[2] The expressway was supposed to be part of a multi-expressway system that failed in the 1970s due to heavy local opposition and financial burdens.

It makes its way northeast next to a lightly used CSX rail corridor for the first four miles before heading east towards downtown Tampa.

From Florida Ave, the highway winds through the Channelside District and the southern fringe of Ybor City before continuing due eastward towards 78th St.

Just west of 78th St, the expressway crosses over Palm River (the southernmost portion of the Tampa Bypass Canal) and makes a southeastward curve towards US 301.

[3] The Reversible Express Lanes (REL), also known as State Road 618A, begin at Meridian Avenue in downtown Tampa, following the main expressway's path in the center median for most of its journey.

[5] On weekends and holidays, the REL stays operating in the eastbound direction from 3:00 pm Friday afternoon through 6:00 am Monday morning.

Community opposition brought the project to a standstill multiple times and eventually caused the north and south limited access highway options to be cancelled outright.

[6][7][8][9] The remaining option for the elevated viaduct over the median of Gandy survived but was further halted due to additional community opposition, as well as budgetary issues brought upon by the 2009 recession.

In 2016, the THEA began public outreach efforts to restart the project and execute construction in a manner which would not cause a detrimental impact on the surrounding community.

To accommodate motorists who do not have transponders, the Tampa-Hillsborough Expressway Authority and Florida's Turnpike Enterprise utilize its All-Electronic Tolling program.

[14] The first six miles of the tollway were built in the mid-1970s next to a CSX rail line, from the western terminus at Gandy Blvd at Dale Mabry Highway, making an eastward turn at Platt Street/Willow Avenue, snaking around historic Hyde Park before ending at a 3/4-mile, six-lane viaduct, spanning the Hillsborough River in downtown Tampa, ending at Florida Avenue.

Only one entry was submitted, a picture of pirate Jose Gaspar with the title "TAMPA CROSSTOWN EXPRESSWAY", all on a blue background.

[citation needed] On September 17, 2010, cash collection on the Selmon Expressway ended in favor of all-electronic tolling.

The I-4 Connector is an elevated north-south toll road that connects I-4 with the Selmon Expressway, two major east-west corridors in the Tampa region.

The new roadway crosses several urban streets, State Road 60, and CSX railroad tracks, including interchanges with I-4 and the Selmon Expressway.

The Connector has exclusive truck lanes that provide direct access to the Port of Tampa and remove commercial traffic from Ybor City's local roads.

The Greenway connects several popular neighborhoods of Tampa, including Ybor City, Channelside, and Water Street.

The Reversible Express Lanes (REL), aimed at cutting traffic congestion times, were originally envisioned in 1995 by the Tampa Hillsborough Expressway Authority (THEA) as an innovative idea to increase capacity along the Lee Roy Selmon Expressway from Downtown Tampa to Brandon without acquiring additional right-of-way.

However, the scene from news helicopter snapshots showed that only a handful of drivers actually ended up using the new bridge, compared to the number that was expected.

THEA was able to obtain approximately $75 million from the settlement,[21] which will be used to pay off debts and help fund a widening and rehabilitation project along the downtown Tampa viaduct.

[22][23][24] This is a connection between the Selmon Expressway and nearby Interstate 4 to the north, designed to help filter hazardous cargo away from Ybor City to the Port of Tampa.

Then, in 2019, in cooperation with the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) International, THEA successfully conducted the first-ever publicly accessible autonomous vehicle demonstration in Tampa, Florida.In 2023, the THEA launched initial plans to begin examining the possibility of constructing an elevated expressway spur to Riverview via US Hwy 301 to Big Bend Rd.

An alternative alignment would call for tolled express lanes along I-75 from the existing terminus interchange to Big Bend Rd.

The project is expected to cost $1.8 billion, but would not see major construction commence until around 2040 [27] The entire route is in Tampa, Hillsborough County.