Hart Bridge Expressway

The Hart Bridge Expressway or State Road 115A is a short unnamed expressway that connects the Hart Bridge with the Haines Street Expressway in Jacksonville’s historic Eastside and Commodore Point. Carving through an area of the Eastside known as Fairfield, it is named after the founder of Jacksonville, Isaiah Hart. It is anchored by the Isaiah David Hart Bridge, which was known as the “Green Monster” in the past.

Roosevelt Expressway

Completed in 1960 and named in honor of President Franklin D. Roosevelt, the Roosevelt Expressway is located on Jacksonville’s westside. Originally built as a spur to I-10, to allow heavy U.S. 17 automobile and truck volumes to bypass the historic neighborhoods of Riverside and Avondale, the expressway connects I-10 with Blanding Boulevard. While originally being called an expressway, the highway is partially built to freeway standards. While it includes interchanges at Blanding Boulevard, Edgewood Avenue and I-10, it also includes signalized intersections at McDuff Avenue and Plymouth Street. Today, its known as being a part of Roosevelt Boulevard.

Union Street Expressway

Built between 1952 and 1953, the Union Street Expressway was the first expressway segment built in Jacksonville. Connecting Union and State Streets with the Mathews Bridge, it includes interchanges at A. Philip Randolph Boulevard and MLK, Jr. Parkway. Hundreds of residences and businesses were destroyed as the expressway’s path ripped through the Historic Eastside community, severing its link between residents and the downtown riverfront. As Arlington has developed over the decades, this small stretch of highway is generally recognized as being the western leg of the Arlington Expressway.

Editorial by Ennis Davis, AICP. Contact Ennis at edavis@moderncities.com