Acosta Expressway

The Acosta Expressway serves as a connection between the Acosta Bridge and I-95. The original bridge was built in 1921 and was the first automobile and only streetcar crossing over the St. Johns River in Jacksonville. It was named for City Councilman St. Elmo W. Acosta, who was instrumental in the effort to fund the bridge’s construction. A lift span, similar to the Main Street Bridge, it was called the “Yellow Monster”.

In 1994, it was replaced by a new 1.1-mile-long Acosta Bridge and elevated expressway. The six-lane bridge, also labeled as State Road 13, includes the JTA Skyway in its median, making it the only river crossing in the city to have dedicated transit infrastructure.

Commodore Point Expressway

Now known as the Hart Bridge Expressway and State Road 228, this structure was originally called the Commodore Point Bridge and Expressway. Completed in 1967, it was originally intended to connect the Haines Street Expressway, now MLK, Jr. Parkway, with Jacksonville Beach. Where the Hart Bridge crosses the St. Johns River has been historically called Commodore Point. Commodore Point was a part of a 225-acre Spanish land grant to Daniel Hogans. It was an area where several sawmills and wharves, that used enslaved labor, operated prior to the Civil War. Southside opposition ultimately resulted in the expressway terminating at Beach Boulevard, a few miles west of Southside Boulevard.

Emerson Street Expressway

Completed in 1967, the Emerson Street Expressway was built as a short spur of the Commodore Point Expressway to connect the expressway with Emerson Street in Jacksonville’s Southside. This 0.930-mile-long freeway includes an interchange at Beach Boulevard and is also known as State Road 228A.