State Route 686 and 686A in Florida

Tallahassee, Florida

Florida State Route 686

SR-686
Get started Largo
End St. Petersburg
Length 11 mi
Length 17 km
Route

According to ABLOGTOPHONE, State Route 686 or State Road 686 (SR-686) is a state route in the U.S. state of Florida, located in Pinellas County, part of the Tampa Bay region. The road forms an east-west route from Largo to St. Petersburg and is 17 kilometers long.

Travel directions

State Road 686 begins at US 19 Alternate in Largo and then continues east as Bay Drive, a 2×3 lane urban arterial with a median strip and intersections with traffic lights. After more than 5 kilometers there is a connection with the US 19. To the east, the road is called Roosevelt Boulevard and also has 2×3 lanes. The road then curves southeast and wraps around the St. Petersburg-Clearwater International Airport. The road ends at an interchange with Interstate 275.

History

The original route ran even further west from Largo to Gulf Boulevard on the Gulf of Mexico. This made State Road 686 more than 5 kilometers longer. The Belleair Causeway opened on this section in 1950, which was replaced in 2009 by a high fixed bridge.

The split-level connection with US 19 and County Road 611 was built before 1994, the exact date is unknown. In 2014 a new flyover opened at the intersection with Ulmerton Road.

The interchange with I-275 has been constructed in phases. Originally this was a diamond connection where a flyover was later constructed for traffic from St. Petersburg to the airport. In 2002-2003 this interchange was converted, but mainly in relation to State Route 690. In 2011, an additional flyover opened for traffic from St. Petersburg to SR-690 heading west. As for the SR-686, the interchange has hardly changed since the 1980s.

Traffic intensities

Every day, 42,000 to 64,000 vehicles drive on Bay Drive and 32,000 to 50,000 vehicles on Roosevelt Boulevard.

Florida State Route 686A

SR-686A
Get started Pinellas Park
End high point
Length 3 mi
Length 5 km
Route

State Route 686A or State Road 686A (SR-686A) is a state route and toll road under construction in the U.S. state of Florida. The toll road is to form a north-south connection in Pinellas County, a suburban area that is part of the Tampa Bay region . The planned length is 5 kilometers.

Travel directions

State Route 686A begins at an interchange with State Route 690 in Pinellas Park and then heads north through an industrial area and past the St. Petersburg-Clearwater International Airport. Then the toll road ends at the Bayside Bridge over Old Tampa Bay.

Future

State Route 686A is part of the Gateway Express project, which includes the construction of a T-shaped toll road on overpasses in Pinellas County around the St. Petersburg-Clearwater International Airport. State Route 686A forms the north-south portion of this, connecting SR 690 to the Bayside Bridge. The track is derived from State Route 686 which is primarily an east-west route through Pinellas County. The portion near the St. Petersburg-Clearwater International Airport coincides with State Route 686.

This required the acquisition of $100 million in new right-of-way, primarily industrial estate, and primarily for the SR-686A route. At the beginning of 2015, most of the land had been purchased. The entire project will cost $454 million, of which $337 million is actual construction costs, and nearly $100 million to get the right-of-way of the SR-686A. The project was announced in February 2014 by the Governor of Florida. Construction started in 2018. The toll road is due to open in mid-2022.

Toll

State Route 686A becomes a toll road. The toll is static, the rate is the same throughout the day, unlike the express lanes, which have a dynamic toll rate depending on the time and/or traffic.

Tallahassee, Florida

The Florida Capitol (Administrative Center) in Tallahassee.

Tallahassee is the capital of the US state of Florida. The city is located in the north of the state and is built on hills. In addition to being the capital of Florida, Tallahassee is also the county seat of Leon County. Tallahassee itself has a population of 181,376, but the conurbation has 367,413 residents. Between 2000 and 2010, the population increased by 20.4%. So the city is growing fast. Tallahassee has its own airport, Tallahassee Regional Airport, with flights to other cities in the United States, including many cities in Florida.

Partner cities

  • St Martin
  • Krasnodar – Russia
  • Konongo-Odumase – Ghana
  • Sligo – Ireland
  • Zamboanga City – Philippines
  • Ramat HaSharon – Israel
  • Banjarbaru – Indonesia
  • Semarang – Indonesia
  • Rugao – People’s Republic of China

Tallahassee, Florida