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I-275 'missing exit' perplexes drivers

By LORRIE LYKINS
Published October 1, 2006

Of all the mysteries related to driving in our community, readers ask most often about the seemingly missing exit on northbound Interstate 275 through St. Petersburg.

The questions come most frequently during baseball season.

Mystified motorists e-mail or stop me at the mall and ask huffily: "Where the heck is that dang Exit 21? Why is there a sign telling baseball fans to use exit 21 or 22 to get to Tropicana Field? There is no exit 21!"

One reader partial to conspiracy theories suggested that perhaps the exit exists but there must be a secret access road known only to a select group of special motorists. They probably have a lodge where they wear funny hats and greet each other with a secret handshake.

The odd numbering in this stretch further confounds motorists because the exits don't correspond to mileage as they do on most of the interstate system.

Reader Marcia Hughes wrote: "I live on the Bayway and use this road I-275 constantly. Exit 17 goes to the Bayway, exit 18 is actually 2 miles north of exit 17, and exit 20 is approximately 1 mile north of exit 18."

There really is no mystery. Exit 21 does exist, but only on the southbound side of 275 at 28th St S. Kris Carson of the state Department of Transportation even sent me a picture to prove it.

The inconsistent numbering of exits 17 through 20 is because those exits off of I-275 are not spaced at 1-mile intervals, she said. Because of this, it was decided to use only whole numbers.

The exit for 54th Avenue S fell close to mile 17 so it was marked Exit 17. The next exit, 26th Avenue S, is 1.3 miles to the north, so it is exit 18. The exit for 22nd Avenue S is just a half-mile north, so it was marked 19. Exit 20, another half-mile north, is the 31st Street exit.

Carson pointed out that the true mileage distance gets back in sync with the exit numbers farther up the I-275 corridor.

* * *

Wondering about those blue reflectors embedded in the road? A few readers have asked lately and even though we've covered it before, it's worth a refresher.

The blue reflectors are locators for emergency responders. They mark the location of fire hydrants and are especially helpful at night. Next time you notice a blue reflector in the pavement, take a quick look to the right or left and chances are good that you will see a fire hydrant.

Until next week, happy and safe motoring!

Please share your traffic concerns, comments and questions with Dr. Delay via e-mail at docdelay@yahoo.com.

[Last modified October 1, 2006, 08:23:35]