State Road 789

SR 789 constitutes a 17.62 mile long loop northwest from Downtown Sarasota to Holmes Beach along the Gulf of Mexico. The coastal route stems west from U.S. 41 along Gulf Stream to Ringling Causeway spanning Sarasota Bay and the Gulf Intracoastal Waterway. $8.6 million in construction underway from March 15, 2021 to Fall 2022 at the south end of SR 789 built a multi lane roundabout with U.S. 41 (Tamiami Trail) and Gulfstream Avenue.

Ringling Causeway connects Bird Key, Coon Key and St. Armands Key. Heading north from St. Armands Circle along Boulevard of the Presidents, SR 789 lines another causeway (John Ringling Parkway) to the north end of Lido Key. A bascule bridge takes SR 789 across New Pass onto Longboat Key by Quick Point.

The ensuing stretch of SR 789 north follows Gulf of Mexico Drive through the town of Longboat Key. A bascule span, the Longboat Pass Bridge connects Longboat Key with the south end of Anna Maria Island in the city of Bradenton Beach. Continuing along Gulf Drive, SR 789 connects with SR 684 east across the Cortez Bridge and SR 64 at the north end in the city of Holmes Beach.

Florida State Road 789 Guides

• North
• South

County Road 789 extends 3.45 miles northwest from the west end of SR 64 (Manatee Avenue) at Manatee Public Beach to the city of Anna Maria. The route turns northeast along Pine Avenue to conclude at Anna Maria City Pier along Tampa Bay.

Following a decade of planning, construction on the Ringling Causeway bridge across Sarasota Bay commenced in December 2001.¹ Costing $67.7 million, the initial scheduled completion of the 3,097 foot long span was December 2003.^2,3 Replacing the 21 foot high draw bridge built in 1958, the Ringling Causeway bridge rises to a height of 65 feet above the Gulf Intracoastal Waterway.¹ The 107 foot wide deck accommodates four lanes of traffic and two walkways.¹

The last segment of the John Ringling Causeway bridge was placed on June 27, 2003. Work continued on railings, lighting, section realignments and resurfacing, and on August 5, the scheduled opening was postponed due to rainy weather until September 14, 2003. The new span was dedicated at a ribbon cutting ceremony held on August 30, 2003.¹ It eventually opened to traffic on Wednesday September 17, 2003.³

The environmental and engineering study for the replacement bridge along John Ringling Causeway commenced in 1991 at a cost of $1.6 million. Controversy ensued, ranging from the location of the new bridge, whether to repair or replace the existing bridge, or to build a second span altogether to Longboat Key. Eventually the debate evolved to either building a 65 foot high fixed span or constructing a new low level draw bridge. Opponents of the high bridge argued that the span would destroy the view of Sarasota Bay.¹

The Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) voted in favor of the 65 foot high fixed span in November 1993, forwarding its recommendation to the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA). Opposition to the size of the planned bridge however continued and in 1997 city commissioners petitioned the MPO to reconsider the drawbridge option. Controversy also arose due to the fact that a contract was signed with the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) for the fixed span prior to holding public meetings. A lawsuit filed by the city of Sarasota followed.¹

Nonetheless, FDOT upheld the decision to build the high rise span in 2000 and the city appealed the decision in court. Mounting legal costs for the opposition coincided with a tripling of the estimated cost to build the span, which was $18.5 million in 1991. Finally in Spring 2001, the 1st District Court of Appeal ruled in favor of FDOT, but also that Sarasota had the legal right to challenge the state.¹

The white decorative lighting system built with the Ringling Causeway bridge in 2003 was replaced in 2019 due to degradation from corrosive saltwater. Costing $178,000, the FDOT Ringling Bridge retrofit project replaced 60 lighting fixtures on ten columns. Retrofitting of the new LED lighting system was completed on September 26, 2019. The Ringing Causeway bridge lighting system changes colors based upon a schedule published by the city of Sarasota.⁶

Historically a second branch of State Road 789 was designated between SR 72 on Siesta Key and U.S. 41 (Tamiami Trail) / Bee Ridge Road (SR 758) at South Sarasota. This section was eventually renumbered as SR 758, which was subsequently turned over to local maintenance.