Interstate 295 Florida
Overview
Interstate 295 forms the suburban beltway loop around the Jacksonville metropolitan area. Opened in stages between 1967 and 2006, the loop partitioned into the West Beltway and East Beltway. The West Beltway represents the original 35 miles of I-295, from I-95 at Southside Jacksonville west to the town of Orange Park, and north to Hyde Park, Marrietta and Dismore back to I-95 at Turtle Creek Jacksonville International Airport (JAX). The 26 mile long East Beltway continues I-295 from the West Beltway and I-95 through Oceanway at Northside, Jacksonville to the Dames Point Bridge. South from the St. Johns River, the East Beltway runs east of Arlington through suburban areas of Sandlewood, Deerwood and Deercreek. Turning west from SR 9B (Future I-795), I-295 along the West Beltway converges with I-95 at Greenland.
Mileage by State
| Florida | 61.04 mi |
Data Sources
December 31, 2021 Interstate Route Log and Finders List
I-95/I-295 North Interchange Reconfiguration
Major reconstruction of the I-95/I-295 North Interchange started in November 2016. The $176.8 million project replaces left exit ramps from the beltway to I-95 with high speed flyovers. Work through
A collector distributor roadway being built along the eastbound lanes of the East Beltway eliminates weaving traffic between I-95 and the adjacent exchange (Exit 36) with U.S. 17. This project was preceded by the addition of a flyover that replaced a loop ramp from I-95 south to the East Beltway in August 2010.
I-95/I-295 North Interchange Reconfiguration project map [full size PDF]
I-295 Express Lanes
Two sets of tolled Express Lanes were added along heavily traveled sections of the Jacksonville Beltway. Started in July 2014, an $89 million design-build project expanded each direction of I-295 from I-95 west to the Buckman Bridge with a 12 foot wide lane. Work also added noise walls and drainage ponds.
The West Beltway Express Lanes opened to motorists on May 18, 2019. Tolls are levied during morning and evening peak hours during weekdays and are free to motorists at other times.3
The second Express Lane addition for I-295 expands the beltway from SR 9B (Future I-795) north to SR 202 (J. Turner Butler [JTB] Boulevard). Construction here started in Summer 2016. Previously anticipated for completion in Fall 2019, work ran through Fall 2020 Fall 2021.3 The $139.9 million project through east Jacksonville added two additional 12 foot lanes in each direction along with noise walls and storm water ponds.
History
The following are key dates in the history of Interstate 295 in Florida:2
- 1962 - An early possible segment of I-295 was shown as signed along the then-new 20th Street Expressway from U.S. 1 to Interstate 95; this section was eventually designated as portions of U.S. 1, U.S. 1 Alternate and SR 115.
- 1967 - The first section of I-295 is under construction from I-95 northwest to Orange Park.
- 1970 - I-295 opened from I-95 northwest to SR 134 (103rd Street). Freeway was under construction from 103rd Street north to I-10.
- 1973 - I-295 opened from 103rd Street north to I-10.
- 1975 - I-295 opened from I-10 north to Commonwealth Avenue.
- 1977 - I- 295 opened from Commonwealth Avenue north to I-95 northwest of Jacksonville. Western half of the Jacksonville beltway was now complete.
- 1983 - SR 9A opened from I-95 east to U.S. 17 at Oceanway, which is the first section of the East Beltway.
- 1986 - Signed as SR 9A, the section from U.S. 17 southeast to SR 105 (Heckscher Drive) opened as a two lane freeway.
- 1990 - I-295 opened along the Dames Point Bridge across the St. Johns River from SR 105 (Heckscher Drive) south to Monument Road. The bridge was signed as I-295 between 1990 and 1993.
- 1993 - Previously signed sections of I-295 on the eastern half of the Jacksonville Beltway are resigned as SR 9A.
- 1999 - New section of SR 9A was under construction from SR 202 (J. Turner Butler Boulevard) south to U.S. 1. The connection between the existing segment north from Monument Road and the new segment south from SR 202 is made via St. John's Bluff Road.
- 2002 - Section of SR 9A south from SR 202 to U.S. 1 opened to traffic. The portion from U.S. 1 southwest to Interstate 95 was under construction.
- 2005 - SR 9A southerly connection between U.S. 1 and I-95 opened to traffic. Only the section between SR 202 (J. Turner Butler Boulevard) and U.S. 90 (Beach Boulevard) remained incomplete. Reconstruction begins at the SR 9A/J. Turner Butler interchange.
- 2006 - Final section of SR 9A between SR 202 and U.S. 90 completed. Construction still ongoing at the J. Turner Butler interchange.
- 2008 - Reconstruction of the SR 9A/J. Turner Butler interchange is finished. SR 9A East Beltway around Jacksonville officially complete.
- 2012 - All State Road 9A signage is replaced with Interstate 295 along the entire East Beltway.
Although not yet constructed beyond the link between I-95 and U.S. 17 in Northside Jacksonville, the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) requested the future addition of the 25.1 mile long East Beltway, and a 4.6 mile long spur (SR 9B) south to I-95 near Bayard, to the Interstate system from the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) on May 13, 1986. The Future Interstate segments were requested under the provisions of 23 U.S.C. 139(b).
The East Beltway was completed on July 28, 2008. FDOT formally requested the extension of Interstate 295 to the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) on March 31, 2019. Upgrading I-295 from a Future Interstate, FHWA granted approval for the status change along the 25.532 mile segment of SR 9A on October 12, 2010.
North End 
‐ Northside, Jacksonville, FL
West Beltway - North at
Interstate 295 north along the West Beltway meets I-95 (Exits 35 A/B) one mile east of the Biscayne Boulevard overpass. 01/05/19
East Beltway - North at
Interstate 295 / East Beltway northbound connects with I-95 three quarters of a mile west from the folded diamond interchange (Exit 36) with U.S. 17 (Main Street) at Oceanway. 03/03/13
South at
I-95 heads south from SR 102 (Airport Road) and Jacksonville International Airport (JAX) to Interstate 295 at Exit 362. 10/15/23
North at
I-295 (East Beltway) provides direct access to the Jaxport Terminals at Dames Point and Blount Island via SR 105 at Exit 41. 09/22/14
North End – Past Views
Past Views Gallery (Tap to Expand / Collapse Section)
East Beltway at
I-295 / West Beltway northbound at I-95 before reconstruction of Exit 35 into a systems interchange. 03/13/13
South End ‐ Southside, Jacksonville, FL
East Beltway at
Heading southwest from SR 9B, I-95 continues to U.S. 1 (Philips Highway) at Deercreek and I-95 by Greenland in south Jacksonville. 09/25/22
West Beltway at
Interstate 295 travels along the Greenland community in Southside Jacksonville to the multi level interchange (Exit 61) with I-95. 09/25/22
North at
Advancing north along I-95 through Southside Jacksonville toward the systems interchange (Exit 337) with Interstate 295. 10/06/18
South at
Advancing south toward Interstate 295, I-95 runs between Baymeadows Center and Royal Lakes and switches sides with U.S. 1 (Philips Highway) at Mandarin Station. 10/15/23
South End – Past Views
Past Views Gallery (Tap to Expand / Collapse Section)
South at
Interstate 295 south at I-95 during construction of the high-speed interchange with the East Beltway (SR 9A). Photo by Daniel Davis (10/05/02).
North at
A single lane left exit connected I-95 north with Interstate 295 at their original directional T interchange. Photo by Carter Buchanan (01/03).
South at
The previous directional T interchange with I-295 (West Beltway) was expanded with ramps to SR 9A along the East Beltway by 2005. 07/04/06
