Ever drive south on Interstate-75, from I-10 say, and notice all those green Department of Transportation signs along the highway noting the distance remaining to Tampa _ and St. Petersburg?

If you paid attention, you noted that Tampa gets first billing, but the odd thing is, the distance to St. Petersburg is always less than the distance to Tampa: 153/124, 97/89, 61/45, 58/32, 33/18, 26/11, etc.

Each St. Petersburg distance figure follows an I-275 logo, suggesting the distances are actually to the I-275 turnoff which does take travelers to St. Petersburg _ after they’ve driven all the way through Tampa.

Confusing? Well, it is to Jim Boggs, who has run the Tampa Bay Visitors Information Center on Busch Boulevard opposite Busch Gardens for 14 years. He also runs a travel agency and a three-room bed and breakfast there, plus what he believes is the area’s largest souvenir shop, but we digress.

“That has to be really confusing to tourists _ and locals who don’t know any better,’’ Boggs said. “The signs are pretty new ... I just noticed them for the first time in February, coming back from Mardi Gras in New Orleans.’’

It can’t be good for hotel owners, he figures, because clueless visitors may just keep driving to St. Petersburg, the “closer’’ of the two cities.

As if this area isn’t confusing enough, he said: “We keep meeting people who drove all the way to St. Pete to attend a concert at the St. Pete Times Forum _ sometimes they’ve come all the way from West Palm Beach,’’ while of course the Forum is in downtown Tampa.