Downtown Tampa is one mile ahead while Interstate 4 is two miles away.

Use the Downtown West ramp for the Tampa Convention Center (via Tampa Street) and the Tampa Bay Performing Arts Center (via Ashley Drive).

Use the Downtown East ramp to reach the St. Petersburg Times Forum (home of the Tampa Bay Lightning), the Florida Aquarium and the Cruise Port Terminal as well as the Channelside District.

The sign on the right used to have a dedicated exit only lane but that has been temporarily closed due to the Interstate 275 reconstruction project. The right lane adjacent to the closed right lane will take you to the Downtown exits; just watch the signs. Also notice the signage for northbound Interstate 275 to Ocala via Interstate 75 as Ocala is the next control city after Tampa.

After exiting bear right for Ashley Drive and Tampa Street or straight ahead for Scott Street. This sign gantry has been taken down due to work on the Interstate 275 reconstruction project and was recently replaced with a new gantry.

It's your pick. Just follow the designation to the Downtown Tampa landmark of your choice. Unfortunately, this sign gantry has been dismantled as part of the Interstate 275 reconstruction project and this photo (as well as the previous photo) shows you what it looked like before the reconstruction project began.

This is on the new northbound lanes of Interstate 275 which opened recently. Just like on the old northbound lanes, use the right lanes to reach Downtown Tampa. However, one item is missing, and that is the through signage for Interstate 275 north to Ocala via Interstate 75; we'll see that up the road.

Use the Downtown West ramp for the Tampa Convention Center (via Tampa Street) and the Tampa Bay Performing Arts Center (via Ashley Drive). Notice that there is space on the sign gantry to accommodate one of the many variable message signs found on Interstate 275. Besides, the sign is much better to read than the old post mounted counterpart on the old northbound lanes.

Use the Downtown East ramp to reach the St. Petersburg Times Forum (home of the Tampa Bay Lightning), the Florida Aquarium and the Cruise Port Terminal as well as the Channelside District. All are reached via the Scott Street off ramp. Like the previous photo, it is much better to read than the old post mounted signage on the old northbound lanes.

Be in the correct lane for where you need to go. Notice that signage for Interstate 4 is repeated here.

Here's the final opportunity for exiting Interstate 275 north into Downtown Tampa. Notice the dedicated right exit lane which defaults into Ashley Drive/Tampa Street. If you are headed to Orlando on the other hand, be in the middle lanes for Interstate 4 while if you are headed to Ocala by way of Interstate 75 use the left lanes.

Here is newly installed signage for the ramp from northbound Interstate 275 into Downtown Tampa. The ramp was recently reconstructed as part of the northbound lanes reconstruction project and the signage is much better than its older counterpart of many years.

This is Downtown Tampa looking south on Tampa Street at the intersection of Cass Street during the afternoon commute hours. Notice the tall buildings that surround Tampa Street.

North of Tyler Street, Ashley Drive transitions from a downtown city street to an on ramp for Interstate 275. The overpass directly ahead carries traffic over a ramp that feeds traffic from Interstate 275 onto Tampa Street. The overhead signage reminds motorists to be in the correct lane: Left lane for Interstate 275 south to St. Petersburg or right lane for Interstate 275 north to Interstate 4 and Interstate 75.

Use the left lane for southbound Interstate 275 or the right lane for northbound Interstate 275 and eastbound Interstate 4. The next overpass we cross carries traffic over Laurel Street.

Use Ashley Drive for the Tampa Bay Performing Arts Center, the Tampa Museum of Art, the University of Tampa and Davis Islands (the home of Tampa General Hospital). Use Tampa Street for the Florida Aquarium, the Cruise Port Terminal, the Tampa Convention Center and Harbour Island.

The ramp ahead after going under Interstate 275 is a tight circular ramp to the right, as such watching your speed is very important. In the foreground you can see work going on as part of the Interstate 275 reconstruction project.

Use Jefferson Street to reach the St. Petersburg Times Forum (the home of the Tampa Bay Lightning) as well as the Florida Aquarium and the Cruise Port Terminal. Also use this exit to reach the Channelside entertainment district. This sign is located north of Hillsborough Avenue (Exit 47), two miles away.

Use Ashley Drive to reach the Tampa Bay Performing Arts Center or Tampa Street to reach the Tampa Convention Center.

All traffic headed to Downtown Tampa exits here; this includes Jefferson Street, Tampa Street and Ashley Drive. If you miss this exit you will have to drive on to Exit 42, Howard and Armenia Avenues.

Interstate 275 starts the moment Interstate 4 ends. Here we see an opportunity to exit both interstates at Interstate 275's Exit 45A, which is the exit to Downtown Tampa. Be warned: This is the only direct exit to Downtown Tampa from both interstates; miss this exit and you will have to go on to Exit 42, Howard and Armenia Avenues.

This is on the off ramp coming from Interstate 275 south.

Use Jefferson Street to reach the St. Petersburg Times Forum (the home of the Tampa Bay Lightning) as well as the Florida Aquarium and the Cruise Port Terminal. Although this sign is located on Interstate 4 westbound, Exit 45A belongs to Interstate 275.

Use Ashley Drive to reach the Tampa Bay Performing Arts Center or Tampa Street to reach the Tampa Convention Center. Again this is seen on Interstate 4 westbound at Exit 3, US 41 and the Exit 45A designation is Interstate 275's.

Same thing as Interstate 275 southbound: All traffic for Downtown Tampa exits here. Since the reconstruction of the Interstate 275 and Interstate 4 interchange the exit for Ashley Drive and Tampa Street was moved.  This photo shows the fact that we are in the exit lane rather than the through lanes.

This is on the off ramp coming from Interstate 4 west.

As you will see, this ramp is a distributor ramp which services Jefferson Street and Ashley Drive, made possible by the Interstate 275/Interstate 4 interchange reconstruction project. This setup separates the local trips (those headed to Downtown Tampa) from the through traffic headed to Tampa International Airport and St. Petersburg.

Use the left and center lanes for Jefferson Street and the St. Petersburg Times Forum. Use the right and center lanes for Ashley Drive and the Tampa Bay Performing Arts Center.

Remain in the left lane for Ashley Drive and Tampa Street or the right lane for Doyle Carlton Drive. The ramp to Doyle Carlton Drive was constructed as part of the Malfunction Junction reconstruction project.

You can use Doyle Carlton Drive to reach the Tampa Bay Performing Arts Center; simply turn left at the stop sign (located at the foot of the ramp) and proceed south past Laurel Street. Use the left lane for access to Ashley Drive and Tampa Street and Downtown Tampa.

This overhead shows you which lane to use for Interstate 275 or Interstate 4. As the entrance ramp for Exit 45A is a dual entrance system used to control weaving movements on the Interstate 275 mainline, use the left lane for Interstate 275 north or the center lane for Interstate 4 east. The right lane is a right turn only lane for Scott Street.

This ramp places traffic onto northbound Interstate 275 in the left lane. As described in the last photo, this is part of a dual entry system intended to control any weaving movements on the Interstate 275 mainline.

Tampa Street is also known as Business US 41, a local offspring of US 41 passing through the Downtown Tampa business district. The building to the right is Stetson University College of Law's Tampa Campus, which sits on the former site of Tampa Police Department's headquarters.

This is at the intersection of Kay Street. Turn right onto Kay Street for southbound Interstate 275 or go under the overpass and turn left at Scott Street for Interstate 275 north or Interstate 4 east. Notice how the new overpass piers in the foreground match the original 1964 construction.

Use the left lane for Interstate 275 north or the center lane for Interstate 4 east. Turn right at Jefferson Street for the Florida Aquarium or the Cruise Port Terminal.

New signage as seen on ground level from Scott Street.

This is also seen at ground level from Scott Street; however, this is the point where the two mainline overpasses converge. Notice the easy to read Interstate 275 shield and sign which is much better than its older counterpart.

This is underneath Interstate 275 looking south. Notice the many beams and columns used for construction of the original Interstate 275 overpass viaduct in 1964.

This is underneath Interstate 275 looking north. Here you see where the northbound and southbound roadways diverge as you head north.

Interstate 4 is the place to be! Use Exit 1 from Interstate 4 (21st Street) to reach these two Tampa landmarks.

I agree, they are much clearer and easy to read.

Use the right lanes for Interstate 4 east to Orlando or the left lanes to continue on Interstate 275 to Interstate 75 north and Ocala.

This overpass carries traffic from southbound Interstate 275 to eastbound Interstate 4 and is a taller replacement for the original overpass built in 1964. This is seen from northbound Interstate 275 on a typical weekday afternoon commute.

Taken just after Interstate 4 on northbound Interstate 275.

This is looking south on Interstate 275 as we cross Hillsborough Avenue (Exit 47). You want to be in your right lane at this point.

Taken on Interstate 275 south crossing Martin Luther King Blvd (Exit 46B). Again you want to be in the right lane as the exit comes up rather quickly.

As mentioned earlier the exit lane is from the far right lane and it can get backed up during the evening commute hours. Use the second right lane for Downtown Tampa (Exit 45A) or the two left lanes to continue on Interstate 275 south to Tampa International Airport as well as St. Petersburg.

Notice the heavy traffic on the ramp during the afternoon commute. Didn't I advise you to get in the right lane as soon as possible? As you can see, this ramp was lengthened as part of the interchange reconstruction project.

The new flyover is a single lane like its 1964 counterpart but it now has an emergency shoulder. This is located on the highest part of the overpass as we cross the Interstate 275 mainline; to the right you can see Downtown Tampa.

Notice the gradual downward slope which makes it easy for your vehicle. As you can see, you enter Interstate 4 in the right lane rather than the left lane as was the case with the original 1964 flyover. You can see part of Ybor City in the distance to the right.

Already Interstate 4's first exit, FL 585 (21st Street and 22nd Street, Exit 1) is advertised and coming up in 3/4 mile.

This is seen in the right lane when you come across the new flyover from Interstate 275 south.

This is seen on westbound Interstate 4 as it draws to a close after its 132 mile westward journey from Daytona Beach and through Orlando.

The 132 mile cross Florida journey ends in 3/4 mile at Interstate 275's Exit 45B. This is new signage installed as part of an Interstate 4 reconstruction project immediately adjacent to the interchange reconstruction project; prior to Interstate 4's reconstruction there was no end signage.

This was taken on westbound Interstate 4 just before it ends right around the corner. The Exit 45A designation for Downtown Tampa is Interstate 275's.

Use the two left lanes for southbound Interstate 275 to Tampa International Airport and St. Petersburg.

Already Interstate 4's first exit, FL 585 (21st Street and 22nd Street, Exit 1) is advertised and coming up in one mile.

This is a breathtaking view of Interstate 275 as it snakes through Tampa and Interstate 4 as seen from a Southwest Airlines flight.