Interstate 295

Interstate 295 is a 12.93-mile (20.81 km) auxiliary Interstate Highway forming an eastern bypass of Jacksonville, Florida. The route connects with its parent, Interstate 95, at both its western and eastern termini, creating a partial beltway around the city's urban core. It serves as a critical conduit for through traffic and provides access to several major commercial and residential areas within Duval County.

Route description

The highway begins at a complex trumpet interchange with Interstate 10 and Interstate 95 southwest of downtown Jacksonville. From this junction, it travels eastward, crossing the St. Johns River via the Dames Point Bridge, a prominent cable-stayed bridge that is one of the tallest structures in the city. East of the river, the route curves northward, passing through suburban areas and providing key access to the Jacksonville International Airport corridor and the Cecil Commerce Center. It features interchanges with major arterial roads such as State Road 9A and U.S. Route 1 before reaching its eastern terminus at another large interchange with Interstate 95 near the Trout River. The entire route is maintained by the Florida Department of Transportation and is part of the National Highway System.

History

The need for an eastern bypass around Jacksonville was identified in the 1960s as part of the broader planning for the Interstate Highway System in Florida. Construction on the initial segments began in the late 1970s, with the first section opening to traffic in 1980. The most significant engineering challenge and milestone was the completion of the Dames Point Bridge in 1989, which finally connected the two halves of the route across the St. Johns River. This connection was vital for completing the beltway function and alleviating congestion on Interstate 95 through downtown Jacksonville. Subsequent projects have focused on widening and modernizing interchanges, particularly at the junctions with State Road 9A and Interstate 10, to handle increasing traffic volumes. The route's designation and alignment were formally approved by the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials.

Junction list

The entire route is in Duval County. {| class="wikitable" |- ! Location ! mi ! km ! Exit ! Destinations ! Notes |- | Jacksonville | 0.00 | 0.00 | 1 | I-10 / I-95 – Downtown Jacksonville, Lake City | Western terminus; trumpet interchange |- | | 2.50 | 4.02 | 2 | SR 115 (New Kings Road) | Diamond interchange |- | | 4.80 | 7.72 | 5 | SR 113 (Main Street) | Partial cloverleaf interchange |- | Dames Point Bridge over the St. Johns River | 6.20 | 9.98 | – | – | No exits |- | Jacksonville | 7.10 | 11.43 | 7 | SR 105 (Heckscher Drive) – Fort George Island | Diamond interchange |- | | 9.30 | 14.97 | 9 | SR 9A (First Coast Expressway) – Jacksonville Airport, St. Augustine | Spaghetti Junction; stack interchange |- | | 11.20 | 18.02 | 11 | US 1 (New Berlin Road) | Diamond interchange |- | | 12.93 | 20.81 | 13 | I-95 – Downtown Jacksonville, Savannah | Eastern terminus; trumpet interchange |}

Auxiliary routes

As a three-digit auxiliary Interstate, it is itself a bypass route of its parent, Interstate 95. There are no signed auxiliary routes branching directly from this highway. However, it has a direct and important connection to State Road 9A, which is designated as the First Coast Expressway and functions as an outer beltway for the greater Jacksonville metropolitan area. This corridor is part of the strategic long-term vision of the Florida Department of Transportation for regional traffic management. Other significant connecting routes that feed traffic onto it include U.S. Route 1 and State Road 115, which serve local and regional travel needs.

Category:Interstate Highways in Florida Category:Transportation in Jacksonville, Florida Category:Transportation in Duval County, Florida