Florida State Road 694: Difference between revisions

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{{short description|State highway in Florida, United States}}
{{Infobox road
{{Infobox road
|state=FL
|state=FL
|type=SRCR
|name_notes=
|type=FL
|route=694
|route=694
|county=Pinellas
|alternate_name=Gandy Boulevard<br>Park Boulevard
|map={{maplink|frame=yes|plain=yes|frame-align=center|frame-width=290|type=line|from=Florida State Road 694.map}}
|length_mi=6.23
|map_custom=yes
|length_round=2
|map_notes=SR 694 in red, CR 694 in blue
|length_ref=<ref name="FDOTReport">http://www.dot.state.fl.us/planning/statistics/pdfs/fedaidreport.pdf [[Florida Department of Transportation|FDOT]] Federal-Aid Report</ref>
|alternate_name=Park Boulevard<br>Gandy Boulevard
|length_mi=6.023
|length_ref=<ref name=sld/>
|length_notes=CR 694: {{convert|6.991|mi|abbr=on}}
|established=
|established=
|direction_a=West
|direction_a=West
|terminus_a={{jct|state=FL|SR|693}} in [[Pinellas Park, Florida|Pinellas Park]]
|junction={{plainlist|
*{{jct|state=FL|US|19}} in Pinellas Park
*{{jct|state=FL|I|275}} in [[St. Petersburg, FL|St. Petersburg]]
}}
|direction_b=East
|direction_b=East
|terminus_b={{jct|state=FL|US|92|SR|687}} in St. Petersburg
|starting_terminus=[[Image:Florida 693.svg|25px]][[Image:Pinellas County Road 694 FL.svg|20px]] [[Florida State Road 693|SR 693]]/'''CR 694''' in [[Pinellas Park, Florida|Pinellas Park]]
|counties=[[Pinellas County, Florida|Pinellas]]
|junction=[[Image:Pinellas County Road 611 FL.svg|20px]] [[County Road 611 (Pinellas County, Florida)|CR 611]] in [[Pinellas Park, Florida|Pinellas Park]]<br>[[Image:US 19.svg|20px]][[Image:Florida 55.svg|20px]] [[U.S. Route 19 (Florida)|US 19]]/[[SR 55 (FL)|SR 55]] in [[Pinellas Park, Florida|Pinellas Park]]<br>[[Image:I-275.svg|25px]][[Image:Florida 93.svg|20px]] [[Interstate 275 (Florida)|I-275]]/[[SR 93 (FL)|SR 93]] in [[St. Petersburg, Florida|St. Petersburg]]
|previous_type=SR
|ending_terminus=[[Image:US 92.svg|20px]][[Image:Florida 600.svg|25px]][[Image:Florida 686.svg|25px]][[Image:Florida 687.svg|25px]] [[U.S. Route 92 (Florida)|US 92]]/[[SR 600 (FL)|SR 600]]/[[Florida State Road 686|SR 686]]/[[Florida State Road 687|SR 687]] in [[St. Petersburg, Florida|St. Petersburg]]
|previous_type=FL
|previous_route=693
|previous_route=693
|next_type=FL
|next_type=SR
|next_route=699}}
|next_route=699
}}
'''State Road 694''' ('''SR&nbsp;694''') is an east&ndash;west route in [[Pinellas County]], running from [[Florida State Road 693|SR&nbsp;693]] (66th Street N) in [[Pinellas Park, Florida|Pinellas Park]] to [[U.S. Route 92 (Florida)|U.S. Route 92]] (US&nbsp;92 and [[State Road 600 (Florida)|unsigned SR 600]]) in [[St. Petersburg, Florida|St. Petersburg]].


==Route description==
[[Image:Florida State Highway 694 02.jpg|thumb|left|Looking west toward The [[Gulf of Mexico]] and [[Indian Shores, Florida]] from bridge over Intracoastal Waterway.]]
[[Image:Florida State Highway 694 01.jpg|thumb|left|Looking north on Pinellas County Road 694 from bridge over Intracoastal Waterway. Indian Shores, Florida on left, [[mangrove]]s on right.]]
[[Image:Florida State Highway 694 02.jpg|thumb|left|Looking west toward The [[Gulf of Mexico]] and [[Indian Shores, Florida]] from bridge over Intracoastal Waterway]]
[[Image:Florida State Highway 694 01.jpg|thumb|left|Looking north on County Road 694 from bridge over Intracoastal Waterway; Indian Shores, Florida on left, [[mangrove]]s on right]]
State Road 694 starts at State Road 693 in Pinellas Park, where SR 694 heads east as Park Boulevard. At the intersection with [[U.S. Route 19 (Florida)|US 19]] in southeastern Pinellas Park, SR 694 becomes known as Gandy Boulevard and turns northeast into northeastern [[St. Petersburg, Florida|St. Petersburg]], heading towards the interchange with [[Interstate 275 (Florida)|Interstate 275]] (I-275). It continues northeast, intersecting Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Street N, before heading towards its eastern terminus at the intersection with [[State Road 687 (Florida)|4th Street N]], [[State Road 686 (Florida)|Roosevelt Boulevard]], and [[U.S. Route 92 (Florida)|US 92]] [[State Road 600 (Florida)|(unsigned SR 600)]]. East of SR 694's eastern terminus, Gandy Boulevard continues signed as US 92/SR 600 and crosses the [[Gandy Bridge]] into [[Tampa]].


State Road 694 previously began at [[Florida State Road 699|State Road 699]] in [[Indian Shores, Florida|Indian Shores]], running through [[Seminole, Florida|Seminole]] and to the SR 693 intersection in Pinellas Park. The former road to the west is now known as '''County Road 694''' ('''CR&nbsp;694''').
{{Infobox road
|state=FL
|marker_image=[[Image:Pinellas County Road 694 FL.svg|70px]]
|name_notes=
|type=County
|route=694
|alternate_name=Park Boulevard
|length_mi=7.01
|length_round=2
|length_ref=<ref name="FDOTReport">http://www.dot.state.fl.us/planning/statistics/pdfs/fedaidreport.pdf [[Florida Department of Transportation|FDOT]] Federal-Aid Report</ref>
|established=
|direction_a=West
|direction_b=East
|starting_terminus=[[Image:Florida 699.svg|25px]] [[Florida State Road 699|SR 699]] in [[Indian Shores, Florida|Indian Shores]]
|junction=[[Image:Alt plate.svg|20px]]<br>[[Image:US 19.svg|20px]][[Image:Florida 595.svg|25px]] [[U.S. Route 19 Alternate (St. Petersburg, Florida)|Alt US 19]]/[[Florida State Road 595|SR 595]] in [[Seminole, Florida|Seminole]]<br>[[Image:Pinellas County Road 1 FL.svg|20px]] [[County Road 1 (Pinellas County, Florida)|CR 1]] in [[Seminole, Florida|Seminole]]<br>[[Image:Pinellas County Road 501 FL.svg|20px]] [[County Road 501 (Pinellas County, Florida)|CR 501]] in [[Pinellas Park, Florida|Pinellas Park]]
|ending_terminus=[[Image:Florida 693.svg|25px]][[Image:Florida 694.svg|25px]] [[Florida State Road 693|SR 693]]/'''694''' in [[Pinellas Park, Florida|Pinellas Park]]
}}


==History==
'''State Road 694''' is an east-west route in [[Pinellas County]] originally running east from [[Indian Shores, Florida|Indian Shores]], through [[Seminole, Florida|Seminole]] and into [[Pinellas Park, Florida|Pinellas Park]]; it now begins in Pinellas Park at [[Florida State Road 693|66th Street N]], with the former road to the west becoming '''Pinellas County Road 694'''. It then turns to the northeast as it crosses [[U.S. Route 19 (Florida)|US 19]] in southeastern Pinellas Park and crosses into northeastern [[St. Petersburg, Florida|St. Petersburg]], where it crosses [[Interstate 275 (Florida)|Interstate 275]]. It proceeds to the northeast to the intersection with [[State Road 687 (Florida)|4th Street N]] and [[State Road 686 (Florida)|Roosevelt Boulevard]]. The highway continues east as [[U.S. Route 92 (Florida)|US 92]] [[State Road 600 (Florida)|(unsigned SR 600)]] and crosses the [[Gandy Bridge]] into [[Tampa]].
State Road 694 was originally visioned as a multilane freeway, running from [[Florida State Road 699|SR 699 (Gulf Boulevard)]] east to the Gandy Bridge, known as the [[Canceled expressways in Florida#Tampa Bay Area|Gandy Freeway]]. However, the plan was nixed in the 1970s due to an increasing business population. The remnants of this planned freeway are the US 19 [[Single-point urban interchange|interchange]] in Pinellas Park, the configuration of the [[Interstate 275 (Florida)|I-275]] interchange, and the wide median between MLK Jr St N and 4th St N.
{{-}}
==Gandy Freeway==
The '''Gandy Freeway''' is a limited access freeway that is located in [[Pinellas County, Florida|Pinellas County]], [[Florida]]. The freeway portion runs from just east of 4th Street to just west of the [[Interstate 275 (Florida)|I-275]] interchange. Construction of the freeway began in February 2014 and completed in late 2017. The project was projected to cost $83 million, and was due for completion in 2017.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.abcactionnews.com/traffic/traffic-news/gandy-boulevard-in-st-petersburg-will-be-reconstructed-as-elevated-six-lane-roadway |title=Gandy Boulevard in St. Petersburg will be reconstructed as elevated, six-lane roadway - Story &#124; abcactionnews.com &#124; Tampa Bay News, Weather, Sports, Things to do &#124; WFTS-TV |accessdate=2014-02-28 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20140227070234/http://www.abcactionnews.com/traffic/traffic-news/gandy-boulevard-in-st-petersburg-will-be-reconstructed-as-elevated-six-lane-roadway |archivedate=2014-02-27 }} ABC Action News - 2014 Feb 20, Retrieved 2014 Feb 28</ref> The Gandy Freeway east of US 19 was reconsidered due to increasing congestion and right-of-way already prepared for overpasses at 4th St N/Roosevelt Blvd and 9th St N/MLK St N.<ref>[https://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/sptimes/access/297966661.html?dids=297966661:297966661&FMT=FT&FMTS=ABS:FT&date=Mar+2%2C+2003&author=JEAN+HELLER&pub=St.+Petersburg+Times&edition=&startpage=1.B&desc=Connecting+dots+to+uncork+traffic Connecting dots to uncork traffic], ''[[St. Petersburg Times]]'' March 2, 2003</ref>


==Original Aspirations==
===Original aspirations===
The Gandy Freeway has been in planning books for decades, with a roughly {{convert|12.6|mi|km}} stretch between a proposed connection to the [[Lee Roy Selmon Expressway]] in Tampa, and US 19 (or somewhere westward). Due to the low likelihood of the Hillsborough County portion being constructed, and increasing urbanization of [[Pinellas Park, Florida|Pinellas Park]], the freeway was ultimately shelved (with portions west of US 19 being cancelled). Remains of the original freeway can be seen in the Gandy Boulevard interchange at [[Interstate 275 (Florida)|I-275]] (which lacks several ramps that were originally planned to be built), the grade separated [[diamond interchange]] at US 19 with Gandy Boulevard as limited access, and the very wide [[Right-of-way (transportation)|right-of-way]] preserved along Gandy Boulevard east of I-275.


===Section between I-275 and 4th Street===
State Road 694 was originally visioned as a multilane freeway, running from the Gandy Bridge, to almost [[Florida State Road 699|Gulf Boulevard]], known as the [[Canceled expressways in Florida#Gandy Freeway|Gandy Freeway]]. However, the plan was nixed in the 1970s due to an increasing business population. The remnants of this planned freeway are the US 19 [[Single-point urban interchange|interchange]] in Pinellas Park, the configuration of the [[Interstate 275 (Florida)|I-275]] interchange, and the wide median between MLK Jr St N and 4th St N.
[[File:Gandy Freeway overpasses at 4th St N.jpg|thumb|Looking at the Gandy Freeway overpasses at 4th Street N, St. Petersburg, FL]]


After being shelved for decades, largely due to a lack of funding, the Gandy Freeway section from just east of 4th Street N to the I-275 interchange was finally built at a cost of $83 million. This project comprised a four to six-lane elevated highway, with overpasses at 4th Street N/Roosevelt Boulevard, 9th Street N (also known as MLK Street N), and 94th Avenue N. A four lane frontage road system (two lanes in each direction) would parallel the elevated structures.<ref>{{cite news |first= Meredyth |last= Censullo |date= February 20, 2014 |title= Gandy Boulevard in St. Petersburg Will Be Reconstructed as Elevated, Six-Lane Roadway: $83 Million Project to Reconstruct Gandy Begins |url= http://www.abcactionnews.com/traffic/traffic-news/gandy-boulevard-in-st-petersburg-will-be-reconstructed-as-elevated-six-lane-roadway |location= Tampa, FL |publisher= [[WFTS-TV]] |accessdate= February 28, 2014 |url-status= dead |archiveurl= https://web.archive.org/web/20140227070234/http://www.abcactionnews.com/traffic/traffic-news/gandy-boulevard-in-st-petersburg-will-be-reconstructed-as-elevated-six-lane-roadway |archivedate= February 27, 2014 |df= mdy-all }}</ref> In recent years, the [[Florida Department of Transportation]] has seen this particular project as an increasing priority for relieving congestion along the corridor, which is why the project was fast-tracked for construction in recent years.<ref>{{cite news|first=Kathryn |last=Bursch |date=March 2, 2012 |title=Major Changes Planned for Gandy Boulevard in St. Petersburg |url=http://www.wtsp.com/news/article/242060/79/major-changes-planned-for-gandy-boulevard |archive-url=https://archive.today/20140228140554/http://www.wtsp.com/news/article/242060/79/major-changes-planned-for-gandy-boulevard |url-status=dead |archive-date=February 28, 2014 |location=St. Petersburg, FL |publisher=[[WTSP-TV]] |accessdate=February 28, 2014 }}</ref>
==Freeway Plan Revisited==

Although the possibility of a freeway west of US 19 is dead today, the possibility of Gandy Blvd becoming a freeway east of Park Blvd is actually being reconsidered in series of studies. Funding has not yet been finalized, but a recent federal transportation grant made additional funds for the freeway project available. A timetable for the project is also not finalized. If the plan goes through, there would be overpasses at 4th St N/Roosevelt Blvd and MLK St N. However, according to an FDOT representative, there will be no changes made at the interchange with I-275.<ref>[http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/sptimes/access/297966661.html?dids=297966661:297966661&FMT=FT&FMTS=ABS:FT&date=Mar+2%2C+2003&author=JEAN+HELLER&pub=St.+Petersburg+Times&edition=&startpage=1.B&desc=Connecting+dots+to+uncork+traffic ''[[St. Petersburg Times]]'' [[March 2]], [[2003]]]</ref>
On December 14, 2016, the new eastbound elevated lanes opened over 94th Avenue N, with the westbound direction opening on February 12, 2017. The new westbound elevated lanes over MLK Street N, Roosevelt Boulevard, and 4th Street N opened on June 18, 2017, with the eastbound direction opening on June 23, 2017. As of February 1, 2018, both frontage roads were completed and fully operational.

===I-275 interchange===
The Gandy Boulevard interchange with I-275 is technically incomplete, lacking a free-flowing flyover from northbound I-275 to westbound Gandy. Originally, the interchange was also without a ramp from eastbound Gandy to southbound I-275 (this ramp was constructed in 1981). It is currently unclear if a free-flowing ramp will be constructed from northbound I-275 to westbound Gandy and there is speculation that this component of the project has been rolled into the controversial toll lane project formerly known as Tampa Bay Express.

===Section between US 19 and I-275===
Plans were also in the works to build an overpass at the intersection of Gandy Boulevard and Grand Ave, but those plans were cancelled due to community opposition.<ref>{{cite news |first= Anne |last= Lindberg |date= June 21, 2013 |title= Elevating Gandy Boulevard near the Wawa Draws Anger |url= http://www.tampabay.com/news/transportation/elevating-gandy-boulevard-near-the-wawa-draws-anger/2127933 |work= [[Tampa Bay Times]] |location= St. Petersburg, FL |accessdate= February 28, 2014}}</ref>

===January 2015 Tanker Incident===
On Tuesday, January 6, 2015, a fuel tanker traveling westbound on Gandy Boulevard collided with a utility truck traveling southbound on Roosevelt Boulevard. Fuel from the tanker leaked and ignited, causing a huge fireball of flames to erupt. Fire crews from multiple departments; including Pinellas Park, Largo, Seminole, St. Petersburg and the St. Petersburg-Cleawater International Airport, responded to the incident, and it took well over an hour for the fire to be extinguished. Both drivers were transported to area hospitals; with the driver of the tanker truck suffering second and third-degree burns throughout most of his body. The driver of the utility truck suffered lacerations and fractures.

The severity of the incident has caused environmental concerns, as fuel seeped about four feet into the ground around and beneath the damaged roadway. Flames from the fire also charred the retaining wall that now carries westbound traffic over 4th Street and Roosevelt Boulevard. The Florida Department of Transportation evaluated the condition of the wall and determined that the affected section would need to be partially rebuilt. The work was able to be completed without significantly delaying the overall project.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.abcactionnews.com/news/region-south-pinellas/st-petersburg/raw-video-tanker-driver-seriously-burned-in-fuel-leak-fire-accident-in-st-petersburg|title=RAW VIDEO: Tanker driver seriously burned in fuel leak fire accident in St. Petersburg|first=Sean|last=O'Reilly|date=January 8, 2015|publisher=|access-date=January 7, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150107141437/http://www.abcactionnews.com/news/region-south-pinellas/st-petersburg/raw-video-tanker-driver-seriously-burned-in-fuel-leak-fire-accident-in-st-petersburg|archive-date=January 7, 2015|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.baynews9.com/content/news/baynews9/news/article.html/content/news/articles/bn9/2015/1/6/fuel_tanker_crash_re.html|title=Driver burned in Gandy Boulevard. crash, tanker explosion|publisher=}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.baynews9.com/content/news/baynews9/news/article.html/content/news/articles/bn9/2015/1/7/st_pete_tanker_crash.html|title=Tanker crash could delay Gandy construction; driver remains critical|publisher=}}</ref>
{{-}}

==Major intersections==
{{jcttop|state=FL|county=Pinellas|length_ref=<ref name=sld>[http://www2.dot.state.fl.us/Straight-linesOnlineGIS/ FDOT straight line diagrams] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140306153400/http://www2.dot.state.fl.us/Straight-linesOnlineGIS/ |date=March 6, 2014 }}, accessed March 2014</ref><ref name=GIS>[http://www.dot.state.fl.us/planning/statistics/gis/road.shtm FDOT GIS data] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081211174129/http://www.dot.state.fl.us/planning/statistics/gis/road.shtm |date=2008-12-11 }}, accessed January 2014</ref>}}
{{FLint
|location=Indian Shores
|lspan=2
|mile=0.000
|road={{Jct|state=FL|SR|699|name1=Gulf Boulevard|city1=Indian Rocks Beach|city2=Madeira Beach}}
|notes=Western terminus}}
{{jctbridge
|mile=0.2
|mile_ref=<ref name=Goog>[[Google Maps]] distance</ref>
|bridge=[[Park Boulevard Bridge]] over The Narrows ([[Gulf Intracoastal Waterway]])
}}
{{FLint
|location=none
|mile=0.807
|road=Oakhurst Road ([[County Road 233 (Pinellas County, Florida)|CR 233]] north)
}}
{{FLint
|location=Seminole
|lspan=3
|mile=2.8
|mile_ref=<ref name=Goog/>
|road={{jct|state=FL|CR|321|county1=Pinellas|name1=113th Street North|location1=[[Walsingham County Park]]}}
}}
{{FLint
|mile=3.4
|mile_ref=<ref name=Goog/>
|road={{Jct|state=FL|US-Alt|19|name1=Seminole Boulevard / [[SR 595 (FL)|SR 595]]}}
}}
{{FLint
|mile=4.9
|mile_ref=<ref name=Goog/>
|road={{Jct|state=FL|CR|1|county1=Pinellas|name1=Starkey Road / Park Street}}
}}
{{FLint
|location=Pinellas Park
|lspan=4
|mile=6.5
|mile_ref=<ref name=Goog/>
|road=Belcher Road ([[County Road 501 (Pinellas County, Florida)|CR 501]])
}}
{{FLint
|type=trans
|mile=6.991
|road={{Jct|state=FL|SR|693|name1=66th Street|city1=Clearwater|city2=South Pasadena|location3=[[St. Petersburg College]]}}
|notes=West end of state maintenance; CR 694 becomes SR 694
}}
{{FLint
|mile=8.741
|road={{Jct|state=FL|CR|611|county1=Pinellas|name1=49th Street}}
}}
{{FLint
|mile=9.719
|road={{Jct|state=FL|US|19|name1=[[SR 55 (FL)|SR 55]]|city1=Clearwater|city2=St. Petersburg}}
|notes=Interchange
}}
{{FLint
|location=St. Petersburg
|lspan=5
|type=incomplete
|mile=11.25
|road={{jct|state=FL|I|275|name1=[[SR 93 (FL)|SR 93]]|city1=Tampa|city2=St. Petersburg}}
|notes=I-275 exit 28; no access from SR 694 west to I-275 north or I-275 south to SR 694 east
}}
{{FLint|notes=partial interchange; eastbound exit westbound entrance|road=94th Avenue N / 16th Street N|type=incomplete|mile=12.2}}{{FLint
|mile=12.450
|road={{jct|state=FL|road|Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Street North / 9th Street North<!--the latter is on 'next signal' signs--> ([[County Road 803 (Pinellas County, Florida)|CR 803]])|to1=to|I|275|dir1=north}}
}}
{{FLint
|type=incomplete
|mile=12.915
|road={{jct|state=FL|SR|686|dir1=west|name1=Roosevelt Boulevard}}
|notes=No left turn eastbound in the interchange
}}
{{FLint
|mile=13.014
|road={{jct|state=FL|US|92|SR|687|name2=4th Street North / Gandy Boulevard / [[SR 600 (FL)|SR 600]] east|road|to Selmon Expressway ([[SR 618 (FL)|SR 618]])|city1=Tampa}}
|notes=Interchange; Eastern terminus of SR 694; Gandy Boulevard continues onto US 92 (SR 600)}}
{{Jctbtm|keys=incomplete,trans}}


==References==
==References==
{{reflist}}
<references/>

* Pinellas County Staff. [http://pubgis.co.pinellas.fl.us/public_gis/ Pinellas County GIS Viewer.] May 9, 2006.
==External links==
{{Attached KML}}


[[Category:State highways in Florida|694]]
[[Category:State Roads in Pinellas County, Florida|694]]
[[Category:State Roads in Pinellas County, Florida|694]]
[[Category:State Roads in St. Petersburg, Florida|694]]
[[Category:State Roads in St. Petersburg, Florida|694]]
[[Category:County roads in Pinellas County, Florida|694]]

{{Florida-road-stub}}

Latest revision as of 05:58, 28 April 2024

State Road 694 and County Road 694 marker State Road 694 and County Road 694 marker

State Road 694 and County Road 694

Park Boulevard
Gandy Boulevard
Map
SR 694 in red, CR 694 in blue
Route information
Length6.023 mi[1] (9.693 km)
CR 694: 6.991 mi (11.251 km)
Major junctions
West end SR 693 in Pinellas Park
Major intersections
East end US 92 / SR 687 in St. Petersburg
Location
CountryUnited States
StateFlorida
CountyPinellas
Highway system
← SR 693→ SR 699

State Road 694 (SR 694) is an east–west route in Pinellas County, running from SR 693 (66th Street N) in Pinellas Park to U.S. Route 92 (US 92 and unsigned SR 600) in St. Petersburg.

Route description[edit]

Looking west toward The Gulf of Mexico and Indian Shores, Florida from bridge over Intracoastal Waterway
Looking north on County Road 694 from bridge over Intracoastal Waterway; Indian Shores, Florida on left, mangroves on right

State Road 694 starts at State Road 693 in Pinellas Park, where SR 694 heads east as Park Boulevard. At the intersection with US 19 in southeastern Pinellas Park, SR 694 becomes known as Gandy Boulevard and turns northeast into northeastern St. Petersburg, heading towards the interchange with Interstate 275 (I-275). It continues northeast, intersecting Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Street N, before heading towards its eastern terminus at the intersection with 4th Street N, Roosevelt Boulevard, and US 92 (unsigned SR 600). East of SR 694's eastern terminus, Gandy Boulevard continues signed as US 92/SR 600 and crosses the Gandy Bridge into Tampa.

State Road 694 previously began at State Road 699 in Indian Shores, running through Seminole and to the SR 693 intersection in Pinellas Park. The former road to the west is now known as County Road 694 (CR 694).

History[edit]

State Road 694 was originally visioned as a multilane freeway, running from SR 699 (Gulf Boulevard) east to the Gandy Bridge, known as the Gandy Freeway. However, the plan was nixed in the 1970s due to an increasing business population. The remnants of this planned freeway are the US 19 interchange in Pinellas Park, the configuration of the I-275 interchange, and the wide median between MLK Jr St N and 4th St N.

Gandy Freeway[edit]

The Gandy Freeway is a limited access freeway that is located in Pinellas County, Florida. The freeway portion runs from just east of 4th Street to just west of the I-275 interchange. Construction of the freeway began in February 2014 and completed in late 2017. The project was projected to cost $83 million, and was due for completion in 2017.[2] The Gandy Freeway east of US 19 was reconsidered due to increasing congestion and right-of-way already prepared for overpasses at 4th St N/Roosevelt Blvd and 9th St N/MLK St N.[3]

Original aspirations[edit]

The Gandy Freeway has been in planning books for decades, with a roughly 12.6 miles (20.3 km) stretch between a proposed connection to the Lee Roy Selmon Expressway in Tampa, and US 19 (or somewhere westward). Due to the low likelihood of the Hillsborough County portion being constructed, and increasing urbanization of Pinellas Park, the freeway was ultimately shelved (with portions west of US 19 being cancelled). Remains of the original freeway can be seen in the Gandy Boulevard interchange at I-275 (which lacks several ramps that were originally planned to be built), the grade separated diamond interchange at US 19 with Gandy Boulevard as limited access, and the very wide right-of-way preserved along Gandy Boulevard east of I-275.

Section between I-275 and 4th Street[edit]

Looking at the Gandy Freeway overpasses at 4th Street N, St. Petersburg, FL

After being shelved for decades, largely due to a lack of funding, the Gandy Freeway section from just east of 4th Street N to the I-275 interchange was finally built at a cost of $83 million. This project comprised a four to six-lane elevated highway, with overpasses at 4th Street N/Roosevelt Boulevard, 9th Street N (also known as MLK Street N), and 94th Avenue N. A four lane frontage road system (two lanes in each direction) would parallel the elevated structures.[4] In recent years, the Florida Department of Transportation has seen this particular project as an increasing priority for relieving congestion along the corridor, which is why the project was fast-tracked for construction in recent years.[5]

On December 14, 2016, the new eastbound elevated lanes opened over 94th Avenue N, with the westbound direction opening on February 12, 2017. The new westbound elevated lanes over MLK Street N, Roosevelt Boulevard, and 4th Street N opened on June 18, 2017, with the eastbound direction opening on June 23, 2017. As of February 1, 2018, both frontage roads were completed and fully operational.

I-275 interchange[edit]

The Gandy Boulevard interchange with I-275 is technically incomplete, lacking a free-flowing flyover from northbound I-275 to westbound Gandy. Originally, the interchange was also without a ramp from eastbound Gandy to southbound I-275 (this ramp was constructed in 1981). It is currently unclear if a free-flowing ramp will be constructed from northbound I-275 to westbound Gandy and there is speculation that this component of the project has been rolled into the controversial toll lane project formerly known as Tampa Bay Express.

Section between US 19 and I-275[edit]

Plans were also in the works to build an overpass at the intersection of Gandy Boulevard and Grand Ave, but those plans were cancelled due to community opposition.[6]

January 2015 Tanker Incident[edit]

On Tuesday, January 6, 2015, a fuel tanker traveling westbound on Gandy Boulevard collided with a utility truck traveling southbound on Roosevelt Boulevard. Fuel from the tanker leaked and ignited, causing a huge fireball of flames to erupt. Fire crews from multiple departments; including Pinellas Park, Largo, Seminole, St. Petersburg and the St. Petersburg-Cleawater International Airport, responded to the incident, and it took well over an hour for the fire to be extinguished. Both drivers were transported to area hospitals; with the driver of the tanker truck suffering second and third-degree burns throughout most of his body. The driver of the utility truck suffered lacerations and fractures.

The severity of the incident has caused environmental concerns, as fuel seeped about four feet into the ground around and beneath the damaged roadway. Flames from the fire also charred the retaining wall that now carries westbound traffic over 4th Street and Roosevelt Boulevard. The Florida Department of Transportation evaluated the condition of the wall and determined that the affected section would need to be partially rebuilt. The work was able to be completed without significantly delaying the overall project.[7][8][9]

Major intersections[edit]

The entire route is in Pinellas County.

Locationmi[1][10]kmDestinationsNotes
Indian Shores0.0000.000 SR 699 (Gulf Boulevard) – Indian Rocks Beach, Madeira BeachWestern terminus
0.2[11]0.32Park Boulevard Bridge over The Narrows (Gulf Intracoastal Waterway)
​0.8071.299Oakhurst Road (CR 233 north)
Seminole2.8[11]4.5 CR 321 (113th Street North) – Walsingham County Park
3.4[11]5.5
 US 19 Alt. (Seminole Boulevard / SR 595)
4.9[11]7.9 CR 1 (Starkey Road / Park Street)
Pinellas Park6.5[11]10.5Belcher Road (CR 501)
6.99111.251 SR 693 (66th Street) – Clearwater, South Pasadena, St. Petersburg CollegeWest end of state maintenance; CR 694 becomes SR 694
8.74114.067 CR 611 (49th Street)
9.71915.641 US 19 (SR 55) – Clearwater, St. PetersburgInterchange
St. Petersburg11.2518.11 I-275 (SR 93) – Tampa, St. PetersburgI-275 exit 28; no access from SR 694 west to I-275 north or I-275 south to SR 694 east
12.219.694th Avenue N / 16th Street Npartial interchange; eastbound exit westbound entrance
12.45020.036
 To Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Street North / 9th Street North (CR 803) north / I-275
12.91520.785
 SR 686 west (Roosevelt Boulevard)		No left turn eastbound in the interchange
13.01420.944 US 92 / SR 687 (4th Street North / Gandy Boulevard / SR 600 east) / to Selmon Expressway (SR 618) – TampaInterchange; Eastern terminus of SR 694; Gandy Boulevard continues onto US 92 (SR 600)
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b FDOT straight line diagrams Archived March 6, 2014, at the Wayback Machine, accessed March 2014
  2. ^ "Gandy Boulevard in St. Petersburg will be reconstructed as elevated, six-lane roadway - Story | abcactionnews.com | Tampa Bay News, Weather, Sports, Things to do | WFTS-TV". Archived from the original on 2014-02-27. Retrieved 2014-02-28. ABC Action News - 2014 Feb 20, Retrieved 2014 Feb 28
  3. ^ Connecting dots to uncork traffic, St. Petersburg Times March 2, 2003
  4. ^ Censullo, Meredyth (February 20, 2014). "Gandy Boulevard in St. Petersburg Will Be Reconstructed as Elevated, Six-Lane Roadway: $83 Million Project to Reconstruct Gandy Begins". Tampa, FL: WFTS-TV. Archived from the original on February 27, 2014. Retrieved February 28, 2014.
  5. ^ Bursch, Kathryn (March 2, 2012). "Major Changes Planned for Gandy Boulevard in St. Petersburg". St. Petersburg, FL: WTSP-TV. Archived from the original on February 28, 2014. Retrieved February 28, 2014.
  6. ^ Lindberg, Anne (June 21, 2013). "Elevating Gandy Boulevard near the Wawa Draws Anger". Tampa Bay Times. St. Petersburg, FL. Retrieved February 28, 2014.
  7. ^ O'Reilly, Sean (January 8, 2015). "RAW VIDEO: Tanker driver seriously burned in fuel leak fire accident in St. Petersburg". Archived from the original on January 7, 2015. Retrieved January 7, 2015.
  8. ^ "Driver burned in Gandy Boulevard. crash, tanker explosion".
  9. ^ "Tanker crash could delay Gandy construction; driver remains critical".
  10. ^ FDOT GIS data Archived 2008-12-11 at the Wayback Machine, accessed January 2014
  11. ^ a b c d e Google Maps distance

External links[edit]

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