Park Road 22
Northward view of the 72.8 foot high Intracoastal Waterway Bridge carrying Park Road 22 onto JFK Causeway. The 3,280 foot long segmental box girder span was completed in 1973.¹ - 07/11/2005
Park Road 22 connects Corpus Christi to North Padre Island. Beginning at SH 358 in Flour Bluff, PR 22 crosses JFK Causeway to the island, ending at the entrance to Padre Island National Seashore.
JFK causeway opened June 17, 1950 as the Laguna Madre Causeway. Originally a toll road built by Nueces County, it was added to the state highway system in 1967 as PR 22. The causeway was rebuilt in 1961 after suffering damage from Hurricane Carla. With the road subject to flooding, it was rebuilt again between 2002-05 to raise the roadway level from 3 to 9 feet above mean tide.
East
Looking east at the SH 358 and PR 22 separation. Padre Island Drive continues as PR 22, while SH 358 exits to NAS Corpus Christi and Corpus Christi Army Depot.
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Laguna Madre can be accessed from eastbound PR 22.
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Turning southeast from Flour Bluff, the high level bridge across the Intracoastal Waterway comes into view along PR 22 eastbound.
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Advance signage for the first turnaround ramp, located just ahead of the Intracoastal Waterway.
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PR 22 east at the west Intracoastal Turnaround.
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Descending from the Intracoastal Waterway bridge, travelers along PR 22 find the second turnaround.
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Welcome to Padre Island, called "The Island" here.
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PR 22 curves south from Packery Channel Park toward the intersection with SH 361 north to Port Aransas.
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SH 361 ventures north across Newport Pass to Mustang Island State Park.
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PR 22 south at SH 361 north. SH 361 travels 37.40 miles overall from this intersection to Aransas Pass and SH 35 at Portland. PR 22 continues south to Padre Balli Park.
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West
Just before entering the Intracoastal Waterway bridge, PR 22 becomes a freeway with the first exit located at the east turnaround.
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PR 22 west at the Intrascoastal Turnaround. The state highway crosses a high level bridge with four lanes onto JFK Causeway.
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Ascending across the Intracoastal Waterway bridge along PR 22 westbound.
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Looking northward toward JFK Causeway from the Intracoastal Waterway bridge.
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Touching back down, PR 22 west reaches the off-ramp for the west Intracoastal Turnaround.
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Reassurance marker for Park Road 22 west, posted north of the Intracoastal Waterway turnaround on JFK Causeway.
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Originally built 3 feet above mean high tide, the reconstruction project to raise JFK Causeway was completed in early 2005.
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One mile south of the off-ramp for Waldron Road, which serves NAS Corpus Christi and Corpus Christi Army Depot.
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Looking west over the Humble Channel bridge. The Humble Channel bridge was rebuilt as part of Causeway reconstruction.
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Reassurance marker posted along JFK Causeway ahead of Flour Bluff.
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Reaching the Texas mainland, PR 22 west separates with the South Padre Island Drive frontage road west to Waldron Road.
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The last exit from PR 22 west joins the north side frontage road ahead of Flour Bluff Drive.
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Park Road 22 west merges with SH 358 at a wye interchange. SH 358 originates at the NAS Corpus Christi South Gate and curves northwest along a freeway into Corpus Christi.
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References:
- PR 22 over GULF INTRACOASTAL WTRWAY. http://bridgereports.com/1551970 BridgeReports.com.
Photo Credits:
- Kevin Trinkle: 07/11/05
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Page Updated Monday July 18, 2005.