Florida Roads - I-295

(former/secret FL 9A)

The Jacksonville beltway was built one piece at a time as FL 9A. After the west half (defined by I-95 junctions) was complete, it became I-295 and got exit numbers, while FL 9A continued to be signed east of I-295 until that part was complete. Exit numbering, which starts at the southern I-95 interchange and progresses clockwise, was easily extended the rest of the way with the I-295 designation, and FL 9A reverted to a fully hidden number (just like FL 9 on I-95).
All photos are clockwise except the first two.


Two SB/CCW photos courtesy Costa Ioannidis. The first shows a hidden route following US 17 (they both have other pairs of US/hidden routes as they go through Florida), and the second is on the ramp to I-95 NB at the southern end of the freeway, Exit 61B but unnumbered back when this button copy sign still existed.


The long Buckman Bridge, across the widest part of the St. Johns River, and the old signs at the western end. "Exit 10" should be on the top of the sign.


Construction continues through Exit 12 (FL 21) and a future Exit 13 taking shape at Collins Rd. It would seem that the Exit 10 "Exit Only" lane is going to get carried at least this far in the future to serve growing development.


Clearance signs as tall as 19 feet (anything over 16 feet, really) have been mostly taken down, as seen in the third photo. The middle photo is there for a small shield and large fraction. If I had a nickel every time a woman said I have a large fraction...


I-10 traffic detours at Exit 19 and again at Exit 22, but not at all at Exit 21 (the actual I-10 exit). There's no further trace of East I-10 after this, so I assume it's just a missing sign at Exit 22. Notice that I-295 has been built with reserve capacity for a future added lane on the west side.


Ah, eastbound in the morning. The sign on the left is old and showing its age poorly. The sign in the middle either replaced FL 9A with I-295 or is brand-new. Notice that there is no E-W leg of I-295; each side is signed north-south with a sudden directional switch at I-95, which is why FDOT helpfully signs East Beltway and West Beltway.

FL 105 WB on the north side of the city, now Exit 41, courtesy Costa Ioannidis.


Across the Dames Point Bridge, the second, somewhat shorter but more majestic crossing of the St. Johns River. Click the last image for a video drive.


Just after the bridge, a very old FL 9A sign that was removed when exit numbers and I-295 came through, courtesy Costa Ioannidis.


"Exit 51" is an obvious patch on this sign for obvious reasons, but "State" is also a patch. This was Floida Junior College until 1986, and then Florida Community College until 2009. My money's on "Comm." under the sign.


FL 202 WB, courtesy Costa Ioannidis, which had a diamond interchange with FL 9A. 202 was already a full freeway to the seashore and FL A1A, so the diamond end was actually on 9A. In fact, this interchange was the final roadblock to a completed beltway, and was converted into a turbine interchange, with four looping ramps that curve around each other in such a way that none of them is ever more than one level up.


New construction at the southeast corner of the beltway, which also caused awfully ugly speed limit signs at the west end of the construction zone. This will become a freeway spur of I-295 and FL 9A, to be numbered FL 9B until it reaches I-95, and then to be signed as I-795 (with FL 9B secret, of course). The new freeway is intended for development in that corner of the metro area, but will also help make I-295 that much more attractive for through traffic bypassing ever-increasing Jacksonville traffic.


Back to the interchange where the page started, and improper use of a diagrammatic sign. This should be three signs - an I-295 pull-through, I-95 South 1 mile, and I-95 North EXIT ONLY.

To US 1
Exit 10 to US 17
To I-10
Exit 35 or 61 to I-95
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