Tuesday, November 24, 2020

Over the River and Through the Woods to Grandmother's House we Go! Thanksgiving 2020 travel tips

 

 Over the River and Through the Woods to Grandmother's House we Go!


Thanksgiving 2020 is just around the corner and a lot of you out there have travel plans in order to get to Grandma's, whether it may be by using Interstate 275 with your own vehicle, flying out of Tampa International Airport on Southwest Airlines (or your favorite airline) or taking Amtrak from Tampa's Union Station.  However, the recent COVID-19 crisis that has gripped our nation and our world has made life different:  Social distancing, mask wearing, and taking the precautions necessary to stay safe and healthy.

Before we go further, we here at Interstate275Florida.com and the Interstate 275 Florida Blog - a part of the Edward Ringwald Websites Network - want to wish you and yours a Happy Thanksgiving as well as a joyous and happy Christmas holiday season.  After all, the Christmas holiday season beginning with the Thanksgiving holidays is my favorite time of year.

For those of you making your plans on how to get to Grandma's for Thanksgiving Day here are some helpful tips before you set out, whether it may be on Interstate 275, via Southwest Airlines (or your favorite airline) or via Amtrak:

IF YOUR THANKSGIVING TRIP INVOLVES AUTOMOBILE TRAVEL

Check to be sure that your car is in tip top shape.  That means checking all the essential fluids such as your oil level among other things.  That will save you from a mechanical breakdown, especially when you are hundreds of miles from home.  If your car is due for an oil change and a tire rotation, get these done before you set out.

Also check your windshield washer fluid, especially if you are headed to areas experiencing high concentration of bugs and you have to constantly run the windshield washer.  In fact, keep a spare bottle of windshield washer fluid in your car and replenish every time you stop for gas - believe me, you will be glad you did!

Moreover, check your turn signals and brake lights too.  You want to make sure that everything is in working order; in fact, doing so will help you avoid being issued a defective equipment citation in the event you are pulled over by a law enforcement officer.

Plan how you will get to Grandma's.  You can use your favorite map program that you like out there on the Internet such as Google Maps.

If you own any of the vehicles that has OnStar (the best thing out there since the invention of the motor vehicle), check to make sure that it works.  Simply press the black OnStar phone button; if you hear the phrase "OnStar ready" you're in business!  If you need to add more minutes to your OnStar hands free calling do so:  While connected to OnStar, from the main menu say "minutes" then "add".  To verify minutes on OnStar, from the main menu say "minutes" then "verify".  Or, you can log in to your OnStar account online and check your minutes.

Besides, it's much better to use your OnStar hands free calling rather than using your cell phone while driving.  In fact, in several states (including California and Florida with its no texting while driving law as well as Georgia and its no holding mobile devices while driving law) hands free is not an option - it's the law.

Additionally, be sure that you have a good SunPass balance and replenish your SunPass account as needed.  This is very important as many toll roads in the Tampa Bay region including the Selmon Crosstown Expressway and the Veterans Expressway/Suncoast Parkway only accept SunPass or toll-by-plate.  The same thing goes for toll roads in South Florida including Miami.

By the way, if you are headed to Georgia or North Carolina your Florida SunPass will work in these states.  Another good reason why using SunPass is your best value when it comes to paying tolls!

Get a good night's rest - believe me, you will need plenty of it!  When you actually set out on the roads they will be crowded; allow plenty of time to get to your destination safely.

While you are out and about on the road, in the event of an accident give the Florida Highway Patrol a call at *FHP (*347) on your cell phone.  However, in the event of an accident involving serious injury always call 911!  By the way, *FHP can also be used in case your car breaks down on the highway; a Road Ranger will be dispatched to your location.

If you are traveling outside Florida, most states have a number that you can reach the highway patrol or state police which is prominently posted as you cross over the state line into a new state.  In Georgia, you can reach the Georgia State Patrol at *GSP (*477). 
 
If you happen to own a car that is equipped with OnStar and you have a breakdown, simply press the blue OnStar button and an OnStar representative will send out assistance to where you're located.  In the event of an accident, press the red OnStar emergency button and a specially trained OnStar representative will send emergency help to where you're located.
 
Moreover, while we're on the same topic of being safe out and about on the road, if you see an impaired or aggressive or a wrong way driver please call *FHP (if life or property is in immediate danger, call 911).  After all, the Florida Highway Patrol wants to know and FHP will send a Trooper out to apprehend the driver, hopefully before there is a serious accident.
 
Stay within the speed limit - after all, there's nothing to be gained nor you will get to Grandma's quicker by going faster than the flow of traffic.

Be mindful of Florida's Move Over Law:  If you see emergency vehicles on the side of the road, move over and give these workers room.

Most importantly, don't drink and drive!  Remember:  Over the limit = under arrest!
 
If it's a long road trip to Grandma's, consider taking a break for every three or four hours of driving.  Feel free to stop at a rest area, a welcome center (particularly if you crossed into another state such as Georgia), a service plaza (like that on the Florida Turnpike), an interstate interchange oasis (such as what you will find on Interstate 75 at Exit 329, which is FL 44 to Wildwood) or even a small town if it's close by.

Pay attention to the gigantic green overhead signs mounted over the highway, especially if you are on Interstate 275 in the Tampa Bay region.  Pay special attention to the word "Left" in black letters on a yellow background:  This means that the exit you are approaching is a left exit and you must be in the left lane to exit the highway.

Additionally, pay attention to the variable message signs that are posted everywhere on Interstate 275 as well as Interstates 75 and 4 and the toll roads in the Tampa Bay region.  These variable message signs convey valuable information such as travel times to exits ahead plus advance warning of accidents that are blocking the highway ahead of you.
 
Once you exit Interstate 275 or any other limited access highway, reduce your speed for the off ramp as well as the street you have exited onto.

IF YOUR THANKSGIVING TRIP INVOLVES AIRLINE TRAVEL

My advice to you is this:  Get to Tampa International Airport early, well before your flight.

Most airlines including Southwest Airlines allow you to check in early for your flight and receive your boarding pass, usually 24 hours before your scheduled flight.  If you have baggage to check getting there early will allow you to check your bags, clear security screening and be on your plane.  If you are on an international flight, be sure to abide by any check in deadlines that are posted by your airline.

If you are flying on Southwest Airlines and you purchased the Early Bird Check In option - well worth the extra fee in my opinion - the check in is handled for you.  All you have to do is to print your boarding pass either at home or at the airport.

Airport parking at Tampa International Airport will more than likely be at a premium throughout the Thanksgiving holidays, especially the day before Thanksgiving.  That being said, consider having a family member or a friend drive you to the airport or take a taxi cab or a ridesharing service such as Uber.

IF YOUR THANKSGIVING TRIP INVOLVES TRAIN TRAVEL

My advice to you is this:  Get to Tampa Union Station early, well before train departure. 

This is important especially if you have baggage to check as there will more than likely be lines in the ticket office as the station agent has to check your baggage in.  If you have an eTicket, be sure to bring it with you or the station agent can print your eTicket for you when you get there.

While seating on board Amtrak's Silver Star (Trains 91 and 92) in coach class is reserved, it is important that you get there early if you want a good seat.  If you have a coach seating preference, tell the service attendant as you board and more than likely you will get your preference; after all, the seat you are assigned by the service attendant will be your seat all the way to your destination.  This does not apply if you are seated in the sleeping car as your compartment is assigned to you way in advance.

Parking at Tampa Union Station will more than likely be at a premium especially during peak travel season such as the Thanksgiving holidays.  You might want to consider taking a taxi, ridesharing via Uber or have a friend drive you to Tampa Union Station.

MORE HELPFUL TIPS TO MAKE YOUR TRIP TO GRANDMA'S MORE SMOOTHLY

If you are flying or taking Amtrak, be sure to have government issued photo identification at all times.  You may be asked for it on Amtrak, and you will be asked for it when you check in for your flight and when you clear airport security.  A driver license is good, but you can use a passport or passport card as ID when asked.

Now if you are driving, obviously you will need a driver's license as it is the law when you are driving a motor vehicle.  You will also need it if you are renting a car at your destination as a result of flying or taking the train.

Speaking of a Florida driver's license, did you know that you can update your emergency contact information?  This enables law enforcement officers to notify your loved ones in the event you are in a serious accident.  What are you waiting for?  Enter your emergency contact information today!

HELPFUL WEBSITES

Interstate275Florida.com:  See what your exit looks like at your destination in the Tampa Bay region before you hit the road.
 
Tampa Bay Interstates:  Information from the Florida DOT on interstate construction in the Tampa Bay region.
 
Florida 511:  Information on interstate conditions not only from the Tampa Bay region but the rest of the State of Florida as well.  You can also dial 511 from your cell phone or on OnStar to receive current highway conditions as well (just be sure to use hands free when driving).
 
A FINAL NOTE

As Thanksgiving is the gateway to the Christmas holiday season, have a happy Thanksgiving and a wonderful Christmas holiday season!  Let's be careful out there on Interstate 275 and drive safely!  And stay healthy as well!

Onward with Thanksgiving and the Christmas holiday season!
 

Tuesday, October 13, 2020

We're Back on Blogger!

 

Hi everyone!

I know, it's been a while since I posted.  However, I tried a newer approach to blogging, and that is through WordPress.  While WordPress is so robust with so many features, it got a little too technical to help with upkeep of the Interstate 275 Florida Blog.  Granted, I don't have anything against WordPress but I think it could be a little more user friendly when it comes to blog administration.

Luckily, my legacy blog still exists here at Blogger, and it still is!  Besides, when you are blogging at Blogger you got the power of Google behind you and Blogger is more easy and versatile to use.  So, I made the decision to transition the Interstate 275 Florida Blog from WordPress (which was hosted on EdwardRingwald.com servers) back to Blogger (hosted on Google servers).  With that in mind, we are back on Blogger!

Just a quick reminder on commenting on my posts:

All comments are moderated!  When you click on comment, there is a slight delay so that I can review your comment before it is allowed to be part of the blog entry.

You also might want to take the time to review the Community Guidelines, which you can also find as a link at the Edward Ringwald Web Portal.

Additionally, as of today (13 October 2020, the day this post was written) with the retransition of the Interstate 275 Florida Blog back to Blogger, I am removing the requirement that you need a Facebook account to comment.  Commenting is open to everyone, but as I mentioned earlier all comments are moderated for review before they are allowed to be posted.  Anonymous comments will receive more scrutiny before these comments are allowed to be posted.

So, stay tuned!  We're back on Blogger, and I will try to get more timely topics in the weeks to come.  Thank you for your support!

Wednesday, February 28, 2018

The Skyway 10K Run on Sunday, 4 March 2018

As you are probably aware, the Skyway 10K Run will be taking place the morning of Sunday, 4 March 2018.  The run will take place in the morning hours utilizing the northbound lanes of the Sunshine Skyway.

From 4 AM to about 10 AM the northbound lanes of the Sunshine Skyway carrying Interstate 275 traffic in the direction of St. Petersburg will be closed for the event.  What that means is during those hours if you need to get from Bradenton, Ellenton, Parrish or anywhere in Manatee County to St. Petersburg you will have to use Interstate 75 north to either the Selmon Crosstown Expressway or Interstate 4 in Tampa and head west across the Howard Frankland or Gandy Bridges into St. Petersburg.

Southbound Interstate 275 traffic crossing the Sunshine Skyway is not affected; however, traffic delays are quite possible.  If you are headed to the Florida Railroad Museum, especially for the 2 PM Murder Mystery Dinner Train, you will want to keep on reading.

As traffic delays are possible even after the Skyway 10K Run has ended, if you are coming from St. Petersburg for Sunday's Murder Mystery Dinner Train at the Florida Railroad Museum in Parrish you will want to leave early and give yourself extra time to get to the museum's station facilities in Parrish so that you can pick up your tickets at the ticket office and gift shop and be in the boarding area ready to board the train.  Boarding for the Murder Mystery Dinner Train begins at 1:30 PM and the train departs at 2 PM.  Same thing if you are going to the Florida Railroad Museum for their regularly scheduled 11 AM train ride - again, if you're coming from St. Petersburg be sure to leave early and give yourself extra time to get your tickets.

To recap, the Skyway 10K Run will be held on the morning of Sunday, 4 March 2018.  Only the northbound lanes of Interstate 275 crossing the Sunshine Skyway will be closed for the duration of the event, reopening sometime around 10 AM.  The southbound lanes are not affected, but traffic delays are possible especially during and for some time after the event.

On the other hand, if you are participating in the Skyway 10K Run, it is very important that you attend their pre-race expo being held at Tropicana Field the day before the race (Saturday, 3 March 2018) as the race organizers will give you your race packet and your bus assignment.  The Skyway 10K Run web site has all the details you need.

Whether you're headed south across the Sunshine Skyway to ride the Murder Mystery Dinner Train at the Florida Railroad Museum in Parrish or you are one of the few participating in the Skyway 10K Run on Sunday, 4 March 2018, be safe and have fun!
 

Saturday, August 19, 2017

Safety Tips for the 2017 Total Solar Eclipse


The 2017 Total Solar Eclipse will be upon us this Monday, 21 August 2017!  What happens is that the Moon blocks out the Sun's view for a brief period of time, which may lead to nighttime-like conditions when the eclipse passes us by in the Tampa Bay region.

According to Bay News 9, the Tampa Bay region should see the maximum of the partial total eclipse sometime around 1451 (2:51 PM) on Monday, 21 August 2017.   Some school districts across the Tampa Bay region are allowing students to be absent as an excused day from school; you will want to check with your local school district for the specifics.

Here are some eclipse safety tips as eclipse day draws nearer (some of the eclipse safety tips are from NASA's 2017 Eclipse Safety page):

  • Most importantly:  Never, never look at the eclipse with the naked eye or with your regular eyeglasses on including sunglasses!  It will be so bright that eyesight damage can result!
  • The only way to view the eclipse safely without endangering your eyesight is the use of eclipse glasses or viewers that comply with the ISO 12312-2 safety standard.  If you purchase a pair of those safety glasses, make sure that it reads that it complies with the ISO 12312-2 safety standard. 
  • If you happen to be driving on Interstate 275 in the Tampa Bay region when the eclipse hits, never, never stop on either shoulder on the Interstate 275 mainline or any exit ramp!  It is illegal pursuant to Section 316.1945 of the Florida Statutes and a Florida Highway Patrol trooper can issue you a citation for stopping on the Interstate 275 shoulders or mainline.  Besides, it's also very dangerous.  Instead, stop in a safer place if you want to view the eclipse.
  • The same thing goes for the Sunshine Skyway Bridge - again, do not stop anywhere on the bridge including the 191-foot high main span.  Be aware that surveillance cameras monitored by the Florida Highway Patrol monitor all activity on the Sunshine Skyway main span and if you are seen stopping on the shoulder of the Sunshine Skyway, a Florida Highway Patrol trooper will be dispatched to see what is going on.  If you want to view the eclipse from the Sunshine Skyway area, use the rest areas or the fishing piers instead - it's much safer. 
  • When it gets momentarily dark during the maximum totality of the partial total eclipse, turn on your headlights even if you have automatic daytime running lamps.  This will turn on your taillights and you can be seen better.
  • Again, do not look at the eclipse with the naked eye or with your glasses (including sunglasses) on.  It will be so bright that eyesight damage - in fact, permanent eyesight damage - can result. 
If you're wondering where on Interstate 275's parent, Interstate 75, you can see the total solar eclipse in its entirety where it will get dark for about two minutes, it will take place in Tennessee between Cleveland just north of Chattanooga and Farragut just west of Knoxville, with the center of the totality between Athens and Sweetwater on US 11, which parallels Interstate 75 in central and southern Tennessee.  In fact, our Interstate 275 counterpart in Knoxville (actually a spur from Interstate 40 to Interstates 75 and 640) lies just outside the path of eclipse totality.

As NASA says, a solar eclipse is one of nature's grandest spectacles.  Let's be safe out there when the eclipse arrives on Monday, 21 August 2017 and you will have a memorable experience!

Tuesday, February 7, 2017

The Revamped Interstate275Florida.com and Happy Birthday Sunshine Skyway!

By now the newly revamped Interstate275Florida.com is up and running!  It didn't take long to upload the new site albeit a few minor glitches along the way, especially when it came to deleting the old website files in order to make way for the new and revamped website.

Haven't you checked out the newly revamped Interstate275Florida.com?  I have organized the website into three general sections, St. Petersburg, Tampa and Manatee County.  From there it is organized into individual exits based on the location of the exit.

All of the photos have been revised in order to keep the content fresh and up to date as time permits.  In fact, there are new pictures of the segment of Interstate 275 in Tampa from Exit 39 (FL 60/Kennedy Blvd./Tampa Airport) to the Hillsborough river just west of Exit 44 (Ashley Drive) thanks to the mega-reconstruction project that has taken place.

Another new feature I have added is a Tampa Bay Transit:  The Justification for Rail Based Mass Transit in the Tampa Bay region page.  This page was badly needed, as we have the resources to support rail based mass transit in the Tampa Bay region and one of those resources is the wide median in the newly reconstructed Interstate 275 in Tampa.  Just why does Miami and Orlando have alternative modes of transportation yet the Tampa Bay region has very limited choices?  It's well worth a read!

Please feel free to check out the newly revamped Interstate275Florida.com!  Like I said from a previous blog entry just before I uploaded the new site if you have pages that link to Interstate275Florida.com check the links to make sure that they work and update as needed.  For example, the web pages used to end in .htm but now they end in .html, so you'll want to check that.  Additionally, if you happen to find a broken link anywhere on Interstate275Florida.com please feel free to contact me (you can even post a reply to this blog entry) along with the URL in question and I will take a look at it.

Now with the newly revamped Interstate275Florida.com up and running, today (7 February 2017) is the new Sunshine Skyway's 30th birthday!  Dedicated on Saturday, 7 February 1987 it was a gloomy day but the sun peeked out a few times for an awesome dedication ceremony.  A major highlight of the day was that pedestrians were allowed on the new bridge only once - I made the hike to the hump of the new span and back!  I call that quite a workout!

Another highlight of the day is the actual dedication with many important dignitaries in attendance.  The new Sunshine Skyway dedication is a day I'll never forget - in fact, it seems like if it was yesterday even though it was 30 years earlier!

On 30 April 1987, traffic was stopped while workers set up barricades blocking access to the old Sunshine Skyway.  It would be no more cantilever through truss with steel grid deck span that we were used to since the first Sunshine Skyway opened in 1954.  The old Sunshine Skyway served the Tampa Bay region well, both in triumph and in tragedy especially on 9 May 1980 when the Sunshine Skyway's southbound span was hit by the Summit Venture, resulting in the tragic loss of 35 lives.  Shortly after the barricades went up on the old Sunshine Skyway, it was time to take down the barricades and open up a new chapter in the history of the Tampa Bay region:  The opening of the new Sunshine Skyway Bridge.

In fact, I have even revamped the Sunshine Skyway page as part of the newly revamped Interstate275Florida.com and it has pictures from the dedication ceremony on 7 February 1987.  Come by and check it out!

After all, the new Sunshine Skyway is not only just an icon of what the Tampa Bay region is all about.  The new Sunshine Skyway is a signature icon of our great Sunshine State of Florida, similar to what the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco being a signature icon of the Golden State of California.
 

Wednesday, February 1, 2017

The Revamped Interstate275Florida.com is Just Around The Corner!

As mentioned in a previous blog entry Interstate275Florida.com is getting an awesome makeover!  Interstate275Florida.com will get a new look and feel, and I am very excited!

Everything has been tested, and all that remains is to upload the new site.  I plan on doing this the weekend of 4-5 February 2017 during the nighttime hours.  While the old site is deleted and the new site is being uploaded, you may get an error page if you try to access Interstate275Florida.com during that time.  Hopefully by Sunday morning (5 February 2017) the new Interstate275Florida.com will be up and running.

Like I mentioned previously, if you or someone you know has web pages that link to a specific page on Interstate275Florida.com please make sure to test your links when the changeover takes place to make sure that the correct page is being displayed.  For instance, if your link points to a specific page it will more than likely end in .htm; the new pages will have an .html extension, so that you will probably have to change the file extension in order to keep your visitors from seeing the 404 error page.

Once again, the changeover to the new and revamped Interstate275Florida.com will be taking place this weekend, 4-5 February 2017.  Once the revamped Interstate275Florida.com is online, if you notice any broken links that should be fixed by all means please contact me using the Contact page, or you can post a reply to this blog entry and I will take a look.

Are you ready for a new and revamped Interstate275Florida.com?  I am!
  

Thursday, January 26, 2017

Interstate275Florida.com to get a new makeover!

Since 2003, Interstate275Florida.com is and continues to be a great resource on Interstate 275 in the Tampa Bay region.  But coming soon, Interstate275Florida.com will be getting a fresh new overhaul.

I know, Interstate 275 in Tampa just got a major reconstruction from Exit 39 (FL 60) to the Hillsborough River which was finished in 2016.  (Got to like those four lanes of traffic each way for a total of eight lanes and that wide median for hopefully commuter rail someday!)  What we're talking about is Interstate275Florida.com the website, and I have given it a major overhaul!

With that in mind, here are some of the new features you will see on the revamped Interstate275Florida.com:

First, I decided to rebuild Interstate275Florida.com - the website, that is - from the ground up.  I decided to use a web design software product called CoffeeCup HTML Editor which gives me a lot of flexibility in coding the HTML needed to run the perfect website.  In fact, I have even converted my other websites, EdwardRingwald.com and the Edward Ringwald Websites Portal, using CoffeeCup HTML Editor.  Additionally, another website of mine that covers the drawbridges of Pinellas County, DrawBridgeAhead.com, was built from the ground up using CoffeeCup HTML Editor.

Like what I have done with EdwardRingwald.com, Interstate275Florida.com was written using Microsoft FrontPage when I first introduced Interstate275Florida.com in 2003.  I have made so many changes over the years in FrontPage; unfortunately, Microsoft ended support for FrontPage and a majority of web hosting providers - including the web hosting provider which hosts my websites including Interstate275Florida.com - no longer support FrontPage written websites.

Besides, a FrontPage written website depends on FrontPage-specific features that are maintained on the web server end, which are called FrontPage Server Extensions.  Once I began to find out that Microsoft no longer supports FrontPage and web hosting providers no longer use the FrontPage Server Extensions, I had to find another web design product which would let me code HTML the way I want without having to depend on something on a web server end to make my websites work.  I looked at a lot of web design software out there and I found a great web design program that would best serve my web design needs, and that is CoffeeCup's HTML Editor.

As I mentioned earlier Interstate 275 in the Tampa Bay region from Exit 39 (FL 60) to the Hillsborough River west of downtown Tampa has been reconstructed, and the pictures that were there was that section of Interstate 275 in Tampa before reconstruction.  What I did is I incorporated the old pictures on some of the Tampa pages along with new reconstruction pictures just to give you a perspective of what Interstate 275 looked before and after reconstruction.

On the sections of Interstate 275 in Tampa that were reconstructed a longer time back (before the mega-reconstruction of 2016) as well as Interstate 275 in St. Petersburg and Manatee County, I have refreshed the site with newer pictures.  After all, the pictures that were on there were getting a little stale and the website needed newer pictures.  In fact, this is what I tell my students when I give my presentation on web design at the Great American Teach-In that content should be updated as needed in order to avoid having stale content.

As you go through the new Interstate 275 Florida website you will see a Page Highlights on the left hand sidebar that tells you the highlights of the page in question.  On the top part of the page you will see a navigation bar that is customized based on what section of the website you're in.

Another new feature you will see is the pictures themselves.  I have arranged them in a photo gallery format, which is you can click on the thumbnail version of the picture to see a full size version of the picture.  In fact, while you're in there you can page through the photo gallery by hovering over the top left or top right corner of the picture and clicking on the Previous or Next button to see the previous or next picture.

Moreover, I made some updates to the Interstate 275 Frequently Asked Questions and the Getting Around the Tampa Bay Region from Tampa Airport PDF document pages.  And there is one new page that I made that I feel is definitely needed - a Tampa Bay Region Transit Page, as the need for other forms of getting around in the Tampa Bay region, especially rail based mass transit, is very crucial if we want to be competitive among other Florida metropolitan areas such as Miami and Orlando.  After all, both Miami and Orlando have commuter rail systems in operation and commuter rail is the key to making the Tampa Bay region competitive.

I know you are very excited to see the new look and feel of Interstate275Florida.com, and I am very excited myself to launch the new version of all things Interstate 275 in the Tampa Bay region on the web.  All the pages are done, and it's just down to checking to make sure that all the links work properly and to do a test of the new pages in the web browser to make sure that everything renders correctly.

The actual changeover to the revamped site will take place in a few days, but I can't provide an exact date just yet.  Once everything is all said and done, I will post another blog entry letting you know when the actual changeover will take place.  While we're on that subject, if you or someone you know has web pages that link to a specific page on Interstate275Florida.com please make sure to test your links when the changeover takes place to make sure that the correct page is being displayed.  For instance, if your link points to a specific page it will more than likely end in .htm; the new pages will have an .html extension, so that you will probably have to change the file extension in order to keep your visitors from seeing the 404 error page.

When the actual changeover takes place it will take I would say about a good hour and a half to two hours so that I can delete the old FrontPage based content and upload the new CoffeeCup HTML Editor based content as well as the pictures and their thumbnails.

Again, after the changeover is complete and the revamped Interstate275Florida.com goes live please check your links as well as your bookmarks to be sure that you are seeing our content.  If you happen to notice a link when the revamped site goes live that does not work for some reason please feel free to contact me and it will get fixed.

After it's all said and done, I can finally uninstall FrontPage from my computers and put FrontPage on the shelf.  Onward!