|
|
 |
Interstate 75 North - Sarasota County
|
After nipping the corner of DeSoto County, Interstate 75 enters into Sarasota County as it makes its way northwestward. Photo taken 07/10/11. |
|
Mileage signs such as this appear every so often along Florida interstates to alert motorists as to the distance to the next major freeway to freeway interchange. Interstate 275 will intersect Interstate 75 north of Ellenton while the cross-state Interstate 4 will meet the interstate north of the Brandon area. Photo taken 07/10/11. |
|
Toledo Blade Boulevard (unsigned Sarasota County 779) services Interstate 75 at Exit 179. The interstate is in transition to a brief east-west alignment as it parallels neighboring U.S. 41 to the south and the southwest Florida coastline. Toledo Blade Boulevard constitutes a north-south arterial that connects the interstate with U.S. 41 just to the east of North Port. Photo taken 07/10/11. |
|
Toledo Blade Boulevard heads south from Exit 179 to serve the eastern portion of North Port before entering Charlotte County. The arterial crosses at U.S. 41 northwest of Murdock only to loop to the east, becoming Cochran Boulevard east of Collingswood Boulevard in Murdock. Toledo Blade Boulevard extends about a mile north of the interchange to end at Tropicaire Boulevard. Photo taken 07/10/11. |
|
Interstate 75 reaches Toledo Blade Boulevard (unsigned Sarasota County 779) and Exit 179. Original stamping on the median barrier for the overpass bridges originally showed this route to be "State Road 39", possibly serving as an extension of the county and state highway that lies directly north in Manatee, Hillsborough and Pasco counties along the same longitude line. Various work on the bridges over the years have yielded a change in the stamping to Toledo Blade Boulevard. Photo taken 07/10/11. |
|
The second of two North Port interchanges, Sumter Boulevard (unsigned Sarasota County 771) approaches in 1.25 miles at Exit 182. Photo taken 07/10/11. |
|
Until the late 1990's and early 2000's, Sumter Boulevard was sparsely populated between U.S. 41 and Interstate 75. Residential subdivisions and a few commercial centers grew along the north-south arterial during the economic boom of the mid 2000's, though there is still no commercial centers at the interchange. Photo taken 07/10/11. |
|
| |
|
The north-south arterial encompasses three four-lane sections between the interstate and U.S. 41. Two two-lane sections occur between Sylvania Avenue and Hansard Avenue and between W. Price Boulevard and Heron Creek Boulevard, with the former section currently expanding to four-lanes. A planned completion between Sylvania and Hansard has been set for Summer 2012. Sumter Boulevard intersects U.S. 41 at the current commercial center of North Port. Photo taken 07/10/11. |
|
Still in its west movement, Interstate 75 north continues toward the Venice and Tampa areas. River Road and Exit 191 lie 8 miles ahead, with a connection to Venice lying at Exit 193. Photo taken 07/10/11. |
|
Interstate 75 approaches River Road (unsigned Sarasota County 777) and Exit 191. River Road serves as a vital link between Englewood and the interstate, which lies to the south along the Sarasota and Charlotte county lines. A signed Sarasota County 777 exists between U.S. 41 and its terminus at Florida 776 in Englewood. Photo taken 07/10/11. |
|
The diamond interchange lies immediately west of the Myakka River, which meanders from Lower Myakka Lake within Myakka River State Park southeastward and empties into Charlotte Harbor east of El Jobean. River Road only parallels the river between Interstate 75 and U.S. 41. River Road currently terminates at Exit 191. A rest area formerly resided in the northeast quadrant of the interchange but has since closed. Photo taken 07/10/11. |
|
Jacaranda Boulevard (unsigned Sarasota County 765) connects Interstate 75 with the city of Venice at Exit 193. Jacaranda Boulevard stems south from the interstate to connect with U.S. 41 and Florida 776 near South Venice. Photo taken 07/10/11. |
|
Jacaranda Boulevard lies on the eastern peripheral of Venice, connecting motorists from the interstate to the city via east-west arterials (Venice Avenue and Center Road). Exit 193 also serves as the turning point for the interstate as the route resumes its northerly direction heading toward the metro areas of Sarasota and Tampa. Photo taken 07/10/11. |
|
Laurel Road (unsigned Sarasota County 762) encounters the interstate at Exit 195. The four-lane east-west arterial serves as another link between U.S. 41 and Interstate 75, and connects the town of Laurel with the interstate. Northbound motorists wanting to visit Oscar Scherar State Park must exit at this interchange. Photo taken 07/10/11. |
|
|
Originally, Laurel Road (unsigned Sarasota County 762) had no direct access to the interstate. Construction of the interchange was well over a decade after the opening of Interstate 75 through this area. Before mileage-based exit numbers, it was referred to as Exit 35A, as it was situated between Exit 35 and Exit 36. Green outs depicting the county route designation were added at all interchanges between North Port and Exit 195 between 2006 and 2011. The interchange is an elongated diamond as the carriageways are split here, with about 1,000 feet separating northbound and southbound lanes, thus making the interchange much longer east-west than north-south. Expansion continues further south from Florida 681 (Exit 200) to six-lane the limited-access freeway toward the central part of Sarasota County. First photo taken 03/26/06. Second photo taken 07/10/11. |
|
Interstate 75 continues northward toward the Sarasota and Tampa areas. Florida 72 (Exit 205) will be the first direct interchange connecting the interstate to the city of Sarasota in 9 miles. Photo taken 07/10/11. |
|
|
Florida 681 northbound traffic crosses over Interstate 75 before its merge with the interstate near the 200 mile marker. Florida 681 is a four-mile full limited-access connection between southbound Interstate 75 and U.S. 41, with 65 and 70 mph speed limits. Past plans have called for the limited-access highway to become a "superarterial" for central Sarasota County, with at least three at-grade intersections for future residential and commercial development, but those plans have yet to come to fruition. Refurbishment of the steel beams that carry Florida 681 north over Interstate 75 occurs every few years due to the constant weather elements. There is no direct access between northbound Interstate 75 and southbound Florida 681. The interstate will next encounter Florida 72 in 5 miles. First photo taken 03/26/06. Second photo taken 07/10/11. |
|
Interstate 75 becomes six-lanes after the merge with Florida 681. The limit-access interstate retains this status until Exit 265 in the Tampa area. From the merge with Florida 681 to a point 60 miles north, tractor trailers of any type are prohibited from using the left lane. Photo taken 07/10/11. |
|
Interstate 75 edges closer to Florida 72 (Exit 205) and the eastern edge of Sarasota. The interstate skirts the entire east side of the Sarasota metro area, with the majority of development occurring west of the limited-access route. Downtown Tampa lies on the north end of Tampa Bay and is still over an hour away. Photo taken 07/10/11. |
|
Now on the approach to Sarasota, a guide sign alerts motorists to the distance from the next three exits that serve the area gulf beaches. All three state routes also serve Sarasota proper as well as U.S. 41 still following parallel to the interstate. Photo taken 07/10/11. |
|
|
The first of four interchanges to serve the Sarasota area, Florida 72 (Clark Road) intersects Interstate 75 at Exit 205. The state highway begins to the west at Florida 758 south of Siesta Key and extends east through Myakka River State Park to end at Florida 70 a few miles west of Arcadia, county seat of DeSoto County. Signage once indicated Sarasota as a control point for Florida 72, but sometime after 2006 was replaced with Siesta Key as a primary control point for the state highway. First photo taken 03/26/06. Second photo taken 07/10/11. |
|
Florida 72 (Clark Road) consists of a six-lane arterial west of the interstate while becoming a rural two-lane highway to the east as it makes a beeline southeast for Myakka River State Park. Heavy residential and commercial development have been slow to approach the state route east of Interstate 75. Photo taken 07/10/11. |
|
|
Interstate 75 north next encounters Florida 758 (Bee Ridge Road) and Exit 207. Bee Ridge Road is another heavily used and developed east-west arterial in Sarasota. State maintenance ends at the interchange. A former generation of signage at Exit 207 depicted classic use of the Florida shield, but has since been replaced and updated to current standards. Signage along this stretch of I-75 changed sometime after 2006. First photo taken 03/26/06. Second photo taken 07/10/11. |
|
|
Florida 758 (Bee Ridge Road) also serves as an indirect connection with the northern end of Siesta Key, via U.S. 41 and Siesta Drive (also Florida 758). Like the other east-west routes in the area, Florida 758 can be used as a hurricane evacuation route for residents wanting to leave the coastal areas in time of need. First photo taken 03/26/06. Second photo taken 07/10/11. |
|
The third Sarasota-based interchange occurs at Florida 780 (Fruitville Road) at Exit 210, where the state route heads west toward the downtown area of Sarasota. East of the interchange the road becomes county maintained and makes it way east and north, passing through the community of Fruitville on its way toward Florida 70. Photo taken 07/10/11. |
|
Growth in the late 1990's and early 2000's turned Florida 780 west of Exit 210 from a two lane route to a six-lane arterial. The expansion also included the addition of several traffic signals along the corridor. Photo taken 07/10/11. |
|
|
Florida 780 is heavily developed west of the interchange with Interstate 75 and passes by Robarts Arena on its way into downtown. The arena is home to the annual county fair as well as other events. The western terminus is at U.S. 41 in downtown Sarasota. Motorists can reach St. Armands via Florida 789 (John Ringling Boulevard) and the John Ringling Causeway. First photo taken 03/26/06. Second photo taken 07/10/11. |
|
Now north of Florida 780 and Exit 210, Interstate 75 presses on toward the greater Tampa area. The city of Bradenton lies ahead along the south banks of the Manatee River. The interstate grazes the east side of the city before continuing northward toward Tampa. Photo taken 07/10/11. |
|
University Parkway (unsigned Sarasota County 750) is the last interchange in Sarasota County, intersecting Interstate 75 at Exit 213. Sarasota-Bradenton International Airport and USF New College campus can be reached via University Parkway. Photo taken 07/10/11. |
|
|
A small part of University Parkway was a former U.S. 301 alignment before the U.S. highway was realigned north of University Parkway in the mid 1980's. U.S. 301 headed along University west from the intersection with North Washington Boulevard, curving north along the east property line of the Sarasota-Bradenton International Airport. The airport was formerly known as the Sarasota-Bradenton Regional Airport, but given international status in November 1992 when it gained Port of Entry status. First photo taken 03/26/06. Second photo taken 07/10/11. |
|
For many years no development was present at the diamond interchange of Exit 213, but that all changed when the planned unit development of Lakewood Ranch was built in the early 2000's. The area around the University Boulevard interchange is now abound with several commercial big-box chain stores, restaurants and hotels. Motorists enter Manatee County at the apex of the interchange. Photo taken 07/10/11. |
Photo Credits:
2006-03-26 by AARoads and Justin Cozart. 2011-07-10 by AARoads.
Page Updated 10-15-2011. |
|
 |
|
