NEW VETERANS EXPRESS LANES: Are they faster?
When heading from Lutz or Pasco County into the Westshore area, is it really faster to take the new Veterans Express Lane or stick with the regular Veterans lanes?
ABC Action News put that question to the test, driving from Lutz to the Westshore Mall.
Photojournalist Lindsay Manning and Reporter Lauren Rozyla were in one vehicle, staying in the regular lanes. Photojournalist Keith Campbell was in another, testing the new Veterans Express Lanes, that starts at Gunn Highway.
When both crews got stuck in heavy traffic due to a crash, neither lane was moving very fast.
Eventually, the new express lanes will have what is called "dynamic pricing" which means that you could pay more to use the lane, depending on traffic. It is supposed to save you time for a fee.
However, Keith ended up beating Lauren and Lindsay, but only by about four minutes.
HOWARD FRANKLAND BRIDGE
When taking on the Howard Frankland Bridge, is it better to stay in one lane or is it faster to bob and weave around those slower cars?
ABC Action News put that question to the test, driving from St. Petersburg to Downtown Tampa, along the Howard Frankland Bridge.
Photojournalist Lindsay Manning and Reporter Lauren Rozyla were in one vehicle, staying in one lane. Photojournalist Keith Campbell and Anchor Jasmine Styles were in another vehicle, bobbing and weaving.
When both crews hit stop and go traffic, Keith and Jasmine immediately got pretty far ahead. They ended up getting to Downtown Tampa first, after about a 20 minute total trip, beating Lindsay and Lauren by four minutes.
So while four minutes may not be much, it could be the difference between being on-time for work or school, or late.
While these traffic tests were done on just one day, traffic can be affected by a variety of factors, including crashes, breakdowns and more. Make sure to follow @TampaBayTrafficand Traffic Anchor Lindsay Logue for all road closures and updates before you head out the door.
