State Road 113 - Southside Connector
The Southside Connector consists of a 2.9 mile freeway linking the east end of Arlington Expressway (SR 115) with the south approach to the N.B. Broward Bridge (Interstate 295) across the St. Johns River. The suburban type freeway primarily serves as a commuter route from Interstate 295 toward Arlington and Downtown.
The Southside Connector originally consisted of a direct link between SR 9A and the Dames Point Bridge south to U.S. 90 Alternate (Southside Boulevard). There were no ramps at Merrill Road, a diamond interchange joined the route with Regency Square Boulevard and the south end consisted of 1982-built overpasses above the Arlington Expressway east end with no direct access between the two freeways.
The Jacksonville Transportation Authority envisioned improvements to the Southside Connector as part of the Regency Bypass project. Named for the adjacent Regency Square Mall at Arlington Expressway during the design phase, the project included upgrades to the entire Southside Connector. Construction was partially funded from a 1997 bond package1 and the Better Jacksonville Plan approved by voters in 2000.2 That plan earmarked $251 million for construction of 12 interchanges across the city.
Work included a $12.4 million contract for the interchange at Regency Square Boulevard, which coincided with the privately financed extension of Tredinick Parkway west from Monument Road to the Southside Connector service roads. Completed in summer 2005, this work modified the exit at Regency Square Boulevard into a folded diamond interchange and added new ramps for Tredinick Parkway.
Further north and completed by June 2005, were the bridges carrying SR 113 over Merrill Road. This work was followed by ramp construction to November 2005. Construction reconfigured the southbound ramp for Merrill Road to access eastbound only, as a new ramp from adjacent SR 9A was added for westbound.3
The Southside Connector provided the lone access point to the Dames Point Bridge from the south in 1989. Outside of the interchange with New Regency Square Boulevard, the state road traveled at-grade.
The last aspect of the Southside Connector built were the two flyovers linking SR 113 with SR 115 (Arlington Expressway) by Regency Square Mall. A 29 foot high flyover takes motorists from SR 113 south to SR 115 north and a 60 foot high flyover shuttles drivers from SR 115 south onto SR 113 north. These ramps were scheduled for completion in mid-2006 as part of a $28 million contract to reconstruct the overall exchange between the two freeways.1 The northbound flyover for the Southside Connector finally opened to traffic on August 17, 2007, followed by the southbound flyover the following day. Work on the project commenced in January 2004 at cost of $32.7 million overall.4
South
The first reassurance marker for SR 113 was posted within the wye interchange separating the Southside Connector from the East Beltway of Interstate 295. It was removed by 2011.
06/13/08
A single point urban interchange joins the Southside Connector with the Wonderwood Connector to the immediate south of the split with I-295. The forthcoming exit leads to SR 116 (Merrill Road) east.
06/13/08
The SR 116 off-ramp ties into a loop ramp from adjacent I-295 north before reaching Merrill Road. State Road 116 begins here and lines Merrill Road east to the Holly Oaks, East Arlington and Fort Carolina Shores communities. The $122 million Wonderwood Connector extends the route east across the Intracoastal Waterway. The four-phase project to build the bridges and new roadway to Mayport was completed in December 2008.5
06/13/08
Motorists departing from I-295 north to Merrill Road can access both directions of the east-west arterial while SR 113 defaults drivers onto SR 116 east.
Prior to the completion of the Wonderwood Connector, SR 116 traveled east to Monument Road only.
06/13/08
Frontage roads line the Southside Connector between SR 116 (Merrill Road) and Regency Square Boulevard. The four roadways pass under Interstate 295 in this scene.
06/13/08
A slip ramp follows onto the south side service road ahead of Tredinick Parkway. Tredinick Parkway links SR 113 with adjacent big box retail and Monument Road to the east.
06/13/08
SR 113 south defaults motorists to the junction of Arlington Expressway and Southside Boulevard by Regency Square Mall. All local access should take the service road south to Regency Square Boulevard.
06/13/08
The south service road extends beyond Tredinick Parkway to form a folded diamond interchange with Regency Square Boulevard North by the aforementioned mall.
06/13/08
SR 113 (Southside Connector) shifts westward ahead of the directional T interchange with SR 115 (Arlington Expressway) north. Arlington Expressway comprises a full freeway west from SR 113 to the Mathews Bridge across the St. Johns River into Midtown.
06/13/08
A confirming marker for SR 113 south appears as an auxiliary lane joins the Southside Connector from Regency Square Boulevard to SR 115 (Arlington Expressway) north. State Road 115 takes a stair stepped route throughout Jacksonville, doubling as the hidden counterpart of U.S. 90 Alternate to the south and U.S. 1 Alternate and Interstate 95 through East Jacksonville and Brentwood.
06/13/08
Arlington Expressway comprises a 1950s-built limited access route joining Arlington with Downtown. The freeway concludes at the couplet of State and Union Streets, which become a part of U.S. 17, 23 and 90 between the central business district and Springfield.
06/13/08
The remainder of SR 113 south leads directly to SR 115 (Southside Boulevard), as it overtakes the ending Southside Connector as a surface arterial between the Holiday Hill / Century and Southside Estates communities.
06/13/08
A single lane ramp brings the SR 115 southbound mainline onto Southside Boulevard just ahead of U.S. 90 Alternate west and SR 10 (Atlantic Boulevard) east. SR 113 ends as SR 115 becomes the hidden component of U.S. 90A between Atlantic Boulevard and Beach Boulevard (U.S. 90).
06/13/08
North
SR 113 begins as the Southside Connector elevates to pass over the surface ramps linking SR 115 with Arlington Expressway by Regency Square Mall. The freeway proceeds one half mile north to a folded diamond interchange with Regency Square Boulevard.
03/14/10
A 60 foot high flyover was added from SR 115 south to SR 113 north by August 2007 as part of the Better Jacksonville Plan approved in 2000.
03/14/10
The flyover from SR 115 south forms an auxiliary lane to back to back ramps for Regency Square Boulevard and Tredinick Parkway. The first shield for SR 113 appears as the freeway passes west of the adjacent mall.
03/14/10
A loop ramp takes motorists to Regency Square Boulevard, which leads west to Mill Creek Road and east to several big box stores and Monument Road.
03/14/10
A slip ramp follows with two lanes onto the adjacent service road as it leads north to Tredinick Parkway. Tredinick Parkway spurs west from Monument Road to new development along the west side of SR 113.
03/14/10
The Southside Connector Service Road parallels SR 113 north from Regency Square Boulevard to the SPUI with Merrill Road (SR 116).
06/16/16
Leaving the diamond interchange with Tredinick Road, SR 113 (Southside Connector) advances one half mile north to meet SR 116 (Merrill Road).
06/16/16
SR 113 concludes at Interstate 295 north, 11 miles from the systems interchange with I-95 at Turtle Creek.
06/16/16
SR 116 was extended east to Mayport in December 2008 when the Wonderwood Connector was completed across the Intracoastal Waterway. SR 116 runs 9.03 miles overall from just west of adjacent I-295 at Arlington Hills to SR 101 near Naval Station Mayport.
06/16/16
SR 113 merges with I-295 north at a wye interchange at the south approach to the N.B. Broward Bridge across the St. Johns River.
03/26/20
scenes
Regency Square Boulevard connects Mill Creek Road with SR 113 (Southside Connector) in the Regency area of Jacksonville.
06/16/16
SR 113 (Southside Connector) concludes south of the exchange with Regency Square Boulevard at SR 115 and SR 10A (Arlington Expressway).
06/16/16
North from Regency Square Boulevard, SR 113 (Southside Connector) leads to SR 116 (Merrill Road) and I-295 onto the Dames Point Bridge.
06/16/16
Regency Square Boulevard stems west from Monument Road (CR 99) and Atrium Way to a folded diamond interchange with the Southside Connector.
06/16/16
References:
- "Help for Regency traffic begins Bypass work scheduled to be done in mid-2006." Florida Times-Union (Jacksonville, FL), February 16, 2004.
- "OVERPASSES: THE GOOD THE BAD THE UGLY Unsightly hunks of concrete are being replaced by more eye-catching designs in many cities." Florida Times-Union (Jacksonville, FL), March 20, 2004.
- "Merrill Road open after a week's work The roadwork at the Southside Connector was finished ahead of schedule." Florida Times-Union (Jacksonville, FL), November 5, 2005.
- "Jacksonville Journal - ONE HIGHWAY RAMP CLOSES, ANOTHER RAMP OPENS." Florida Times-Union (Jacksonville, FL), August 18, 2007.
Photo Credits:
- Alex Nitzman: 06/13/08
- AARoads: 03/14/10
- Alex Nitzman, JP Nasiatka: 06/16/16
- ABRoads: 03/26/20
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Page Updated Thursday December 03, 2020.