Tampa’s Selmon Extension closed for repairs

TAMPA — The Selmon Extension, a 1.9-mile raised highway over Gandy Boulevard, is closed temporarily while engineers investigate and repair steel strands that were found to have come loose from the structure.

The Tampa Hillsborough Expressway Authority announced the closure in a news release Sunday evening. During a routine inspection, engineers noticed two horizontal steel strands that had come loose from their anchors, the release stated.

While the wires are capable of being maintained and repaired with traffic moving along the highway, officials decided to close the Extension until they could further evaluate the situation. This was done out of “an abundance of caution” and due to “the unique nature of this structure,” the release stated.

Barrels and message boards will alert drivers to the closure.

The Extension, which began construction in 2018 and was completed last year, runs directly overhead along the median of Gandy Boulevard, connecting the Selmon Expressway to the Gandy Bridge. The $230 million project allowed commuters to drive from the south end of the Gandy Bridge all the way to Brandon without stopping.

Only the Extension will be closed. Traffic will still be permitted on the Selmon Expressway and Gandy Boulevard.