 might consider using Exit 270 to State Road 581/Bruce B. Downs Boulevard and continue traveling north on Bruce B. Downs Boulevard to State Road 54/County Road 54/ Wesley Chapel Boulevard, or take alternate east to west routes.
Southbound I-75 to State Road 56: Use Exit 279 to State Road 54/County Road 54. At the bottom of the ramp, turn left and go east on State Road 54. Turn right onto State Road 581 (Bruce B. Downs Boulevard) and go south to State Road 56.
Detour Route to State Road 56, west of Interstate 75: Use Exit 279 to State Road 54/County Road 54. At the bottom of the ramp, turn right and go southwest on Wesley Chapel Boulevard/County Road 54 to State Road 56.
Visit FDOTTampaBay.com/project/262/430573-1-52-01, for the latest information about the planned detour.
Published April 27, 2022
