Join me for a brief ten minute trip as we cover the drawbridges of the Pinellas Suncoast beaches! The drawbridges we cover in this video include Park Blvd. Bridge, Madeira Beach Causeway, Johns Pass Bridge, Treasure Island Causeway, Corey Causeway, the Pinellas Bayway and the Tierra Verde Bridge.
Just to give you a brief rundown of the bridges we cover here:
Park Blvd. Bridge - This drawbridge is the youngest of all Pinellas County drawbridges, it was opened in 1981 and completes a road system from Gulf Blvd. in Indian Shores all the way to Bayshore Blvd. in Tampa as Park Blvd. and Gandy Blvd. When the Park Blvd. Bridge opened in 1981 it was a toll bridge but the tolls were removed ten years later. The Park Blvd. Bridge has an interstate highway look and feel to it and it was proposed to have an interchange with Gulf Blvd. but the plans were later revised as an at-grade intersection.
Madeira Beach Causeway - Also called the Tom Stuart Causeway, the Madeira Beach Causeway carries FL 666 which is also known as 150th Avenue connecting Gulf Blvd. with US Alternate 19 in Seminole. It was built in 1962 replacing a former drawbridge.
Johns Pass Bridge - The Johns Pass Bridge was originally opened in the 1930's as a two lane bridge and it was replaced as a four lane bridge to the west in 1971. Presently the Johns Pass Bridge is undergoing replacement with work slated for completion sometime around late 2010 or 2011. In the video we see the new southbound span of the Johns Pass Bridge which is being used as a two-lane span while the northbound span is under construction. The new Johns Pass Bridge will feature observation decks on either side of the draw span offering a spectacular view of Johns Pass and the surrounding area, not to mention the beautiful beach sunsets!
Treasure Island Causeway - Originally built in 1937, the Treasure Island Causeway was recently replaced with a brand new span that incorporates the latest in 21st Century drawbridge technology, especially for the bridge tender that has to open and close the bridge. The Treasure Island Causeway used to have a toll until the new bridge opened; as it was built with federal money the tolls had to be removed. The Treasure Island Causeway carries Central Avenue connecting Gulf Blvd. in Treasure Island with downtown St. Petersburg.
Corey Causeway - Connecting St. Pete Beach with South Pasadena, the Corey Causeway is two identical drawbridges built in 1966 and 1975. The original 1930's span was a low level two lane trestle span that also consisted of a drawbridge on the St. Pete Beach side. When the 1966 span opened the 1930's span was converted into two lanes of northbound traffic until the 1975 span opened. The Corey Causeway carries FL 693 - also known as 66th Street North in St. Petersburg - connecting St. Pete Beach with US 19 north of Ulmerton Road in Largo.
Pinellas Bayway - Opened in 1962, the Pinellas Bayway is part of a system of bridges and causeways linking St. Petersburg with St. Pete Beach as well as being the highway into and out of Ft. DeSoto Park. Toll for the Pinellas Bayway is 50 cents, payable by cash or by SunPass. The Pinellas Bayway carries FL 682, the highway that connects Gulf Blvd. next to the Don CeSar Resort in St. Pete Beach with Interstate 275 and US 19 in St. Petersburg, continuing east as 54th Avenue South.
Tierra Verde Bridge - Part of the Pinellas Bayway system, the Tierra Verde Bridge opened in 1962 and it carries FL 679, the road leading to Ft. DeSoto Park, a park operated by Pinellas County. When the Tierra Verde Bridge originally opened in 1962 it carried a 25 cents toll (the fixed bridge to the south just before you get to Ft. DeSoto Park was ten cents, which it was called the ten cent bridge); the Florida DOT simplified toll collection by consolidating tolls at the fixed bridge just before you get to Ft. DeSoto Park. The Tierra Verde Bridge, like the Pinellas Bayway drawbridge, is a two-lane span and both bridges are slated to become fixed high-level bridges in the future.
Enjoy the ten minute trip and please feel free to rate and comment!
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Sailing Great Oak 5/2000 - Drawbridgeby cshontz874 views
This is great! I live in Ma. and visit yearly, hopefully I'll be a resident of Florida soon, thanks for the video, it's always nice to see Pinellas County!
bapone73 2 weeks ago
EXCELLENT VIDEO!! Love all the bridges in Pinellas County!
thomngreg 1 year ago