Interstate 295 Florida

Interstate 295 Florida

Overview

I-295 N.B. Broward Bridge - Jacksonville, FL

The Napoleon Bonaparte Broward Bridge (Dames Point Bridge) carries Interstate 295 over the St. Johns River northeast of central Jacksonville near Blount Island. Opened in March 1989, the cable-stayed bridge is one of the tallest in the Southeast. 03/03/13

Interstate 295 forms the suburban beltway loop around the Jacksonville metropolitan area. Opened in stages between 1967 and 2006, the loop partitioned into  the West Beltway and East Beltway. The West Beltway represents the original 35 miles of I-295, from I-95 at Southside Jacksonville west to the town of Orange Park, and north to Hyde Park, Marrietta and Dismore back to I-95 at Turtle Creek Jacksonville International Airport (JAX). The 26 mile long East Beltway continues I-295 from the West Beltway and I-95 through Oceanway at Northside, Jacksonville to the Dames Point Bridge. South from the St. Johns River, the East Beltway runs east of Arlington through suburban areas of Sandlewood, Deerwood and Deercreek. Turning west from SR 9B (Future I-795), I-295 along the West Beltway converges with I-95 at Greenland.

I-95/I-295 North Interchange Reconfiguration

Major reconstruction of the I-95/I-295 North Interchange started in November 2016. The $176.8 million project replaces left exit ramps from the beltway to I-95 with high speed flyovers. Work through Spring 2021 late 2022 Spring 2024 also replaces ramps from the East Beltway north to I-95 north and from the West Beltway north to I-95 south.

I-95/I-295 North Interchange Reconfiguration project map

Route Information

  • North End – Jacksonville, FL

  • South End – Jacksonville, FL

  • Mileage – 61.04

  • Cities – Jacksonville
  • Junctions – I-95 I-10

Source: December 31, 2021 Interstate Route Log and Finders List

I-295 Annual Average Daily Traffic (AADT)

Source: 2013 AADT Florida Traffic Online (FDOT)

Jacksonville, FL - 1962
This inset from the 1962 Rand McNally North American Road Atlas shows Interstate 295 proposed along the 20th Street Expressway across north Jacksonville.

Later renamed Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Expressway, the route of the then 20th Street Expressway eventually curved southward to tie into the west end of the Mathews Bridge (SR 115). The segment east from the St. Johns River was never built.

A collector distributor roadway being built along the eastbound lanes of the East Beltway eliminates weaving traffic between I-95 and the adjacent exchange (Exit 36) with U.S. 17. This project was preceded by the addition of a flyover that replaced a loop ramp from I-95 south to the East Beltway in August 2010.

I-295 Express Lanes

Two sets of tolled Express Lanes were added along heavily traveled sections of the Jacksonville Beltway. Started in July 2014, an $89 million design-build project expanded each direction of I-295 from I-95 west to the Buckman Bridge with a 12 foot wide lane. Work also added noise walls and drainage ponds.

The West Beltway Express Lanes opened to motorists on May 18, 2019. Tolls are levied during morning and evening peak hours during weekdays and are free to motorists at other times.3

The second Express Lane addition for I-295 expands the beltway from SR 9B (Future I-795) north to SR 202 (J. Turner Butler [JTB] Boulevard). Construction here started in Summer 2016. Previously anticipated for completion in Fall 2019, work ran through Fall 2020 Fall 2021.3 The $139.9 million project through east Jacksonville added two additional 12 foot lanes in each direction along with noise walls and storm water ponds.

I-295 Buckman Bridge - Jacksonville, FL

Interstate 295 northbound heads west on the Buckman Bridge over the St. Johns River. A pair of four lane bridges carry traffic between the suburbs of Mandarin and Orange Park, southwest of central Jacksonville. 12/30/06

History

The following are key dates in the history of Interstate 295 in Florida:2

  • 1962 – An early possible segment of I-295 was shown as signed along the then-new 20th Street Expressway from U.S. 1 to Interstate 95; this section was eventually designated as portions of U.S. 1, U.S. 1 Alternate and SR 115.
  • 1967 – The first section of I-295 is under construction from I-95 northwest to Orange Park.
  • 1970 – I-295 opened from I-95 northwest to SR 134 (103rd Street). Freeway was under construction from 103rd Street north to I-10.
  • 1973 – I-295 opened from 103rd Street north to I-10.
  • 1975 – I-295 opened from I-10 north to Commonwealth Avenue.
  • 1977 – I- 295 opened from Commonwealth Avenue north to I-95 northwest of Jacksonville. Western half of the Jacksonville beltway was now complete.
  • 1983 – SR 9A opened from I-95 east to U.S. 17 at Oceanway, which is the first section of the East Beltway.
  • 1986 – Signed as SR 9A, the section from U.S. 17 southeast to SR 105 (Heckscher Drive) opened as a two lane freeway.
  • 1990 – I-295 opened along the Dames Point Bridge across the St. Johns River from SR 105 (Heckscher Drive) south to Monument Road. The bridge was signed as I-295 between 1990 and 1993.
  • 1993 – Previously signed sections of I-295 on the eastern half of the Jacksonville Beltway are resigned as SR 9A.
  • 1999 – New section of SR 9A was under construction from SR 202 (J. Turner Butler Boulevard) south to U.S. 1. The connection between the existing segment north from Monument Road and the new segment south from SR 202 is made via St. John’s Bluff Road.
  • 2002 – Section of SR 9A south from SR 202 to U.S. 1 opened to traffic. The portion from U.S. 1 southwest to Interstate 95 was under construction.
  • 2005 – SR 9A southerly connection between U.S. 1 and I-95 opened to traffic. Only the section between SR 202 (J. Turner Butler Boulevard) and U.S. 90 (Beach Boulevard) remained incomplete. Reconstruction begins at the SR 9A/J. Turner Butler interchange.
  • 2006 – Final section of SR 9A between SR 202 and U.S. 90 completed. Construction still ongoing at the J. Turner Butler interchange.
  • 2008 – Reconstruction of the SR 9A/J. Turner Butler interchange is finished. SR 9A East Beltway around Jacksonville officially complete.
  • 2012 – All State Road 9A signage is replaced with Interstate 295 along the entire East Beltway.

Although not yet constructed beyond the link between I-95 and U.S. 17 in Northside Jacksonville, the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) requested the future addition of the 25.1 mile long East Beltway, and a 4.6 mile long spur (SR 9B) south to I-95 near Bayard, to the Interstate system from the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) on May 13, 1986. The Future Interstate segments were requested under the provisions of 23 U.S.C. 139(b).

The East Beltway was completed on July 28, 2008. FDOT formally requested the extension of Interstate 295 to the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) on March 31, 2019. Upgrading I-295 from a Future Interstate, FHWA granted approval for the status change along the 25.532 mile segment of SR 9A on October 12, 2010.

I-295 north at I-10 - Jacksonville, FL

The exchange joining I-295 with I-10 at Normandy Village in Jacksonville remains mostly unchanged from its original design with left entrance ramps. 03/26/20

Photo Guides

North End I-95 – Northside, Jacksonville, Florida

I-295 West Beltway – North at I-95

I-295 / West Beltway north at I-95 - Jacksonville, FL

Interstate 295 north along the West Beltway meets I-95 (Exits 35AB) one mile east of the Biscayne Boulevard overpass. 01/05/19

I-295 / West Beltway north at I-95 - Jacksonville, FL

Exit 35A leaves for I-95 south to Downtown Jacksonville. Ongoing construction replaces Left Exit 35B for I-95 north to Jacksonville International Airport (JAX) and Savannah. 01/05/19

I-295 / West Beltway north at I-95 - Jacksonville, FL

Interstate 295 continues beyond Left Exit 35B onto the East Beltway to Mayport and the Jacksonville area beaches. 12/19/13

I-295 East Beltway – North at I-95

I-295 / East Beltway north at US 17 - 2013
I-295 / East Beltway north at US 17 - 2013

Interstate 295 / East Beltway northbound connects with I-95 three quarters of a mile west from the folded diamond interchange (Exit 36) with U.S. 17 (Main Street) at Oceanway. 03/03/13

I-295 / East Beltway north at I-95 - 2013

Exit 35B leaves I-295 north for I-95 north to JAX International Airport and Brunswick, Georgia. Savannah lies 129 miles to the north at the east end of Interstate 16. 03/03/13

I-295 / East Beltway north at I-95 - 2013

Interstate 295 south passes over I-95 ahead of the left side ramp for Downtown Jacksonville. The beltway continues 35 miles through the west side of Jacksonville and Orange Park to I-95 at South Side. 03/03/13

I-95 South at I-295

I-95 south 1.5 miles from I-295 at Northside Jacksonville, FL
I-95 south at I-295 - Northside, Jacksonville, FL

I-95 heads south from SR 102 (Airport Road) and Jacksonville International Airport (JAX) to Interstate 295 at Exit 362. 10/15/23, 05/26/19

I-95 south at I-295 - Northside, Jacksonville, FL
I-95 south at I-295 - Northside, Jacksonville, FL

Completed in 2010, the flyover (Exit 362 A) linking I-95 south with I-295 on the East Beltway departs beyond the Cole Road overpass. Exit 362 B follows for I-295 along the West Beltway to I-10 and Orange Park. 05/26/19, 12/31/17

I-95 south at I-295 - Northside, Jacksonville, FL

Interstate 295 (East Beltway) south meets U.S. 17 (Main Street) at the succeeding exit in the Oceanway area of north Jacksonville. 03/03/13

I-95 south at I-295 - Northside, Jacksonville, FL

Exit 362B departs southbound I-95 for Interstate 295 along the West Beltway 10.2 miles ahead of Downtown Jacksonville. 05/26/19

I-95 North at I-295

I-95 north at I-295 - Northside, Jacksonville, FL
I-95 north at I-295 - Northside, Jacksonville, FL

I-295 (East Beltway) provides direct access to the Jaxport Terminals at Dames Point and Blount Island via SR 105 at Exit 41. The freeway continues south from there across the Dames Point (N.B. Broward) Bridge to SR 10, U.S. 90, and SR 202, which lead east to the cities of Atlantic Beach, Jacksonville Beach and Neptune Beach. 09/22/14

I-95 north at I-295 - Northside, Jacksonville, FL

Exit 362B loops away from I-95 north to I-295 (West Beltway) south. Interstate 295 encircles the city through North Jacksonville, West Jacksonville, the city of Orange Park and Mandarin before returning to I-95 at Southside. 09/22/14

Throwback – I-295 East Beltway – north at I-95

I-295 / West Beltway north at I-95 - 2013
I-295 / West Beltway north at I-95 - 2013

I-295 / West Beltway northbound at I-95 before reconstruction of Exit 35 into a systems interchange. 03/13/13

I-295 north at I-95/SR 9A - 2006

I-295 north formerly ended opposite Florida State Road 9A south to the Oceanway neighborhood of Jacksonville. SR 9A was replaced with I-295 / East Beltway by 2012. 07/04/06

South End I-95 – Southside, Jacksonville, Florida

I-295 East Beltway – South at I-95

I-295/East Beltway south ahead of US 1 and I-95 in Jacksonville, Florida.

Heading southwest from SR 9B, I-95 continues to U.S. 1 (Philips Highway) at Deercreek and I-95 by Greenland in south Jacksonville. 09/25/22

I-295/East Beltway south a half mile ahead of I-95 in Southside Jacksonville.

The I-295 Express lane resume west from the systems interchange with I-95 across Southside Jacksonville. 09/25/22

I-295 south ahead of I-95 north toward Downtown Jacksonville, FL.

Exit 61 B leaves I-295 southbound next for I-95 north to Beaymeadows Center, Deerwood Center and San Marco. 09/25/22

Exit 61 B departs I-295/East Beltway south for I-95 north.

Interstate 95 travels 24.4 miles north from I-295 at Southside Jacksonville to I-295 by Turtle Creek in north Jacksonville. 09/25/22

I-295/East Beltway south at I-95 south to Daytona Beach, Florida.

A loop ramp follows at Exit 61 A for Interstate 95 south to Daytona Beach and Florida’s Space Coast. 09/25/22

Exit 61 A parts ways with I-295 south for I-95 south to Daytona Beach and Miami, Florida.

I-295 along the East Beltway southbound transitions to I-295 along the West Beltway northbound at Exit 61 A. 09/25/22

I-295 West Beltway – South at I-95

I-295 (West Beltway) one mile ahead of I-95 at Greenland in Jacksonville, FL.
I-295 southbound heads east into the exchange with I-95 at Southside Jacksonville with six lanes.

Interstate 295 travels along the Greenland community in Southside Jacksonville to the multi level interchange (Exit 61) with I-95. 09/25/22

I-295 (West Beltway) south at I-95 north to Downtown Jacksonville, FL.

A two lane flyover (Exit 61 B) departs northbound I-295 along the West Beltway to I-95 north to San Marco, the Fuller Warren Bridge across the St. Johns River, and Downtown Jacksonville. 09/25/22

I-295 (West Beltway) south at I-95 south to Daytona Beach, Florida.

Exit 61 A parts ways with the West Beltway next for Interstate 95 south to St. Augustine and Daytona Beach. 09/25/22

I-295 (West Beltway) south becomes northbound on the East Beltway around Jacksonville, FL.

Interstate 295 southbound transitions onto the East Beltway northbound ahead of the Jacksonville Beaches. 09/25/22

I-95 North at I-295

I-95 north at I-295 - Southside, Jacksonville, FL
I-95 one mile south of the systems interchange with I-295 at Southside Jacksonville.

Advancing north along I-95 through Southside Jacksonville toward the systems interchange (Exit 337) with Interstate 295. 10/06/18, 09/25/22

I-95 north to I-295 along the East Beltway leads to the Jacksonville, Florida beach cities.

The East Beltway of I-295 serves Jacksonville Beach, Atlantic Beach and Neptune Beach via connections with SR 202, U.S. 90, and SR 10. 09/25/22

I-95 north to I-295 (West Beltway) north leads to Orange Park, Florida.

The West Beltway portion of I-295, completed between 1968-77, encircles the Mandarin, Ortega, and Springfield neighborhoods of Jacksonville. 09/25/22

I-95 north at I-295 in Southside Jacksonville, Florida.

The West Beltway represents a major commuter freeway around the west side of Jacksonville while also providing access to I-10 for Lake City. The East Beltway extends north to area ports before returning to Interstate 95 near Jacksonville International Airport (JAX). 09/25/22

I-95 north at I-295 west to the Buckman Bridge and northeast toward Jacksonville Beach, Florida.

Exit 337 partitions for I-295 along the East and West Beltways beyond the Greenland Road overpass. 09/25/22

I-95 South at I-295

I-95 south 1.5 miles from I-295 at Southside Jacksonville, FL

Advancing south toward Interstate 295, I-95 runs between Baymeadows Center and Royal Lakes and switches sides with U.S. 1 (Philips Highway) at Mandarin Station. 10/15/23

I-95 south 0.75 miles from I-295 at Southside Jacksonville, FL

Spanning U.S. 1 (Phillips Highway) at Exit 338, Interstate 95 continues 0.75 miles south to I-295. 10/15/23

Two lanes depart from I-95 south at Exit 337 for I-295.
I-295 heads east from Southside Jacksonville toward the Jacksonville Beaches

Interstate 95 south expands to five lanes leading into the exchange with I-295 at Southside Jacksonville. 10/15/23

The West Beltway of I-295 crosses the Buckman Bridge west from I-95 and Southside Jacksonville

Two lanes depart southbound Interstate 95 for I-295 north along the West Beltway to Orange Park and the East Beltway to the Jacksonville Beaches. 10/15/23

Throwback – I-295 South at I-95

I-295 south at I-95 - Jacksonville, FL - 2002
I-295 south at I-95 - Jacksonville, FL - 2002

Interstate 295 south at I-95 during construction of the high-speed interchange with the East Beltway (SR 9A). Photos by Daniel Davis (10/05/02).

Throwback – I-95 North at I-295

I-95 north at I-295 - Jacksonville, FL - 2003

I-95 north ahead of I-295 at the site of the folded diamond interchange built with Old St. Augustine Road (Exit 335). Photo by Carter Buchanan (01/03).

I-95 north at I-295 - Jacksonville, FL - 2003
I-95 north at I-295 - Jacksonville, FL - 2003

A single lane left exit connected I-95 north with Interstate 295 at their original directional T interchange. Photos by Carter Buchanan (01/03).

I-95 north at I-295 - Jacksonville, FL - 2013

Traveling north along Interstate 95 two miles out from I-295 at Exit 335 for Old St. Augustine Road. 07/23/13

I-95 north at I-295 - Jacksonville, FL - 2013

Interstate 95 maintains three overall lanes through the multi level interchange with I-295 as it continues toward Downtown Jacksonville and Savannah, Georgia. 07/23/13

I-95 north at I-295 - Jacksonville, FL - 2013

Green outs on previous guide signs for Exit 337 covered SR 9A for the East Beltway. 03/03/13

Throwback – I-95 South at I-295

I-95 south at I-295/SR 9A - 2006

The previous directional T interchange with I-295 (West Beltway) was expanded with ramps to SR 9A along the East Beltway by 2005. 07/04/06

I-95 south at I-295/SR 9A - 2006

Exit 337 for I-295 was Exit 97 in the sequential numbering system. 07/04/06

I-95 south at I-295/SR 9A - 2006

Jacksonville Beaches were added for SR 9A/I-295 north on subsequent sign additions. 07/04/06

I-95 south at I-295/SR 9A - 2006

A single lane flyover joins I-95 south with I-295 (former SR 9A) northbound. 07/04/06

Sources:

  1. “Loop nears milestone.” Times-Union (Jacksonville, FL), October 14, 2003.
  2. Florida’s Interstates: A Half-Century of Progress. official Florida Department of Transportation site.
  3. “New West Beltway Express Lanes Now Open.” WOKV News 104.5 (Jacksonville, FL), May 18, 2019.

Page updated January 25, 2024.