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U.S. Route 19 Alternate (St. Petersburg, Florida)
Encyclopedia
Alternate U.S. Route 19 is the 40.08 miles (64.5 km) former section of U.S. Route 19 from St. Petersburg, Florida
to Holiday
.
Beginning at the intersection of 4th Street N (US 92 and SR 687 and 5th Avenue N in St. Petersburg, Florida
, it runs west of US 19 near the Gulf coast passing through the cities of Seminole, Clearwater, Dunedin and Tarpon Springs before ending at US 19 in Holiday
, Pasco County, Florida
. It is also the unsigned State Road 595 throughout the entire route. It also runs along much of the Pinellas Trail
.
As of September 2007, however, signage indicates that Alt US 19 once again follows US 19's old route all the way to US 92; this original route was numbered and signed as the hidden SR 595 designation of the main route, but the signs are slowly being phased out in favor of Alt US 19 shields. Both shields are in current use, however, for the time being, with the Alt US 19 signage on the highway itself, and the SR 595 directional signage at the intersections, including I-275
exit 23.
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Prior to February 2007, Alt. US 19 originally went south through downtown Clearwater on Fort Harrison Avenue, which becomes Clearwater-Largo Road upon entering Largo. It then turned east along West Bay Drive to the intersection of Seminole Boulevard, then turned south. This intersection is also the western terminus of SR 686 and, until the reconfiguration, the southern terminus of SR 651.
As of February 2007, Alt. US 19 was realigned along Missouri Ave., directly north to SR 60 (Court/Chestnut Streets) in Clearwater, west to Myrtle Avenue, then north, before joining Fort Harrison Avenue south of Sunset Point Road. The new alignment now effectively bypasses the downtowns of Largo and Clearwater. The original alignment has since been decommissioned by the FDOT and downloaded to the cities of Largo and Clearwater. SR 651 still exists in FDOT's road inventory lists, but as a "hidden" route number along the new Alt. US 19 alignment.
When this plan was first announced in 2001, it was viewed as good news for commuters and businesses championing the project as a way to turn Clearwater into a walkable community.
The planned St. Petersburg-Clearwater Expressway, or Pinellas Beltway, proposed in 1974, would have followed the current alignment of US Alt 19 from I-275
to Clearwater
. A freeway revolt cancelled the beltway by 1980. The intersection of Seminole Boulevard and Bay Pines Boulevard at Florida State Road 666
is a remnant of this proposed road.
Two extensions of the "hidden State Road 595" exist beyond Alternate US 19. The first one is between US 19 and US 92 in Downtown St. Petersburg, though this is being phased out, as signage indicates that Alt US 19 now ends at US 92 instead of US 19. The other is a brief multiplex with US 19 in Holiday which terminates a block north of the northern terminus of Alternate US 19 in Holiday at Mile Stetch Road. Pasco County Road 595 consists of Mile Stretch Road, then takes a sharp left onto Grand Boulevard. Within Holiday and Elfers
, the road runs along the right-of-way of a former railroad line before heading to Main Street in New Port Richey
, where it secretly makes another left turn before terminating at US 19. Pasco County Road 595 can be found again between Hudson
and Aripeka
, where it crosses the Pasco-Hernando County Line along the Gulf of Mexico
on its way towards Hernando Beach
, only to bypass downtown Hernando Beach and terminate once again with US 19, but this time also with the western terminus of Hernando CR 574/Spring Hill Drive.
St. Petersburg, Florida
St. Petersburg is a city in Pinellas County, Florida, United States. It is known as a vacation destination for both American and foreign tourists. As of 2008, the population estimate by the U.S. Census Bureau is 245,314, making St...
to Holiday
Holiday, Florida
Holiday , is a census-designated place in Pasco County, Florida, United States. It is a suburb included in the Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, Florida Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 21,904 at the 2000 census.The name Holiday, like the names of many towns, comes from a spark...
.
Beginning at the intersection of 4th Street N (US 92 and SR 687 and 5th Avenue N in St. Petersburg, Florida
St. Petersburg, Florida
St. Petersburg is a city in Pinellas County, Florida, United States. It is known as a vacation destination for both American and foreign tourists. As of 2008, the population estimate by the U.S. Census Bureau is 245,314, making St...
, it runs west of US 19 near the Gulf coast passing through the cities of Seminole, Clearwater, Dunedin and Tarpon Springs before ending at US 19 in Holiday
Holiday, Florida
Holiday , is a census-designated place in Pasco County, Florida, United States. It is a suburb included in the Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, Florida Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 21,904 at the 2000 census.The name Holiday, like the names of many towns, comes from a spark...
, Pasco County, Florida
Pasco County, Florida
Pasco County is a county located in the U.S. state of Florida. As of 2000, the population was 344,765. The July 1, 2007 census estimate according to the U.S. Census Bureau for the county is 462,715. Its county seat is Dade City, Florida which is in the northeast part of the county - somewhat...
. It is also the unsigned State Road 595 throughout the entire route. It also runs along much of the Pinellas Trail
Pinellas Trail
The Fred Marquis Pinellas Trail is a pathway in Pinellas County in the U.S. state of Florida. It stretches from Tarpon Springs in the north to St. Petersburg in the south, passing through the towns of Crystal Beach, Palm Harbor, Dunedin, Clearwater, Largo, Seminole, Bay Pines, South Pasadena and...
.
History
Alternate US 19 was established in 1951 when US 19 was realigned from St. Petersburg through Holiday. It hugs the Gulf coast, servicing Seminole, Clearwater, Dunedin and Tarpon Springs before ending at US 19 in Holliday. Originally, the southern terminus of US Alt 19 was at US 92/SR 687 in downtown St. Petersburg, but was truncated to US 19 in St. Petersburg.As of September 2007, however, signage indicates that Alt US 19 once again follows US 19's old route all the way to US 92; this original route was numbered and signed as the hidden SR 595 designation of the main route, but the signs are slowly being phased out in favor of Alt US 19 shields. Both shields are in current use, however, for the time being, with the Alt US 19 signage on the highway itself, and the SR 595 directional signage at the intersections, including I-275
Interstate 275 (Florida)
Interstate 275 in Florida serves the Tampa Bay metropolitan area, measuring 60.696 miles in length. The southern terminus is I-75 near Palmetto, just five miles east of the Sunshine Skyway Bridge, a toll bridge crossing Tampa Bay. The highway passes through St...
exit 23.
Realignment in Clearwater / Largo
As of February 2007, Alt. US 19 was realigned along Missouri Ave., directly north to SR 60 (Court/Chestnut Streets) in Clearwater, west to Myrtle Avenue, then north, before joining Fort Harrison Avenue south of Sunset Point Road. The new alignment now effectively bypasses the downtowns of Largo and Clearwater. The original alignment has since been decommissioned by the FDOT and downloaded to the cities of Largo and Clearwater. SR 651 still exists in FDOT's road inventory lists, but as a "hidden" route number along the new Alt. US 19 alignment.
When this plan was first announced in 2001, it was viewed as good news for commuters and businesses championing the project as a way to turn Clearwater into a walkable community.
Proposed expressways
Interstate 275 (Florida)
Interstate 275 in Florida serves the Tampa Bay metropolitan area, measuring 60.696 miles in length. The southern terminus is I-75 near Palmetto, just five miles east of the Sunshine Skyway Bridge, a toll bridge crossing Tampa Bay. The highway passes through St...
to Clearwater
Clearwater, Florida
Clearwater is a city located in Pinellas County, Florida, US, nearly due west of Tampa and northwest of St. Petersburg. In the west of Clearwater lies the Gulf of Mexico and in the east lies Tampa Bay. As of the 2000 census, the city had a total population of 108,787. It is the county seat of...
. A freeway revolt cancelled the beltway by 1980. The intersection of Seminole Boulevard and Bay Pines Boulevard at Florida State Road 666
Florida State Road 666
State Road 666 is a short Florida State Road in Pinellas County. Locally known as Tom Stuart Causeway, it crosses a lagoon from Seminole to Madeira Beach. The bridge has 11 spans, the longest span is in the middle, where the boats go across. It is called a bascule bridge, carrying 4 lanes of SR 666...
is a remnant of this proposed road.
Major junctions
| County | Location | Mile | Destinations | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pinellas Pinellas County, Florida Pinellas County is a county located in the state of Florida. Its county seat is Clearwater, Florida, and its largest city is St. Petersburg. This county is contained entirely within the telephone area code 727, except for some sections of Oldsmar, which have the area code 813... |
St. Petersburg St. Petersburg, Florida St. Petersburg is a city in Pinellas County, Florida, United States. It is known as a vacation destination for both American and foreign tourists. As of 2008, the population estimate by the U.S. Census Bureau is 245,314, making St... |
Southern terminus | ||
| Exit 23B | ||||
| Seminole Seminole, Florida Seminole is a city in Pinellas County, Florida, United States. The population was 10,890 at the 2000 census. As of 2007, the population estimated by the U.S. Census Bureau is 19,195. St. Petersburg College has a campus in the city.-Geography:... |
||||
| Largo Largo, Florida Largo is the third largest city in Pinellas County, Florida, USA and is part of the Tampa Bay Area. Centrally located, it is the crossroads of the county. As of the 2000 census, the City had a total population of 69,371. As of 2004, the population estimated by the U.S. Census Bureau was... |
||||
| Western terminus of SR 686 | ||||
| Clearwater Clearwater, Florida Clearwater is a city located in Pinellas County, Florida, US, nearly due west of Tampa and northwest of St. Petersburg. In the west of Clearwater lies the Gulf of Mexico and in the east lies Tampa Bay. As of the 2000 census, the city had a total population of 108,787. It is the county seat of... |
||||
| Dunedin Dunedin, Florida Dunedin is a city in Pinellas County, Florida, United States. The name comes from Dùn Èideann, the Scottish Gaelic name for Edinburgh, the capital of Scotland. The population was 35,691 at the 2000 census. As of 2004, the population recorded by the U.S. Census Bureau is 36,632... |
||||
| Palm Harbor Palm Harbor, Florida Palm Harbor is a census-designated place and an unincorporated community in Pinellas County, Florida, United States. As of the 2000 census, the CDP had a total population of 59,248.-Culture:... |
||||
| Tarpon Springs Tarpon Springs, Florida Tarpon Springs is a city in Pinellas County, Florida, United States. The population was 21,003 at the 2000 census. According to the U.S. Census Bureau's 2004 estimates, the city had a population of 22,554.... |
||||
| Pasco Pasco County, Florida Pasco County is a county located in the U.S. state of Florida. As of 2000, the population was 344,765. The July 1, 2007 census estimate according to the U.S. Census Bureau for the county is 462,715. Its county seat is Dade City, Florida which is in the northeast part of the county - somewhat... |
Holiday Holiday, Florida Holiday , is a census-designated place in Pasco County, Florida, United States. It is a suburb included in the Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, Florida Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 21,904 at the 2000 census.The name Holiday, like the names of many towns, comes from a spark... |
Northern terminus | ||
State-County Roads 595
Two extensions of the "hidden State Road 595" exist beyond Alternate US 19. The first one is between US 19 and US 92 in Downtown St. Petersburg, though this is being phased out, as signage indicates that Alt US 19 now ends at US 92 instead of US 19. The other is a brief multiplex with US 19 in Holiday which terminates a block north of the northern terminus of Alternate US 19 in Holiday at Mile Stetch Road. Pasco County Road 595 consists of Mile Stretch Road, then takes a sharp left onto Grand Boulevard. Within Holiday and Elfers
Elfers, Florida
Elfers is a census-designated place in Pasco County, Florida, United States. The population was 13,161 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Elfers is located at ....
, the road runs along the right-of-way of a former railroad line before heading to Main Street in New Port Richey
New Port Richey, Florida
New Port Richey is a city in Pasco County, Florida, United States. It is a suburban city included in the Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, Florida Metropolitan Statistical Area...
, where it secretly makes another left turn before terminating at US 19. Pasco County Road 595 can be found again between Hudson
Hudson, Florida
Hudson is a census-designated place located at the westernmost end of Pasco County, Florida, United States and is included in the Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, Florida Metropolitan Statistical Area...
and Aripeka
Aripeka, Florida
Aripeka is an unincorporated community in the U.S. state of Florida, along the Gulf of Mexico on the border of Pasco and Hernando counties. The ZIP Code for this community is 34679.-Geography:Aripeka is located at ....
, where it crosses the Pasco-Hernando County Line along 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...
on its way towards Hernando Beach
Hernando Beach, Florida
Hernando Beach is a census-designated place in Hernando County, Florida, United States. The population was 2,185 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Hernando Beach is located at ....
, only to bypass downtown Hernando Beach and terminate once again with US 19, but this time also with the western terminus of Hernando CR 574/Spring Hill Drive.
External links
- Alternate US 19 (St. Petersburg) (Florida in Kodachrome)
- Alternate US 19 (SouthEastRoads.com) (AARoads.com).