The Clearwater Memorial Causeway is a component of Florida State Road 60 located in the city of Clearwater. The Clearwater Memorial Causeway connects Clearwater Beach to the rest of the city of Clearwater via the waters of Clearwater Bay. The modernized Clearwater Memorial Causeway opened to traffic during August 2005 and features two concrete girder spans. The Clearwater Causeway was originally opened during 1927 and was partially carried by a drawbridge.
Part 1; the history of the Clearwater Memorial Causeway
The original Clearwater Causeway opened to traffic on November 11, 1927. The original Clearwater Causeway was a two-lane drawbridge span. The original Clearwater Causeway does not appear to be part of any pre-1945 Florida State Road (it may have been part of Florida State Road 314). The Clearwater Memorial Causeway be seen on the 1943 United States Geological Survey map of Clearwater departing west from US Route 19 via Cleveland Street.
The original Clearwater Causeway can be seen in an undated postcard photo.
The Clearwater Causeway appears on the 1956 Shell Oil Company Map at the western terminus of post-1945 Florida State Road 60.
The Clearwater Causeway drawbridge was rebuilt as an elevated four-lane span during 1963. The original drawbridge was converted to a fishing pier. Florida State Road 60 approached the second Clearwater Causeway drawbridge westbound via Gulf to Bay Boulevard and Cleveland Street. The second Clearwater Causeway drawbridge can be seen in an undated photo by Pinellas Memory.
Construction the modern double concrete girder Clearwater Causeway Bridges began during 2001 and was completed during August 2005. The second Clearwater Causeway drawbridge was converted to a fishing pier at the end of Cleveland Street. Florida State Road 60 west realigned onto one-way couplets along Court Street and Chestnut Street through downtown Clearwater. The modern Clearwater Causeway Bridges can be seen on the 2012 United States Geological Survey map of Clearwater.
Part 2; a drive on the Clearwater Memorial Causeway
Pier 60 can be found at the mutual terminus of Pinellas County Route 183 and Florida State Road 60 on Clearwater Beach. Pier 60 opened during June 1962 as an extension of Clearwater Municipal Pier. Clearwater is one of the largest communities in the Tampa Bay area and incorporated as a city during 1891.
Florida State Road 60 eastbound departs Clearwater Beach via Causeway Boulevard.
Florida State Road 60 eastbound departs Clearwater Beach via a short bridge onto to the Clearwater Causeway.
Florida State Road 60 eastbound follows the Clearwater Memorial Causeway and crosses the 2005 concrete girder span over Clearwater Bay to Chestnut Street in downtown Clearwater.
Eastbound Florida State Road 60 follows a one-way alignment on Chestnut Street and intersects US Route 19A Myrtle Avenue. Westbound Florida State Road 60 is carried through downtown Clearwater by Court Street.
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