I received an email from Tom in Land O Lakes with the following questions:

“On Saturday night, I saw on the Howard Frankland Bridge and Veterans Expressway signs that said “traffic pacing” from midnight til 4am. What is traffic pacing?  And who was Howard Frankland?”

In the simplest sense, traffic pacing, also known as rolling roadblocks, occurs when traffic is temporarily stopped on a roadway.  This traffic pattern is frequently used during highway construction projects to allow for equipment and workers to enter and exit the active construction area.  Rolling roadblocks generally last from 10-30 minutes and are typically scheduled overnight when traffic is the light to minimize associated delays.

Traffic pacing is ongoing now along I-275 NORTHBOUND between the interchange for SR-60 West and Tampa Airport and I-4.  According to the Florida DOT, drivers should expect one or more lanes to be blocked Sunday through Thursday nights for roadway construction from 11:30 pm to 5:00 am.

And, Tom ... who is Howard Frankland? 
William Howard Frankland came to Tampa in 1925 and founded Pioneer Tire. The son of a Tennessee horse buggy seller, Frankland became a prominent Tampa merchant, banker and member of the old state Road Board. He also founded Rubber Products Inc., which is still run by his family members today.  Frankland proposed the bridge and its location, insisting the land between the Gandy Bridge and Courtney Campbell Parkway were ripe for development.  He died in 1980 at age 70.

For more information on the Howard Frankland Bridge visit http://interstate275florida.com/hfb.htm.

You can submit all of your traffic questions on this blog… we may air yours live on News Channel 8 Today.