The Lee Roy Selmon Expressway’s Reversible Express Lanes (REL) provide a direct, uninterrupted connection between Southern Hillsborough County and downtown Tampa. As the Brandon suburbs and Southern Hillsborough County continue to grow, the REL has become a vital link for commuters, with multiple access points that keep pace with the area's expanding population.
The REL balances traffic across the Selmon Expressway by giving drivers a choice: the express lanes above, or the local lanes below. The upper deck is the same toll cost as the lower deck of the local lanes. The express lanes reverse direction based on peak travel patterns, carrying traffic into Tampa each morning and back toward Brandon each evening. The local lanes serve drivers making stops prior to downtown Tampa.
Addressing a critical need, the REL has significantly reduced congestion on the Selmon Expressway by more evenly distributing drivers across both the upper and lower decks, easing traffic at critical intersections such as US 301, 78th Street, and the I-4 Connector.
The REL is a dynamic, travel-demand-focused roadway system that shifts daily and is the first all-electronic reversible express lanes in the US.
THEA remains committed to advancing transportation solutions that improve daily commutes for Tampa Bay residents.
