Treasure Island Causeway
Encyclopedia
Treasure Island Causeway, part of County Road 150, is a series of three bridges (the outer ones fixed, the middle one a bascule
drawbridge) crossing Boca Ciega Bay between Treasure Island
and St. Petersburg
in Pinellas County, Florida
. The bridge is owned and maintained by the City of Treasure Island, which used to charge all motorists $1.00 toll
, until June, 2006, when the first span of the bridge was reopened with no toll booth. Residents of two St. Petersburg waterfront communities (Causeway Isles and Yacht Club Estates) used to pay a $10 annual road tax to the City of Treasure Island to help support road and median maintenance. That tax was eliminated in the spring of 2007. Treasure Island's ownership of the causeway in St. Petersburg was part of a land agreement entered into when these two cities were born: St. Petersburg's founding fathers purchased the Municipal Beach on the shores of the neighboring Gulf of Mexico community, Treasure Island, outside its own city limits to ensure that residents would have direct access to the Gulf of Mexico for generations to come.
The western terminus is an intersection with Gulf Road (SR 699) in Treasure Island.
In 1939, Treasure Island Causeway was first opened to traffic. It quickly became a popular route to the Pinellas County barrier island
s for beach getaways. In 2002, an engineering study revealed that all three bridges have become structurally deficient; construction on the West and East bridge started in late 2003 and was completed in October 2004. Three months later, construction of the new drawbridge began.
On January 3, 2006, the drawbridge closed for several months due to a bridge replacement project. One half (leaf) of the drawbridge reopened to vehicular traffic on June 10, 2006. Construction was completed and the new Treasure Island Causeway was dedicated in ceremonies held on August 25, 2007. http://www.mytreasureisland.org
Bascule
Bascule may refer to:* A Bascule bridge, a moveable bridge with a counterweight that continuously balances the span, or "leaf," throughout the entire upward swing in providing clearance for boat traffic...
drawbridge) crossing Boca Ciega Bay between Treasure Island
Treasure Island, Florida
Treasure Island is a city in Pinellas County, Florida, in the United States. As of the 2000 census, the city population was 7,450. According to the U.S. Census Bureau's 2004 estimates, the city had a population of 7,521.-Geography:...
and St. Petersburg
St. Petersburg, Florida
St. Petersburg is a city in Pinellas County, Florida, United States. It is known as a vacation destination for both American and foreign tourists. As of 2008, the population estimate by the U.S. Census Bureau is 245,314, making St...
in Pinellas County, Florida
Pinellas County, Florida
Pinellas County is a county located in the state of Florida. Its county seat is Clearwater, Florida, and its largest city is St. Petersburg. This county is contained entirely within the telephone area code 727, except for some sections of Oldsmar, which have the area code 813...
. The bridge is owned and maintained by the City of Treasure Island, which used to charge all motorists $1.00 toll
Toll bridge
A toll bridge is a bridge over which traffic may pass upon payment of a toll, or fee.- History :The practice of collecting tolls on bridges probably harks back to the days of ferry crossings where people paid a fee to be ferried across stretches of water. As boats became impractical to carry large...
, until June, 2006, when the first span of the bridge was reopened with no toll booth. Residents of two St. Petersburg waterfront communities (Causeway Isles and Yacht Club Estates) used to pay a $10 annual road tax to the City of Treasure Island to help support road and median maintenance. That tax was eliminated in the spring of 2007. Treasure Island's ownership of the causeway in St. Petersburg was part of a land agreement entered into when these two cities were born: St. Petersburg's founding fathers purchased the Municipal Beach on the shores of the neighboring Gulf of Mexico community, Treasure Island, outside its own city limits to ensure that residents would have direct access to the Gulf of Mexico for generations to come.
The western terminus is an intersection with Gulf Road (SR 699) in Treasure Island.
In 1939, Treasure Island Causeway was first opened to traffic. It quickly became a popular route to the Pinellas County barrier island
Barrier island
Barrier islands, a coastal landform and a type of barrier system, are relatively narrow strips of sand that parallel the mainland coast. They usually occur in chains, consisting of anything from a few islands to more than a dozen...
s for beach getaways. In 2002, an engineering study revealed that all three bridges have become structurally deficient; construction on the West and East bridge started in late 2003 and was completed in October 2004. Three months later, construction of the new drawbridge began.
On January 3, 2006, the drawbridge closed for several months due to a bridge replacement project. One half (leaf) of the drawbridge reopened to vehicular traffic on June 10, 2006. Construction was completed and the new Treasure Island Causeway was dedicated in ceremonies held on August 25, 2007. http://www.mytreasureisland.org