HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, Fla. – Thousands of South Shore drivers will wake up to a different commute Tuesday morning as construction crews finalize a major shift in the traffic flow on Big Bend Road. Starting in the early hours of February 17, all travel lanes between Simmons Loop and the US 301 intersection will be moved to the north side of the existing roadway.
This maneuver is a logistical necessity for the ongoing expansion of one of the county’s busiest corridors. By pushing all vehicles onto the north side, the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) is carving out a protected work zone on the south side.
This “dead space” allows crews to operate heavy machinery and lay foundations without putting workers or passing motorists in immediate danger…