Exit 47: US 92/Hillsborough Avenue
Meandering its way through central Tampa is the next exit on Interstate 275, US 92/Hillsborough Avenue. This segment is six lanes, with three lanes for northbound and three lanes for southbound.
Hillsborough Avenue is a major east-west highway that carries US 92 as well as US 41 just east of the interchange with Interstate 275 for a short segment. The Hillsborough Avenue interchange features a dual eastbound/westbound exit system for northbound Interstate 275 travelers while southbound Interstate 275 travelers have a single exit for both eastbound and westbound Hillsborough Avenue.
Are you wondering why Hillsborough Avenue on northbound Interstate 275 is also signed as US 92 only, while Hillsborough Avenue on southbound Interstate 275 is signed as US 92 to US 41 south? Back when this section of Interstate 275 was built in 1966 as Interstate 75, the highway was supposed to terminate at Interstate 4. The signage for US 41 south was I believe intended for motorists headed for destinations south of Tampa such as Bradenton, Sarasota, Punta Gorda, Ft. Myers, Naples and ultimately Miami as US 41 was the way to go back then. When Interstate 75 was extended south from Tampa to Miami via the Florida west coast and Alligator Alley it made reaching the southwestern Florida west coast cities plus Fort Lauderdale and Miami in much less time than having to deal with in town traffic on US 41. After all, Interstate 75 between Tampa and Miami and vice versa is a much needed improvement.
