Page Seven: 5 Av N (FL 595) (Exit 23B) and Interstate 375 (Exit 23A)
Interstate 375 (Exit 23) for
northbound Interstate 275 travelers; no access to 5 Av N from
northbound Interstate 275
On this page:
Introduction
Interstate 275 Southbound at Exit 23
Interstate 275 Northbound at Exit 23
Perspective of Interstate 275 at Exit 23
Introduction
The fifth segment
of Interstate 275 brought the highway towards 5 Av N and the first connector to downtown St. Petersburg
via Interstate 375. Interstate 275 in the
northern half of St. Petersburg begun to take its shape when this
segment was constructed in the mid 1970’s. Some
uncertainty stopped construction at 5 Av N
for about two years, mainly due to money concerns but I’m not
sure.
5 Av N (also
known as FL 595) features a northbound entry and southbound exit
system, while Interstate 375 features a full interchange.
There is a ghost ramp from westbound Interstate 375 on the ramp to
southbound Interstate 275; there were plans for an expressway to
serve the gulf beaches but that idea was nixed because of the
potential of public opposition, not to mention the historic
neighborhoods the expressway would have to go through. 20 St
N was widened from a residential side street to a four-lane street
primarily for motorists who want to use 1 Av N, 1 Av S or Central Avenue.
5 Av N takes motorists to the St. Petersburg/Gibbs Campus of
St. Petersburg College (which used to be St. Petersburg Junior
College) as well as to
Treasure Island via the 20 St N link to Central Avenue and
proceeding west on Central Avenue. Interstate 375 is
covered in a separate page and can be viewed by
clicking on this link. You may want
to check out my diagram
as to how Exits 23A and 23B from southbound Interstate 275
should have been built.
Interstate 275 Southbound at Exit 23
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Advance signage for Interstate 375 at 22 Av N
Notice the use of the "left exit" above the Exit 23A tab. This warns motorists that exiting Interstate 275 at Interstate 375 will involve an exit from the left lane as opposed to the right lane. The warning signage was installed months after a tragic accident in early 2007 in which a tanker fell off of the flyover ramp and caught fire, necessitating closure of the ramp to replace damaged sections. |
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Headed for Tropicana Field?
Use either Interstate 375 (Exit 23A) or Interstate 175 (Exit 22) and follow the signs. |
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Advance signage for 5 Av N
5 Av N (Exit 23B) is also known as FL 595, which used to be US 19 a long time ago before the Sunshine Skyway was built in 1954. In the background is signage for Treasure Island, which can be reached at Exit 23B and proceeding straight to Central Avenue. |
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More advance signage for Interstate 375
Notice the "left exit" signage as well as the diagrammatic showing that you must be in the left lane to exit. |
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Final opportunity to exit at 5 Av N
There is no reentry onto Interstate 275 southbound from 5 Av N. |
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Final opportunity for Interstate 375
Again we see the left exit signage for both Interstate 375 and Interstate 175. Also notice the ramp advisory speed for Interstate 375 is reduced to 50 mph; the speed limit drops to 50 mph right after the flyover ramp. |
Interstate 275 Northbound at Exit 23
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Advance signage for Interstate 375
The signage itself is fairly new but the sign structure has been there since this section of Interstate 275 opened in 1977. |
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Closeup of advance signage for Interstate 375
You can see both the current Exit 23 and the old Exit 10 designations as well as the gantry the sign is mounted on. |
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Another view of the advance Interstate 375 sign on the 1977 gantry
This is seen from one of the side streets that go under Interstate 275 here. |
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Final opportunity to exit onto Interstate 375
Notice the 35 mph ramp advisory signage as this is a single lane exit. |
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Mileage sign for the next three exits
Interstate 375 (which is just around the corner) as well as 22 Av N and 38 Av N are advertised. |
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Closeup of the mileage sign
Taken from where Central Avenue goes under Interstate 275. |
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On the ramp from northbound Interstate 275 to eastbound Interstate 375
Due to the design of the ramp a 35 mph advisory speed limit is posted and the fence erected on the left side of the ramp attests to that fact. |
Perspective of Interstate 275 at Exit 23
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Signage on the off ramp to 5 Av N
Use 5 Av N to reach downtown as well as US 19 (34 St N). Proceed straight ahead - which places you onto 20 St N - and take a right at Central Avenue to reach Treasure Island despite the fact that the direction to Treasure Island is erroneous. After all 5 Av N does not go to Treasure Island - instead, 5 Av N ends at Park Street. |
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Underneath Interstate 275 southbound
This was taken at Burlington Av N. |
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Underneath Interstate 275 northbound
Taken at Burlington Av N, same location as southbound. |
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More life underneath northbound Interstate 275
This was also taken at Burlington Av N and is looking south. |
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A view of the old and new sign support brackets
The bracket to the right is the current sign gantry for Interstate 375 eastbound from Interstate 275 northbound. The concrete slab on the bridge pier to the left is where the original sign bracket used to be when this segment of Interstate 275 opened in 1977. The signage was replaced in 1989 as part of a sign replacement project. |
Proceed to downtown St. Petersburg via Interstate 375
