MacArthur Causeway
Encyclopedia
The General Douglas MacArthur Causeway is a six-lane causeway
which connects Downtown
, Miami, Florida
and South Beach
, Miami Beach
via Biscayne Bay
.
The highway is the singular roadway connecting the mainland
and beaches to Watson Island and the bay neighborhoods of Palm Island, Hibiscus Island
, and Star Island. The MacArthur Causeway carries Interstate 395
and Florida State Route A1A over the Biscayne Bay. Interstate 395 ends at Fountain Street, the entrance to Palm Island Park which has a traffic light
as well as bus stop
s.
, with the deteriorating wooden Collins Bridge
(now, the Venetian Causeway
) as the only direct land route between mainland Miami and the barrier island
s of Miami Beach, construction on the roadway began in 1917. The roadway, dedicated as the County Causeway, was completed in 1920. Watson Island was reclaimed surrounding the western end of the roadway, completed in 1926.
Having undergone several lane and structural expansions following opening of the original two-lane road, the Florida State Road Board
and Dade County Commission
voted to rename the causeway in honor of World War II
General
Douglas MacArthur
in 1942. Accessible from mainland Miami via Biscayne Boulevard and intersecting side streets
through the 1990s
, direct highway access was added to I-395
in 1997.
Causeway
In modern usage, a causeway is a road or railway elevated, usually across a broad body of water or wetland.- Etymology :When first used, the word appeared in a form such as “causey way” making clear its derivation from the earlier form “causey”. This word seems to have come from the same source by...
which connects Downtown
Downtown Miami
Downtown Miami is an urban residential neighborhood, and the central business district of Miami, Miami-Dade County, and South Florida in the United States...
, Miami, Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
and South Beach
South Beach
South Beach, also nicknamed SoBe, is a neighborhood in the city of Miami Beach, Florida, United States. It is the area south of Indian Creek and encompasses roughly the southernmost 23 blocks of the main barrier island that separates the Atlantic Ocean and Biscayne Bay.This area was the first...
, Miami Beach
Miami Beach, Florida
Miami Beach is a coastal resort city in Miami-Dade County, Florida, United States, incorporated on March 26, 1915. The municipality is located on a barrier island between the Atlantic Ocean and Biscayne Bay, the latter which separates the Beach from Miami city proper...
via Biscayne Bay
Biscayne Bay
Biscayne Bay is a lagoon that is approximately 35 miles long and up to 8 miles wide located on the Atlantic coast of South Florida, United States. It is usually divided for purposes of discussion and analysis into three parts: North Bay, Central Bay, and South Bay. Its area is...
.
The highway is the singular roadway connecting the mainland
Mainland
Mainland is a name given to a large landmass in a region , or to the largest of a group of islands in an archipelago. Sometimes its residents are called "Mainlanders"...
and beaches to Watson Island and the bay neighborhoods of Palm Island, Hibiscus Island
Hibiscus Island
Hibiscus Island is a neighborhood on an man-made island located in Biscayne Bay, in the city of Miami Beach, Florida, United States. Hibiscus Island lies just north of Palm Island. It is an exclusive residential neighborhood with relatively high property values...
, and Star Island. The MacArthur Causeway carries Interstate 395
Interstate 395
Interstate 395 may refer to:*Interstate 395 , a spur from I-95 to Washington, D.C.*Interstate 395 , a spur from I-95 to Auburn, Massachusetts*Interstate 395 , a spur in Miami, Florida...
and Florida State Route A1A over the Biscayne Bay. Interstate 395 ends at Fountain Street, the entrance to Palm Island Park which has a traffic light
Traffic light
Traffic lights, which may also be known as stoplights, traffic lamps, traffic signals, signal lights, robots or semaphore, are signalling devices positioned at road intersections, pedestrian crossings and other locations to control competing flows of traffic...
as well as bus stop
Bus stop
A bus stop is a designated place where buses stop for passengers to board or leave a bus. These are normally positioned on the highway and are distinct from off-highway facilities such as bus stations. The construction of bus stops tends to reflect the level of usage...
s.
History
In the late 1910s1910s
File:1910s montage.png|From left, clockwise: The Model T Ford is introduced and becomes widespread; The sinking of the R.M.S. Titanic causes the deaths of nearly 1,500 people and attracts global and historical attention; Title bar: All the events below are part of World War I ; French Army lookout...
, with the deteriorating wooden Collins Bridge
Collins Bridge
The Collins Bridge was a bridge that crossed Biscayne Bay between Miami and Miami Beach, Florida. At the time it was completed, it was the longest wooden bridge in the world. It was built by farmer and developer John S. Collins with financial assistance from automotive parts and racing pioneer...
(now, the Venetian Causeway
Venetian Causeway
The Venetian Causeway crosses Biscayne Bay between Miami on the mainland and Miami Beach on a barrier island in south Florida. The man-made Venetian Islands and non-bridge portions of the causeway were created by materials which came from the dredging of the bay. The Venetian Causeway follows the...
) as the only direct land route between mainland Miami and the barrier island
Barrier island
Barrier islands, a coastal landform and a type of barrier system, are relatively narrow strips of sand that parallel the mainland coast. They usually occur in chains, consisting of anything from a few islands to more than a dozen...
s of Miami Beach, construction on the roadway began in 1917. The roadway, dedicated as the County Causeway, was completed in 1920. Watson Island was reclaimed surrounding the western end of the roadway, completed in 1926.
Having undergone several lane and structural expansions following opening of the original two-lane road, the Florida State Road Board
Florida Department of Transportation
The Florida Department of Transportation is a decentralized agency charged with the establishment, maintenance, and regulation of public transportation in the state of Florida. The department was formed in 1969. It absorbed the powers of the Florida State Road Department...
and Dade County Commission
Miami-Dade county law and government
Since its formation in 1957, Miami-Dade County has had a two-tier system of government. Under this system, Miami-Dade comprises a large unincorporated area and 35 incorporated areas or municipalities...
voted to rename the causeway in honor of World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
General
General of the Army (United States)
General of the Army is a five-star general officer and is the second highest possible rank in the United States Army. A special rank of General of the Armies, which ranks above General of the Army, does exist but has only been conferred twice in the history of the Army...
Douglas MacArthur
Douglas MacArthur
General of the Army Douglas MacArthur was an American general and field marshal of the Philippine Army. He was a Chief of Staff of the United States Army during the 1930s and played a prominent role in the Pacific theater during World War II. He received the Medal of Honor for his service in the...
in 1942. Accessible from mainland Miami via Biscayne Boulevard and intersecting side streets
Side road
A side road is a minor highway typically leading off a main road. A side road may be so minor as to be uncategorized with a road number.In an urban area, a side road may be a narrow street leading off a more major street, especially in a residential area....
through the 1990s
1990s
File:1990s decade montage.png|From left, clockwise: The Hubble Space Telescope floats in space after it was taken up in 1990; American F-16s and F-15s fly over burning oil fields and the USA Lexie in Operation Desert Storm, also known as the 1991 Gulf War; The signing of the Oslo Accords on...
, direct highway access was added to I-395
Interstate 395 (Florida)
Interstate 395 is a long, elevated Interstate Highway that connects Interstate 95 in the west with the MacArthur Causeway in the east in the Miami area via the Midtown Interchange...
in 1997.