Exit 42: Armenia Avenue and Howard Avenue
Continuing northbound on Interstate 275 we pass over the Exit 42 complex consisting of Armenia Avenue and Howard Avenue which was constructed in 1963. Armenia Avenue is a one way street southbound while Howard Avenue is a one way street northbound. When Interstate 275 was originally built from Dale Mabry Highway northward it becomes a six lane highway and once past the Exit 42 complex Interstate 275 widens out further into an eight lane highway. When the highway was originally built the overpasses were sets of two bridges, one crossing Armenia and the other crossing Howard. During the mid-1970’s the median on Interstate 275 was paved and a wall barrier (called a Jersey Barrier) was constructed.
West Green Street and West Laurel Street serve as collector and distributor ramps for southbound and northbound Interstate 275 respectively. Unfortunately, Laurel Street west of North Boulevard no longer exists due to the Interstate 275 reconstruction project, only the exit and entrance ramp to northbound Interstate 275 remains.
North of the Exit 42 complex the original Interstate 275 construction goes from a flat to a roller coaster ride as the highway crosses many side streets - Rome Avenue, Willow Avenue and North Boulevard - until the Hillsborough River is reached. This roller coaster effect has been fixed when both the northbound and southbound lanes of Interstate 275 were rebuilt as part of the major reconstruction of Interstate 275 in Tampa, along with a wide median for rail based mass transit, which is desperately needed in the Tampa Bay region. The Tampa Bay Interstates web site has more details on the Interstate 275 reconstruction effort.
