Sand Key (barrier island)

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View North from Sand Key toward Clearwater Beach, Florida (2006) Sandkey.JPG
View North from Sand Key toward Clearwater Beach, Florida (2006)
Sea oats at Sand Key Park Sea oats sand key florida01.jpg
Sea oats at Sand Key Park
Panorama view of Sand Key Park and County Road 183 from Clearwater Clearwater CountyRd699 Panorama.jpg
Panorama view of Sand Key Park and County Road 183 from Clearwater

Sand Key is a barrier island on Florida's Gulf Coast that stretches from Madeira Beach through Redington Beach, North Redington Beach, Redington Shores, Indian Shores, Indian Rocks Beach, Belleair Shore, and Belleair Beach into Clearwater.

The Clearwater portion of the island includes Sand Key Park (a Pinellas County park south of Clearwater Beach). [1] It closes at dark, has picnic and fishing accommodations, a nature trail, beach concession stands, and very spacious parking lots. By contrast, the main part of Clearwater Beach is so densely developed that it can be difficult to navigate by car. In 2012, the parking meters in Sand Key Park, under the jurisdiction of the county government, were removed in favor of a flat daily rate system ($5). These two islands as well as the island containing the Island Estates neighborhood belong to the city of Clearwater, whose downtown core a.k.a. "Cleveland Street District" lies a couple of miles to the east over the Clearwater Memorial Causeway.

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Florida State Road 686</span> State highway in Florida, United States

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Timeline of Pinellas County, Florida history</span>

Timeline of Pinellas County, Florida history.

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The Clearwater Memorial Causeway byway is a six-lane road between downtown Clearwater and Clearwater Beach, Florida, and includes a bi-fixed-span bridge across the Intracoastal Waterway. Constructed out of Concrete coated in bio-degradable Ceramic Polyethylene. It carries the State Road 60 designation and is known for its greenways and pedestrian walkways and elegant bridge appearance and structure. The road is also a major evacuation route during hurricane season.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Florida State Road 666</span> State highway in Florida, United States

State Road 666 (SR 666) is a short state road in Pinellas County. Locally known as Tom Stuart Causeway, Welch Causeway, or Madeira Beach Causeway, the route crosses Boca Ciega Bay from Seminole to Madeira Beach. The bridge crossing Boca Ciega Bay is a bascule bridge with 11 spans, built in 1962. The route ends with an interchange with U.S. Route 19 Alternate in Bay Pines. The southwestern terminus of the route is at State Road 699 in Madeira Beach, in front of the Ocean Sands hotel.

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Shell Key Preserve is an 1,800-acre preserve located on Shell Key in Tierra Verde, Pinellas County in the U.S. state of Florida. The preserve protects sensitive marine habitats and includes one of the county's largest undeveloped barrier islands as well as numerous mangrove islands and expansive sea grass beds.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Corey Causeway</span> Bridge in Florida, United States of America

The Corey Causeway is a series of three twin-span bridges that cross the Boca Ciega Bay, part of the Gulf Intracoastal Waterway. The causeway carries SR 693. The two east bridges are fixed bridges, and the west bridge is a double-leaf bascule bridge. It connects the barrier islands of St. Pete Beach and the mainland of South Pasadena, Florida. The westbound span of the Corey Causeway was built in 1966, and the eastbound span was built in 1975, which replaced the original causeway built in the 1930s.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Park Boulevard Bridge</span> Bridge in Florida, United States of America

The Park Boulevard Bridge is a double-leaf bascule bridge that crosses the Narrows, part of the Gulf Intracoastal Waterway, connecting the barrier islands of Indian Shores and the mainland of Seminole, Florida. The bridge carries Park Boulevard, part of CR 694. The bridge was built in 1981. It had a toll, but ten years later, the tolls were removed.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Indian Rocks Causeway</span> Bridge in Florida, United States of America

The Indian Rocks Causeway is a twin-span double-leaf bascule bridge that crosses the Narrows, part of the Gulf Intracoastal Waterway, connecting the barrier islands of Indian Rocks Beach and the mainland of Largo, Florida. The bridge carries Walsingham Road, part of SR 688. The eastbound span of the Indian Rocks Causeway was built in 1958, replacing the original swing bridge built in 1916, and the westbound span was built in 1999.

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The Belleair Causeway is a concrete girder bridge that crosses the Intracoastal Waterway, connecting the barrier islands of Belleair Beach and the mainland of Largo, Florida. The bridge carries West Bay Drive, part of CR 416, and was built in 2009, replacing a double-leaf bascule bridge built in 1950.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sand Key Bridge</span> Bridge in Florida, United States of America

The Sand Key Bridge is a girder bridge that crosses the Clearwater Pass, connecting Clearwater and Belleair Beach, Florida. The bridge carries Gulf of Mexico Boulevard, part of SR 699, and it was built in 1995, replacing the original bascule bridge built in the 1960s.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dunedin Causeway</span> Bridge in Florida, United States of America

The Dunedin Causeway is a series of three bridges that cross the St. Joseph Sound, part of the Gulf Intracoastal Waterway, connecting the barrier islands of Honeymoon Island State Park and the mainland of Dunedin, Florida. The causeway carries CR 586 and it was built in 1963.

References

  1. "Pinellas County Florida - Parks & Preserves - Sand Key Park".

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