Interstate 375 Florida
Overview
Interstate 375 (North Bay Drive) is a freeway spur connecting I-275 with U.S. 92/SR 687 (4th Street N) and U.S. 19 Alternate/SR 595 (5th Avenue N) on the north side of Downtown St. Petersburg. I-375 is one-tenth of a mile shorter than its southern counterpart, Interstate 175 (South Bay Drive). State Road 592 runs along the entire length of North Bay Drive, which extends east to U.S. 19 Alternate/SR 595 (4th Avenue N) southbound.
History
HistoryInterstate 375 was built between 1977 and 1979 in two phases. The first section opened to traffic on January 17, 1978.1 The remaining portion of the collector freeway was completed in September 1979.2 A ramp stub at the west end alludes to a previously proposed connection with 20th Street N.
North Bay Drive was prematurely signed as Interstate 375, based upon correspondence between the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) and the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) on February 7, 1972:
The possibility of assigning special numbers should be considered; i.e., 182 and 184 or I-175 and I-375. This would simplify the signing and would be consistent with spurs of Interstate Highways which are identified with three digit numbers.
Based upon this, design and construction of North Bay Drive proceeded under the impression that FHWA had approved the route as Interstate 375. Additionally Federal approval and funds were authorized for I-175 and I-375 interchange guide signs along I-275.
A subsequent application from FDOT to the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) on April 21, 1981 formally requested the additions of both I-175 and I-375 to the Interstate System. Both were rejected:
The proposed routings mainly serve traffic into the St. Petersburg central business district. Also, concurrent approval by the Federal Highway Administration would be required.
The FHWA eventually approved both I-175 and I-375, as they were constructed to Interstate standards and were part of the Federal-aid primary system. They were added as logical additions to the Interstate System under the provision of 23 U.S.C. 139(a). FDOT resubmitted I-175 and I-375 to AASHTO in an application on September 14, 1982. They were approved on November 20, 1982.3
Route Information
East End – St. Petersburg, FL
West End – St. Petersburg, FL
- Mileage – 1.34
- Cities – St. Petersburg
Junctions –
Source: December 31, 2018 Interstate Route Log and Finders List
I-375 Annual Average Daily Traffic (AADT)
| Vehicles per day | Location |
|---|---|
| 37,000 | I-275 to MLK, Jr. St N |
| 26,500 | MLK, Jr. St N to 8th St N |
| 10,500 | 8th St N to US 19A/5th St N |
Source: 2019 AADT – Florida Traffic Online (FDOT)
Highway Guides
Highway GuidesWest End – St. Petersburg, Florida
West at 
I-375 west rises over 16th Street N just ahead of the ramp split for Interstate 275. 04/03/20
South Bay Drive defaults onto I-275 north toward St. Pete-Clearwater International Airport (PIE) and the city of Tampa while a left side ramp connects with I-275 south. 04/03/20
A roadway stub appears along the ramp from Interstate 375 west to I-275 south for the unconstructed exit to 20th Street N. 04/03/20
South at
Crossing 22nd Avenue N, I-275 continues one mile south to Interstate 375 (Exit 23A), the first of two freeways spurring east into Downtown St. Petersburg. 05/28/14
Interstate 375 east leaves I-275 south for the Uptown neighborhood near Downtown St. Petersburg. The freeway is also signed as the most direct route to both Sundial (shopping district) and The Pier, the city’s municipal marina. 04/03/20
Left Exit 23A departs with two lanes for I-375 (South Bay Drive) east to Martin Luther King, Jr. Street N and U.S. 19 ALT/SR 595 (4th Avenue N) ahead of 5th Street N (SR 687). I-275 south next meets Interstate 175 (South Bay Drive) east. 04/03/20
North at
Leaving the three wye interchange (Exit 22) with I-175 east to Tropicana Field, I-275 quickly approaches Interstate 375 east to The Pier. The freeway follows North Bay Drive to U.S. 19 Alternate (4th Avenue N) north of Downtown. 05/25/19
Traffic from I-175 adds an auxiliary lane for Exit 23 to I-375 east and a third northbound lane for Interstate 275 north toward Pinellas Park and Tampa. 05/25/19
West End Throwback
Button copy signs for Interstate 275 along I-375 west were replaced by May 2009. 07/30/06
East End 
/ 4th Avenue N – St. Petersburg, Florida
East at 
Interstate 375 (North Bay Drive) navigates through an S-curve above Martin Luther King Jr. and 8th Streets N just ahead of the merge with U.S. 19 ALT/SR 595 (4th Avenue N). 04/03/20
A pair of end shields precede the transition of I-375 (North Bay Drive) onto U.S. 19 Alternate/SR 595 (4th Avenue N) near Mirror Lake and the St Petersburg Shuffleboard Club. 04/03/20
North at
U.S. 19 Alternate/SR 595 (5th Avenue N) stem west from U.S. 92 and SR 687 (4th Street N) four blocks to the westbound beginning of Interstate 375 (North Bay Drive). 04/03/20
Two lanes separate from 5th Avenue N westbound for Interstate 375. Succeeding ramps connect U.S. 19 Alternate with I-375 just ahead of the directional T interchange with Interstate 275 north to Tampa and south to the Sunshine Skyway. 08/31/19
East End Throwback
Replaced guide signs for the exit to Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. St N and 8th St N and the I-375 connection to U.S. 92 (4th Street N). 07/30/06
Sources:
- “I-275 downtown feeder now open to northbound traffic.” St. Petersburg Times (FL), January 17, 1978.
- American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) Route Numbering Committee Meeting, November 20, 1982 (document).
Page updated October 22, 2020.
