Interstate 295 - East and West Beltway

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Interstate 295 (SR 9A) is the beltway encircling the Jacksonville metro area. The loop measures 60.864 miles1 in length both providing access to the outlying suburbs and beaches as well as acting as a bypass for the often congested Interstate 95 through Jacksonville.

Interstate 295 Florida Guides

The beltway was constructed in stages over a 39 year span (1967-2006), with the western portion fully opened by 1977 and the eastern portion completed 29 years later. The western beltway carried the I-295 designation from its initial completion while the eastern section carried the Florida State Road 9A banner as it was constructed and upgraded. Over two years after final preparations were made to make the eastern part of the beltway entirely interstate-grade, SR 9A was formally replaced by Interstate 295 in late 2011.

Interstate 295 is split between the West Beltway, the original portion on the western side of Jacksonville, and the East Beltway, former SR 9A along the east side of Jacksonville.

The I-95/I-295 North Interchange Operational Improvements Project reconfigures the exchange joining I-95/295 in north Jacksonville into a multi level systems interchange. Additionally expansion of I-295 includes new collector distributor roadways to eliminate weaving traffic between I-95 and the ramps at U.S. 17. The $176.8 million project commenced in November 2016 and runs through Spring 2024. It was originally anticipated for completion in late 2020, which was subsequently delayed to Spring 2021, Fall 2021, Spring 2022, Late 2022 and then Spring 2024.

I-295 North - Dames Point Bridge

Heading north along the Interstate 295 East Beltway as it crosses over the St. Johns River via the Napolean Bonaparte Broward Bridge. The cable-stayed bridge opened to traffic in 1989. 03/03/13

I-295 South - Dames Point Bridge

Motorists are treated to a launch of the Space Shuttle Discovery (STS-121) from the Kennedy Space Center as they descend the apex of the Broward Bridge. The 12-day mission took the shuttle to the International Space Station and back. 07/04/06

Space Shuttle Discovery

A closer view from the N.B. Broward Bridge of the Space Shuttle Discovery as it rockets from Kennedy Space Center toward the upper atmosphere, leaving a contrail in its wake. 07/04/06

Interstate 295 Express Lanes

Funded by the Florida Department of Transportation Five Year Work Program, three projects add tolled Express lanes to Interstate 295 around Jacksonville. The initial project upgrades a 4.2 mile project between the Buckman Bridge and Interstate 95. Construction added two 12 foot managed lanes per direction, sound walls at various locations, new retention ponds and all electronic tolling (AET) gantries. Work started here in October 2014.

Initially expected to be completed by Summer 2017,2 the $89 million project through Fall 2018 expanded I-295 at Mandarin to ten overall lanes. Ingress and egress points for the Express Lanes are located west of SR 13 (San Jose Boulevard) and at the cloverstack interchange with Interstate 95.

Express lanes were added to a five mile section of Interstate 295 between SR 9B at Deercreek and SR 202 (J. Turner Butler Boulevard) at Windy Hill. The beltway was expanded again by two 12 foot wide managed lanes per direction with sound walls, retention ponds and AET gantries added. Expected to run three years, the $139.9 million project kicked off in Summer 2016.3

Northbound ingress points are located on SR 9B and I-295 north of U.S. 1 (Philips Highway). Southbound ingress points provide access north of the JTB interchange and by the Gate Parkway off-ramp (Exit 54). Additionally an Express lane flyover connect northbound I-295 with the ramps to JTB.

Associated work added auxiliary lanes to Interstate 295 from SR 9B north to SR 152 (Baymeadows Road) and widened the freeway to four lanes southbound from SR 202 to Gate Parkway. Ramps at SR 152 (Exit 56), Gate Parkway (Exit 54) and JTB (Exit 53) were also expanded. Anticipated completion was Spring 2019 before delays extended work through Fall 2021. Cold weather and the addition of a general travel lane pushed the project into 2022. The Express Lanes opened to traffic between SR 9B and SR 202 on April 9, 2022.4 However additional electrical needs and safety lightning delayed completion of the Express Lanes south beyond Left Exit 58 / SR 9B until the end of 2022.5

Long range plans include an additional 7.0 miles of Express Lanes for the northeast quadrant of I-295 between the N.B. Broward Bridge and North Interchange with Interstate 95.

Interstate 295 scenes
Old St. Augustine Road north at the single point interchange (Exit 3) with Interstate 295 between Greenland and Loretto. Old St. Augustine Road continues another 2.53 miles northwest to SR 13 (San Jose Boulevard). 09/25/22
SR 21 (Blanding Boulevard) meets I-295 just beyond the Duval County line, Orange Park Mall and Wells Road. This stretch of Blanding Boulevard is notorious for congestion due to heavily commercial development and commuter traffic. 06/14/08
Replaced by April 2011, a rare state named trailblazer for I-295 was posted along U.S. 90 east at Pickettville Road. There is no direct access from U.S. 90 to the West Beltway. Instead motorists are directed onto Pickettville Road north and Commonwealth Avenue east to access I-295. 06/13/08
U.S. 17 (Main Street) north at the ramp to former SR 9A south. Prior to 2012, I-295 ended at U.S. 17 from the west, with SR 9A continuing southeast along the East Beltway around Jacksonville. 06/14/08
SR 202 (Butler Boulevard) east at SR 9A during construction of the turbine interchange with Interstate 295. Work upgrading the previous diamond interchange was completed in July 2009. 06/13/08
Gate Parkway connects the Deerwood community in east Jacksonville with Interstate 295 at a diamond interchange (Exit 54). 06/16/16

Sources:
  1. FDOT Interchange Report, updated July 2012. http://www.dot.state.fl.us/planning/ statistics/hwydata/interchange.pdf
  2. "Construction behind schedule on I-295 express lanes." News4Jax, May 26, 2016.
  3. "New construction on I-295 express lane project set to begin." First Coast News, April 1, 2016.
  4. "I-295 East Beltway express lanes opening this weekend in Jacksonville: Here’s what you need to know." Action News Jax (FL), April 8, 2022.
  5. "Why doesn't the FDOT open all I-295 express lanes on Southside Jacksonville?" Florida Times-Union (Jacksonville, FL), August 31, 2022.


Photo Credits:

06/13/08, 06/14/08, 06/16/16, 09/25/22 by AARoads

Connect with:
Interstate 10
Interstate 95
U.S. 1
U.S. 17
U.S. 90
State Road 9B / Future Interstate 795
State Road 10
State Road 152 - Baymeadows Road
State Road 202 - J. Turner Butler Boulevard

Page Updated 10-27-2022.

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