The Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) in the US is set to pay $814m to a contractor for the design and construction of the Howard Frankland Bridge.

The new eight-lane bridge will link Hillsborough and Pinellas counties and is the central bridge spanning Old Tampa Bay from St Petersburg, Florida to Tampa, Florida.

FDOT’s draft request for proposal released earlier contains the details of the project, which would also involve a bike and pedestrian lane.

Design-build firms may submit a technical proposal that includes innovative concepts if they are discussed with the FDOT.

“The contract will also include construction of a minimum 12ft-wide shared-use path on both causeway approaches and across the proposed southbound bridge.”

The contract will include all investigations, design, permitting, coordination, final approved construction documents and construction activities necessary to complete the project.

In addition to four southbound general use lanes, Howard Frankland Bridge will carry two southbound express lanes, two northbound express lanes, and a shared-use path.

One of the two northbound express lanes coming into Tampa will continue on I-275 while the other will exit to SR 60.

The contract will also include construction of a minimum 12ft-wide shared-use path on both causeway approaches and across the proposed southbound bridge.

It also includes construction of pedestrian bridges to accommodate path overpasses at the access roads, as well as the construction of all pertinent drainage systems, lighting, and road markings.

The project also involves removal of the existing northbound bridge over Tampa Bay, which has reached the end of its serviceable life.

The contract award is expected to be announced in December.