Selmon Expressway expansion: Two-year road closure begins in Tampa

A two-year road closure has begun in downtown Tampa, as construction crews work to expand the Selmon Expressway.Selmon Expressway Traffic SurgeThe Tampa Hillsborough Expressway Authority (THEA) says traffic on the Selmon Expressway has grown by more than 80% over the last 10 years.To address the congestion, THEA started work on the South Selmon Capacity Project. The 4.5-mile project stretches from west of Himes Avenue to east of Florida Avenue and will widen the expressway to six lanes.South Tampa Street ClosureCrews are closing South Tampa Street at East Brorein Street for the next two years to install support pillars required for the expressway expansion.During construction, drivers on East Brorein will lose access to the far-left lane, between South Morgan Street and South Florida Avenue.That lane will be used as a temporary thruway to connect drivers to Franklin Street and the Tampa Convention Center's upper loading docks.Crews are placing detour signs and barricades throughout the