.gif)
State Road 865 (Florida)
Encyclopedia
Originally a continuous Florida State Road extending from Bonita Springs
to Tice, Florida
and serving Fort Myers
and Fort Myers Beach
, State Road 865 now consists of two segments connected by a part of Lee County Road 865 that was originally part of SR 865, one signed north–south, the other east–west.
-Fort Myers
area access to Estero Island in the Gulf of Mexico
. The southern terminus is an intersection with Estero Boulevard (CR 865) in Fort Myers Beach, just east of Bodwitch Point Park; after crossing the Matanzas Pass Bridge
and San Carlos Island, SR 865 forms the western boundary of Estero Bay Preserve State Park
adjacent to Hurricane Bay.
San Carlos Boulevard then intersects with Summerlin Road (CR 869), which is a grade-separated Single-Point Urban Interchange
, with Summerlin Road crossing above on an overpass
. Summerlin Road is a highway that connects downtown Fort Myers with Sanibel Island
via the Sanibel Causeway
.
The southern section of SR 865 continues northward its northern terminus, an intersection with McGregor Boulevard
, which is SR 867
to the northeast of the intersection, and CR 867 to the southwest, a more direct route connecting downtown Fort Myers to the popular Sanibel and Captiva
islands. The northernmost 0.2 mile (0.321868 km) of this section of SR 865 (in Iona
) was added to the southern segment at about the time that Florida Department of Transportation
removed the SR 865 signs from a section of Gladiolus Drive (see below).
, the northern section of SR 865 is locally known as Ben C. Pratt/Six Mile Cypress Parkway. The western terminus is an intersection with US 41; the eastern terminus is an intersection with Metro Parkway (SR 739); one mile (1.6 km) further to the east on Six Mile Cypress Parkway are the Lee County Sports Complex, which contains Hammond Stadium
, the spring training
home of the Minnesota Twins
major league baseball
team, and, across the street, the Six Mile Cypress Slough Preserve.
.
The historic southern terminus of SR 865 is an interchange between Interstate 75 (SR 93
) and Bonita Beach Road in Bonita Springs
. From there SR 865 followed Bonita Beach Road westward, through Bonita Springs
and to Hickory Boulevard on Bonita Beach (Little Hickory Island), near the Gulf of Mexico
shore. Motorists traveling north along then-SR 865 notice Hickory Boulevard change into Bonita Beach Causeway
and then Estero Boulevard as they pass through the city of Bonita Springs, Long Key, Black Island
, and the town of Fort Myers Beach before leaving northward from Estero Island on San Carlos Boulevard (current SR 865).
From San Carlos Boulevard, the former SR 865 continued 17 miles (27.4 km) eastward along Gladiolus Drive, then (first eastward, then northway) along Six Mile Cypress Parkway and north along Ortiz Avenue, to its historic northern terminus, an intersection with Palm Beach Boulevard (SR 80
) in Tice
. North of Fort Myers, the former SR 865 forms an alternative route toward Sanibel Island and Captiva Island by bypassing the downtown area.
Bonita Springs, Florida
Bonita Springs is a city in Lee County, Florida, United States. The population was 43,914 at the 2010 census. It is part of the Cape Coral–Fort Myers Metropolitan Statistical Area. The city is located on the southwest coast of the state....
to Tice, Florida
Tice, Florida
Tice is a census-designated place in Lee County, Florida, in the United States. As of the 2000 census, the CDP population was 4,538. It is part of the Cape Coral–Fort Myers Metropolitan Statistical Area.-Geography:...
and serving Fort Myers
Fort Myers, Florida
Fort Myers is the county seat and commercial center of Lee County, Florida, United States. Its population was 62,298 in the 2010 census, a 29.23 percent increase over the 2000 figure....
and Fort Myers Beach
Fort Myers Beach, Florida
Fort Myers Beach is a town located on Estero Island in Lee County, Florida, United States. The population was 6,561 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Cape Coral–Fort Myers Metropolitan Statistical Area.-Geography:...
, State Road 865 now consists of two segments connected by a part of Lee County Road 865 that was originally part of SR 865, one signed north–south, the other east–west.
Southern section
Locally known as San Carlos Boulevard, the 4.8-mile-long southern section of SR 865 provides the Cape CoralCape Coral, Florida
Cape Coral is a municipality located in Lee County, Florida, United States, on the Gulf of Mexico. Founded in 1957 and developed as a master-planned, pre-platted community, the city grew to a population of 154,305 by the year 2010. With an area of , Cape Coral is the largest city between Tampa and...
-Fort Myers
Fort Myers, Florida
Fort Myers is the county seat and commercial center of Lee County, Florida, United States. Its population was 62,298 in the 2010 census, a 29.23 percent increase over the 2000 figure....
area access to Estero Island in the Gulf of Mexico
Gulf of Mexico
The Gulf of Mexico is a partially landlocked ocean basin largely surrounded by the North American continent and the island of Cuba. It is bounded on the northeast, north and northwest by the Gulf Coast of the United States, on the southwest and south by Mexico, and on the southeast by Cuba. In...
. The southern terminus is an intersection with Estero Boulevard (CR 865) in Fort Myers Beach, just east of Bodwitch Point Park; after crossing the Matanzas Pass Bridge
Matanzas Pass Bridge
The Matanzas Pass Bridge is a bridge located in Fort Myers Beach, Florida. It carries State Road 865 between the Florida mainland and Estero Island, which is a major tourist destination. The bridge is one of the island's two connections to the mainland...
and San Carlos Island, SR 865 forms the western boundary of Estero Bay Preserve State Park
Estero Bay Preserve State Park
Estero Bay Preserve State Park, the first aquatic nature preserve established in Florida, is a Florida State Park located near Estero, between Fort Myers and Naples. It consists of the water, inlets, and islands along of Estero Bay. Activities include fishing, and boating, bicycling, canoeing, ...
adjacent to Hurricane Bay.
San Carlos Boulevard then intersects with Summerlin Road (CR 869), which is a grade-separated Single-Point Urban Interchange
Single-point urban interchange
A single-point urban interchange , also called a single-point interchange or single-point diamond interchange , is a type of highway interchange...
, with Summerlin Road crossing above on an overpass
Overpass
An overpass is a bridge, road, railway or similar structure that crosses over another road or railway...
. Summerlin Road is a highway that connects downtown Fort Myers with Sanibel Island
Sanibel Island
Sanibel Island is an island located on the Gulf coast of Florida, just offshore of Fort Myers. In 2000, it had an estimated population of 6,064 people...
via the Sanibel Causeway
Sanibel Causeway
The Sanibel Causeway is a causeway in Southwest Florida that spans the San Carlos Bay, connecting Sanibel Island with the Florida mainland in South Fort Myers. The causeway consists of three separate two-lane bridge spans, and two man-made causeway islands, which are located between each of the...
.
The southern section of SR 865 continues northward its northern terminus, an intersection with McGregor Boulevard
Florida State Road 867
State Road 867 and Lee County Road 867 together create a roadway in Lee County, Florida, connecting Punta Rassa and Fort Myers, Florida. The entire stretch used to be a State Road, but the southernmost have been redesignated County Road 867...
, which is SR 867
State Road 867 (Florida)
State Road 867 and Lee County Road 867 together create a roadway in Lee County, Florida, connecting Punta Rassa and Fort Myers, Florida. The entire stretch used to be a State Road, but the southernmost have been redesignated County Road 867...
to the northeast of the intersection, and CR 867 to the southwest, a more direct route connecting downtown Fort Myers to the popular Sanibel and Captiva
Captiva Island
Captiva Island is an island in Lee County in southwest Florida, located just offshore in the Gulf of Mexico.-History:According to local folklore, Captiva got its name because the pirate captain José Gaspar held his female prisoners on the island for ransom or worse...
islands. The northernmost 0.2 mile (0.321868 km) of this section of SR 865 (in Iona
Iona, Florida
Iona is a census-designated place in Lee County, Florida, United States. The population was 11,756 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Cape Coral–Fort Myers Metropolitan Statistical Area.-Geography:Iona is located at ....
) was added to the southern segment at about the time that Florida Department of Transportation
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...
removed the SR 865 signs from a section of Gladiolus Drive (see below).
Northern section
Extending 1.1 miles (1.8 km) in South Fort MyersSouth Fort Myers, Florida
South Fort Myers is an unincorporated area of Lee County, Florida, United States. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, in 2000 the area had a population of 49,912....
, the northern section of SR 865 is locally known as Ben C. Pratt/Six Mile Cypress Parkway. The western terminus is an intersection with US 41; the eastern terminus is an intersection with Metro Parkway (SR 739); one mile (1.6 km) further to the east on Six Mile Cypress Parkway are the Lee County Sports Complex, which contains Hammond Stadium
Hammond Stadium
Hammond Stadium is a baseball field located in the Lee County Sports Complex in South Fort Myers, Florida, United States. The stadium was built in and holds 7,500 people. It is the Spring Training home of the Minnesota Twins, and houses their Class A Advanced affiliate, the Fort Myers Miracle, in...
, the spring training
Spring training
In Major League Baseball, spring training is a series of practices and exhibition games preceding the start of the regular season. Spring training allows new players to try out for roster and position spots, and gives existing team players practice time prior to competitive play...
home of the Minnesota Twins
Minnesota Twins
The Minnesota Twins are a professional baseball team based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. They play in the Central Division of Major League Baseball's American League. The team is named after the Twin Cities area of Minneapolis and St. Paul. They played in Metropolitan Stadium from 1961 to 1981 and the...
major league baseball
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...
team, and, across the street, the Six Mile Cypress Slough Preserve.
Historic State Road 865 and Lee County Road 865
Until the 1980s, State Road 865 signs were posted along a much longer highway. In the mid 1970s, FDOT designated three large sections of then-SR 865 as secondary routes, which started a process in which these designated sections would be transformed from State Road 865 into Lee County Road 865. This was part of a series of transformations that particularly affected southern FloridaFormer State Roads in southern Florida
In the mid 1970s, the Florida Department of Transportation started a sequence of events that eventually resulted in the transferral of hundred of miles of roadway from State of Florida maintenance to county control...
.
The historic southern terminus of SR 865 is an interchange between Interstate 75 (SR 93
State Road 93 (Florida)
State Road 93 is the hidden Florida Department of Transportation designator for the following routes:*Interstate 75 from the Georgia state line to the interchange with the Palmetto Expressway and the Gratigny Parkway in Miami Lakes....
) and Bonita Beach Road in Bonita Springs
Bonita Springs, Florida
Bonita Springs is a city in Lee County, Florida, United States. The population was 43,914 at the 2010 census. It is part of the Cape Coral–Fort Myers Metropolitan Statistical Area. The city is located on the southwest coast of the state....
. From there SR 865 followed Bonita Beach Road westward, through Bonita Springs
Bonita Springs, Florida
Bonita Springs is a city in Lee County, Florida, United States. The population was 43,914 at the 2010 census. It is part of the Cape Coral–Fort Myers Metropolitan Statistical Area. The city is located on the southwest coast of the state....
and to Hickory Boulevard on Bonita Beach (Little Hickory Island), near the Gulf of Mexico
Gulf of Mexico
The Gulf of Mexico is a partially landlocked ocean basin largely surrounded by the North American continent and the island of Cuba. It is bounded on the northeast, north and northwest by the Gulf Coast of the United States, on the southwest and south by Mexico, and on the southeast by Cuba. In...
shore. Motorists traveling north along then-SR 865 notice Hickory Boulevard change into Bonita Beach Causeway
Bonita Beach Causeway
The Bonita Beach Causeway is a series of four low-level bridges located in Southwest Florida connecting Bonita Springs with Fort Myers Beach. It carries Estero Boulevard and is four miles long from end to end. The Bonita Beach Causeway traverses three natural barrier islands bordered by the Gulf...
and then Estero Boulevard as they pass through the city of Bonita Springs, Long Key, Black Island
Black Island
Black Island may refer to:Australia* Black Island * Black Island, Whitsunday Islands, QueenslandElsewhere* Black Island , Palawan, Philippines* Black Island , Antarctica...
, and the town of Fort Myers Beach before leaving northward from Estero Island on San Carlos Boulevard (current SR 865).
From San Carlos Boulevard, the former SR 865 continued 17 miles (27.4 km) eastward along Gladiolus Drive, then (first eastward, then northway) along Six Mile Cypress Parkway and north along Ortiz Avenue, to its historic northern terminus, an intersection with Palm Beach Boulevard (SR 80
State Road 80 (Florida)
Florida State Road 80 is a route linking US 41 in Fort Myers and Florida State Road A1A in Palm Beach. The road is the northernmost of three linking Southwest Florida to South Florida via the Everglades...
) in Tice
Tice, Florida
Tice is a census-designated place in Lee County, Florida, in the United States. As of the 2000 census, the CDP population was 4,538. It is part of the Cape Coral–Fort Myers Metropolitan Statistical Area.-Geography:...
. North of Fort Myers, the former SR 865 forms an alternative route toward Sanibel Island and Captiva Island by bypassing the downtown area.