• What Are Program Notes
• Concert Program Notes
• Band Program Notes

Three Values Clarification Exercises. I usually have the students do Alligator River, and Ranking Values in groups of 2 or 3. I do the Four Bottle Problem by reading the story to the whole class and having each student share their choice and why. Rank the characters: Pat, Chris, Blutto, Mr. Gates, and Popeye in order from least to most horrible.

The Stephen C. O'Connell Center, also known as the O'Dome, is a 10,133-seat^[1] multi-purpose arena located on the University of Florida campus in Gainesville, Florida. The facility is named for the sixth president of the university, Stephen C. O'Connell, who served from 1967 to 1973. The facility is located on the northern side of the university's campus, between its football field, Ben Hill Griffin Stadium at Florida Field, and its baseball field, McKethan Stadium.

The entire facility was known as the O'Connell Center from 1980 until 2016. The building underwent a major $64.5 million renovation / reconstruction during that year, and Exactech, a Gainesville medical firm, signed a $5.9 million, 10-year naming rights deal for the main arena, which was officially renamed the Exactech Arena at the Stephen C. O'Connell Center.^[6][7]

• 4History
• 5Design and renovations

Florida Gators home arena[edit]

The Exactech Arena at the O'Connell Center is the home arena of several of the university's Florida Gators intercollegiate sports teams, including the men's and women's college basketball, gymnastics, swimming and diving, and volleyball teams.^[8]

The facility was quickly dubbed the 'O'Dome' by students, a nickname that is still in use. ESPN The Magazine nicknamed it the 'House of Horrors' in 1999, a name that the sports teams began using promotionally a few years later. The student section of the stadium has been dubbed the 'Rowdy Reptiles'. ESPN commentator Dick Vitale, on assignment at the Florida-Kentucky game in 2006, said that the Rowdy Reptiles make the O'Dome one of the toughest places to play in college basketball.

On December 23, 2006, a then-record crowd of 12,621 watched the fifth-ranked Gators defeat the third-ranked Ohio State Buckeyes, 86–60. The two teams would meet again that season for the National Championship game, with the Gators, once again, emerging victorious as the first back-to-back National Champions since Duke in the early 1990s. This attendance record was broken, however, on February 5, 2011 in a 70–68 Gator victory over the 11th-ranked Kentucky Wildcats, as 12,633 attended the game.

Other uses[edit]

In addition to sports, the O'Connell Center regularly hosts many other events on campus. It is the largest concert venue in North Central Florida and has been the venue for a wide variety of performances, included a 2006 show by Gainesville native Tom Petty that aired on PBS's Soundstage TV series. Other events held at the facility include University of Florida graduation ceremonies, trade shows, career fairs, political rallies, public speeches, and various large banquets and private events.

Event Capacities[edit]

Concerts:

Full House: 7,000

In the Round: 10,500

Speaking Engagements:

Half House (standard set): 2,500-3,500

Full House: 6,000-7,000

Athletics:

Men’s Basketball: 10,136

Women’s Basketball: 10,136

Volleyball: 10,136

Gymnastics: 9,251

Banquets:

Up to 1,200

Trade Shows:

Service Level: 110 (8 ft X 10 ft booths)

Concourse Level (non-Arena): 140 (8 ft X 10 ft booths)

Total Exhibition Booths: 250^[9]

History[edit]

Alligator Alley[edit]

Before the O'Connell Center, the University of Florida's basketball teams and other indoor sports programs used the on-campus Florida Gymnasium, which was nicknamed Alligator Alley. The Florida Gym was built in 1949, and it was considered a difficult venue for opponents because the seating was very close to the court and, when full, the noise level was 'deafening'. However, it was also small, un-air conditioned, and had very few amenities, and it was compared to a 'dismal and dreary' high school gym by observers.^[10] By the early 1970s, Florida was the only school in the Southeastern Conference without a modern basketball facility, a factor that affected the recruiting of top players and held back the growth of its long-mediocre basketball program.^[11][12]

UF / USF collaboration[edit]

In 1975, the University of Florida Athletic Association decided to seek funds to build a new facility for UF's indoor sports programs.^[13] The University of South Florida (USF) in Tampa had also decided to build a large indoor arena at about the same time, so the schools agreed to commission a common architectural design to stretch limited state funding. As originally constructed, USF's Sun Dome (now known as the Yuengling Center) and UF's O'Connell Center featured almost identical inflatable roof systems and main arenas. The primary difference was that the O'Connell Center included training areas and facilities for other sports around the main arena while USF added these facilities to the Sun Dome in a later expansion.^[14]

The $15.6 million O'Connell Center broke ground in October 1977 in a parking lot across the street from Florida Field.^[13] Construction was delayed on both the Sun Dome and the O'Connell Center when cracks appeared in precast concrete support beams.^[5] The problems were fixed after several months, and the sister facilities were completed within a few weeks of each other in late 1980 – the Sun Dome in November and the O'Connell Center in December.^[14]

The first event at the Stephen C. O'Connell Student Activities Center (as it was originally known) was a Florida men's basketball game held on December 30, 1980.^[11] It was officially dedicated a few weeks later in January 1981.

Effect on basketball program[edit]

The new arena had an immediate positive effect on Florida's men's basketball program, and its first recruit was former coach Norm Sloan. Sloan had been Florida's coach in the 1960s but had left for North Carolina State, winning a national championship with the Wolfpack in 1974. He returned to Florida in 1980 and was thus the Gators' coach during the first season played in the new O'Connell Center. Sloan explained that he had 'enjoyed it tremendously when I was here before, and I always felt that if Florida had the proper facility, I would consider coming back.'^[15] Playing in their new arena under Sloan, the Gators consistently improved and eventually made their first NCAA Tournament in 1986, setting the stage for greater success under subsequent coaches in the years to come.^[12]

Design and renovations[edit]

The O'Connell Center was envisioned as a competition and practice facility for most of the university's indoor sports programs, and this has been the case throughout its existence. The large (292,000 square feet) Exactech Arena is the core of the building, and is surrounded by a basketball practice court, a natatorium, as well as gymnastics practice facilities.^[8]

Original roof[edit]

When it first opened, the O'Connell Center had an inflatable Teflon roof and a system of blowers and air handlers that kept the inside air pressure high enough to hold the flexible roof in place. This higher air pressure was not noticeable inside of the facility, but opening a door to the outside would result in a rush of air escaping the building, so revolving doors were installed at each of the four main gates to lessen the loss of pressure as thousands of fans entered or exited.^[11] Maintenance costs for the inflation system rose over the years, and as part of a $10 million renovation in 1998, the roof was replaced with a more conventional hard shell dome. Though no longer in use, the old blowers and duct work for the inflation system remained in place until the facility was extensively renovated again in 2016.^[13]

Minor renovations[edit]

After the 1998 redesign of the roof, the facility underwent a smaller renovation in 2006, when the university updated some of the fold-able seating and replaced the four scoreboards located above Gates 1 through 4 in each corner of the arena. The old dot matrix boards were removed and replaced by modern video boards that could display instant replays and video presentations. Following the men's basketball team's victory in the national title game of the 2006 NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Tournament, the University Athletic Association (UAA) bought the temporary hardwood floor that had been installed in the now-demolished IndianapolisRCA Dome for the Final Four. Although the national finals logos were removed by sanding, the basketball teams play on the same lumber on which the Gators won their first basketball national championship from 2011 to 2016. The UAA also bought the court used to win their second title from the Georgia Dome in 2007, and displayed it in the O'Connell Center during their championship celebration event, and later sold it in pieces to raise funds for scholarships.^[16]

2016 rebuild[edit]

In March 2016, the O'Connell Center began a $64.5 million reconstruction / renovation project which included major updates to its layout and design. Led by contractors from Brasfield & Gorrie, the entire interior area of the arena, excluding foundation work, was demolished and rebuilt with the addition of a large hanging scoreboard and a luxury club with box seats. Locker rooms and meeting rooms were upgraded, swimming and gymnastics areas were revamped, and a 'grand entrance' was built facing Ben Hill Griffin Stadium across the street, among many other improvements. When it reopened in December 2016, a naming rights deal with local medical firm Exactech changed the name of the main arena to the Exactech Arena at the Stephen C. O'Connell Center.^[6][7]

Photo gallery[edit]

• The non-student side of the O'Connell Center during the 2008 NIT Second Round. Note the video replay board in the upper left added during the 2006–2007 season.

• Another angle from inside of the O'Connell Center during the 2008 NIT Second Round

• Florida men's basketball championship banners hanging inside the O'Connell Center during the 2012–13 season.

See also[edit]

References[edit]

1. ^ ^ab'Stephen C. O'Connell Center Renovation'. University of Florida Athletics. Retrieved December 21, 2016.
2. ^Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis. 'Consumer Price Index (estimate) 1800–'. Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis. Retrieved January 2, 2019.
3. ^'Stephen C. O'Connell Center'. Structuae. Retrieved November 27, 2012.
4. ^ ^ab'Consultant Hired To Check Cracks In 2 Sports Arenas'. Ocala Star-Banner. October 4, 1979. Retrieved January 21, 2012.
5. ^ ^abKeen, Larry (March 26, 1983). 'State Plans Lawsuit Over O'Connell Center Defects'. Gainesville Sun. Retrieved November 27, 2012.
6. ^ ^ab'Exactech and University of Florida Expand Partnership' (Press release). Exactech. June 9, 2016.
7. ^ ^ab'Exactech Arena at the Stephen C. O'Connell Center'. floridgators.com.
8. ^ ^ab'O'Connell Center'. University of Florida.
9. ^https://www.oconnellcenter.ufl.edu/general-information/rent-the-center/
10. ^'Alligator Alley Becomes Snakepit'. UPI. January 13, 1976.
11. ^ ^abcBrockway, Kevin. 'Dome Sweet Home'. The Gainesville Sun. Retrieved December 14, 2016.
12. ^ ^abKoss, Bill (1996). Pond birds : Gator basketball : the whole story from the inside. Gainesville, Florida: Fast Break Press Distributed by University Press of Florida. ISBN0813015235.
13. ^ ^abcSchweers, Jeff. 'Why the O'Dome renovation was put off a year'. The Gainesville Sun. Retrieved December 14, 2016.
14. ^ ^abWalbolt, Dan (Interviewee) and Huse, Andrew T. (Interviewer), Dan Walbolt oral history interview by Andrew Huse, July 13, 2004 (2004).Digital Collection – USF Historical Archives Oral Histories. Paper 194.
15. ^McCallum, Jack (December 14, 1981). 'Four on the Floor in Florida'. Sports Illustrated.
16. ^Palm Beach Post: April 6, 2007-Floor For Sale

External links[edit]

• Stephen C. O'Connell Center In-depth history of the arena from the official Florida Gators website.

Interstate 75 (I-75) is a part of the Interstate Highway System and runs from the Hialeah–Miami Lakes border, a few miles northwest of Miami, to Sault Ste. Marie in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. I-75 begins its national northward journey near Miami, running along the western parts of the Miami metropolitan area before traveling westward across Alligator Alley (also known as Everglades Parkway^[2]), resuming its northward direction in Naples, running along Florida's Gulf Coast, passing the cities of Fort Myers, Punta Gorda, Venice, Sarasota, and the Tampa Bay Area, before turning inward towards Ocala, Gainesville, and Lake City before leaving the state and entering Georgia. I-75 runs for 471 miles (758 km) in Florida, making it the longest Interstate in the state and also the longest in any state east of the Mississippi River. The Interstate maintains a speed limit of 70 mph (110 km/h) for its entire length in Florida.

The portion of I-75 from Tampa northward was a part of the original 1955 Interstate Highway plans, with I-75's southern terminus at I-4's current western terminus. Planning to extend the Interstate south to Miami began in 1968 after massive growth in Southwest Florida, which resulted in I-75 being realigned to travel on the eastern fringes of the Tampa Bay area, and the last portion of the highway was opened in 1993.

For FDOT inventory purposes, it is designated as State Road 93 (SR 93) for most of its length in Florida (with exception to the Tampa Bay area, where SR 93 follows I-275, while SR 93A travels with I-75 in the latter's bypass of the area).

• 1Route description
• 2History

Route description[edit]

South Florida[edit]

What Are Program Notes

I-75 begins its northward journey at an interchange with SR 826 (Palmetto Expressway) and SR 924 (Gratigny Parkway) on the Hialeah–Miami Lakes border, near Miami.^[3]

As it curves around the border of Miami Lakes, I-75 serves some of the western fringes of South Florida as an eight-lane highway. After an exit with SR 860, I-75 has a southbound interchange with the Homestead Extension of Florida's Turnpike before crossing into Broward County. There, it continues through the western suburbs of Pembroke Pines, Weston, Miramar, Davie, and Southwest Ranches.

At the junction of SR 869 (Sawgrass Expressway) and I-595, I-75 (while maintaining its south–north status) enters a west–east trajectory as it crosses the Everglades by way of Alligator Alley, a toll road that runs from the Collier Boulevard (Exit 101) toll plaza to the US-27 toll plaza (Exit 23). It was originally constructed as a two-lane highway before it was converted to a four-lane highway meeting Interstate Highway standards. At this point, I-75 loses a lane in each direction, heading west, losing another lane west of the U.S. Route 27 (US 27) interchange.

The Everglades and Southwest Florida[edit]

The Alligator Alley section west of Fort Lauderdale, Florida and east of Naples is due west–east and is one of only two sections of I-75 that are tolled (the other is the Mackinac Bridge). There are only two interchanges along the 75 mile tolled portion of Alligator Alley in addition to two rest areas and a number of scenic outlook points as it crosses the Florida Everglades. I-75 enters Collier County along Alligator Alley just west of the Snake Road exit (exit 49) and passes through the Big Cypress National Preserve between the Collier County border and State Road 29 (exit 80). There are a number of small bridges along Alligator Alley to allow wildlife to pass under the freeway especially along the Florida Panther National Wildlife Refuge east of SR 29. Extensive fencing also prevents wildlife from crossing traffic.^[4]

Once near Naples at County Road 951 (Exit 101), I-75 makes a sharp turn north resuming its south–north trajectory and as it parallels Florida's west coast, it becomes six lanes hereafter to the Georgia state line. At this point, Alligator Alley ends and I-75 is toll free for the rest of its length in Florida. As it continues north, I-75 passes near Bonita Springs, Fort Myers, Punta Gorda, Port Charlotte, Venice, and Sarasota before reaching the Tampa Bay Area metropolis consisting of Tampa and St. Petersburg.

Tampa Bay area[edit]

North of Ellenton, I-275 splits from I-75 to serve St. Petersburg and Pinellas County via the Sunshine Skyway Bridge and Tampa via the Howard Frankland Bridge. I-75 parallels the eastern shore of Tampa Bay as a bypass route of the Tampa Bay Area, as it passes by the communities of Brandon, Temple Terrace, and New Tampa. Two expressways access downtown Tampa from I-75: the Lee Roy Selmon Expressway (SR 618) and I-4. Within the Tampa Bay Metropolitan Area, many interchanges are far more complex than mere diamond, cloverleaf, or even SPUI interchanges. Aside from the large turbine interchange with I-4 (Exit 261), there are interchanges with Fowler Avenue (Exit 265) and Fletcher Avenue/Morris Bridge Road (Exit 266) that contain both loops and flyovers. A flyover ramp was built from southbound Bruce B. Downs Boulevard (Exit 270) to southbound I-75.^[5]

Sarasota and Manatee County line[edit]

FDOT contracted Prince Contracting in 2015 to construct the state's first diverging diamond interchange (DDI) at the University Parkway (Exit 213) interchange.^[6] The $74.5 million project started construction in August 2015 and completed in September 2017.^[7] The interchange handles more than 80,000 vehicles per day and reduced intersection delays by 50 percent.^[8]

Northern Florida[edit]

At the Hillsborough–Pasco county line (south of SR 56 (Exit 275)), I-275 rejoins I-75 (at Exit 274, southbound only) and I-75 changes into a southwest–northeast trajectory as it passes through Pasco, Hernando, and Sumter Counties where it runs through parts of the Withlacoochee State Forest on its way to the junction with Florida's Turnpike. Widened median segments exist in Northern Pasco County, Hernando County, and in Sumter County north of County Road 476-B (Exit 309). Some of these median segments are actually considered part of the Withlacoochee State Forest itself. The Withlacoochee State Trail runs beneath I-75 between US 98/SR 50 (Exit 301) and the Hernando–Sumter County line, where it also crosses over the Withlacoochee River. All of Interstate 75 from the Georgia border to Tampa, Florida is three lanes in each direction, unless closed for construction. This is to accommodate for the immense number of tourists and vacationers that come to Florida.

After Florida's Turnpike (accessible from southbound I-75 only), I-75 changes into a general southeast–northwest trajectory, which is sustained to the Georgia state line and beyond. I-75 passes beneath the Cross Florida Greenway, which contains a land bridge built across the highway in 2001 between Exits 341 and 350,^[9] before entering the City of Ocala, and passing by the cities of Gainesville and Lake City and crosses I-10 at an interchange before entering the state of Georgia, near Valdosta.

I-75 runs closest to US 41 except between Tampa and High Springs. It runs closer to US 301 between Ellenton and Temple Terrace, and again from Dade City to Sparr. From Belleview to Lake City it runs closest to US 441.^[10]

History[edit]

Original route to Tampa[edit]

Original plans for I-75 called for its southern terminus to be in to Tampa, where it would terminate at I-4 (at the current interchange between I-4 and I-275, with I-4, which was completed in the Bay area by 1962, continuing west along what is now I-275 over the Howard Frankland Bridge into St. Petersburg).^{[citation needed]} Plans for I-75 from Tampa to Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan were authorized as part of the Federal Aid Highway Act of 1956, signed into law by President Dwight D. Eisenhower, which created the Interstate Highway System.^[11]

Construction of the original route from the Georgia border to Tampa via Gainesville and Ocala lasted through most of the 1960s. The first segment of I-75 to open in Florida was from the Georgia border to State Road 6 just south of Jennings, which opened in 1963. It would reach U.S. 90 in Lake City later that year. By mid-1964, I-75 opened from Lake City to the newly completed Florida's Turnpike (known then as the Sunshine State Parkway) in Wildwood. Segments of the original route that are now part of I-275 near Tampa would begin opening in 1966, and construction of the full route would be completed by 1969.^[11]

Extension to Miami[edit]

Due to major growth in Southwest Florida (particularly Fort Myers and Naples), it was becoming clear that this part of the state would soon need a freeway. Florida's state government first proposed to build a West Coast Turnpike in 1964 from the Tampa Bay area south to Naples.^[12] Plans for the West Coast Turnpike (which would have been tolled) were cancelled in 1968, when it was announced that U.S. Secretary of Transportation Alan Boyd had approved an extension of I-75 south to Naples and then east to Miami. The Federal Government would pay for 90% of the extension using funds allocated by the Federal-Aid Highway Act of 1968, which was signed into law by President Lyndon B. Johnson.^[13][14]

In preparation for the extension, I-75's designation was extended along the pre-existing route of I-4 over the Howard Frankland Bridge into St. Petersburg by the end of 1969 (I-4's designation would be truncated to its current terminus at this time). From St. Petersburg, I-75 was proposed to continue south over the Sunshine Skyway Bridge and continue south along a new freeway roughly parallel to the Tamiami Trail (U.S. 41) along the lower Gulf Coast to Naples.

As the extension was planned in 1968, plans were also made for a freeway bypassing Tampa Bay to the east. The bypass was initially planned to be designated I-75E, and was to split from I-75 near Wesley Chapel and rejoin it just north of Ellenton. However, in 1972, it was determined that maintaining the main route of I-75 through Downtown Tampa would eventually require major improvements to the existing infrastructure to handle through traffic. As a result, it was decided that I-75 would instead follow the bypass route, with the original route through downtown Tampa and St. Petersburg becoming I-275. I-75 reached as far south as 38th Avenue North in St. Petersburg when the designations were switched. Despite the designation switch, both freeway's hidden designations still reflect the originally planned routing, with I-75's SR 93 designation following I-275, and the current route of I-75 on the bypass being designated SR 93A.^[15] Construction on the bypass segment of I-75 began in 1979.^[11]

The initially favored proposal for I-75 to reach Miami from Naples was to have I-75 run along the Tamiami Trail (U.S. 41) across the Everglades to just east of the Palmetto Expressway where it would continue along SR 836 (Dolphin Expressway) and terminate at I-95 and I-395 in Downtown Miami.^[15]

Due to environmental concerns of upgrading the Tamiami Trail (which runs along the northern border of Everglades National Park) and the fact that the Dolphin Expressway was not built to Interstate standards, the decision was made in 1973 to shift I-75's proposed route to cross the Everglades along Alligator Alley. By using this route, I-75 would run along the alley to the proposed Port Everglades Expressway, where it would turn south along a new freeway through the western suburbs of Weston and Pembroke Pines to Miami. It was still planned to continue east to I-95, but due to local opposition, I-75 was not built past its current terminus at SR 826 (Palmetto Expressway) in Hialeah. With this new route, the Port Everglades Expressway was then planned to be built as an Interstate highway designated I-595 to provide an Interstate connection between I-75 and I-95.

The first piece of the south extension of I-75 to open was a short segment just east of Fort Myers from SR 78 south to Corkscrew Road in 1979. This piece would extend north to Tucker's Grade just south of Punta Gorda in early 1980 and south to Immokalee Road in North Naples by 1981. Also in 1981, the segment from U.S. 301 in Manatee County south to River Road near Venice opened, which would be completed south to the southern segment in Punta Gorda later that year. It would reach Alligator Alley in Naples by 1984. The route from Tampa to Naples would be complete by 1986 as segments of the Tampa bypass were opened from 1982 to 1986. In the Miami area, I-75 was opened from U.S. 27 to its terminus at the Palmetto Expressway in 1986.^[11]

The Florida Department of Transportation transitioned existing interchange exit numbers on all Interstate highways from sequential exits to mileage-based exits in January 2002.^[16]

Alligator Alley[edit]

The Alligator Alley segment (from Naples to just west of Fort Lauderdale) previously existed as a two-lane tollway connecting the two coasts of Florida. Initially known as Everglades Parkway (State Road 84), it opened for traffic on February 11, 1968, after four years of construction. Built by H. L. Mills Construction Company, it had been called the most controversial roadway ever built in Florida during its initial construction.^[17] The name 'Alligator Alley' was given by the American Automobile Association while it was planned since they believed it would be useless to cars, merely an 'alley for alligators'. However, as alligators often frequent the waterways beside the road, and occasionally the road itself, the nickname has developed a somewhat literal meaning. The state would officially adopt the Alligator Alley name in 1966.^[17]

As a two-lane road, Alligator Alley suffered from poor construction and environmental planning. It was also notorious for high-speed accidents with both head-on collisions and collisions with wildlife. The need to improve it was one of the factors in the decision to reroute I-75 onto the alley, which was rebuilt as a four-lane Interstate highway between 1986 and 1992. Many bridges and culverts designed to let water and wildlife pass underneath and permit the natural water flow of the Everglades were built as part of the upgrade.^[18] This helped to reduce the environmental impact of the highway somewhat, especially upon the severely endangeredFlorida panther. The completion of the converted Alligator Alley was the final link of the I-75 extension. The segment was signed Interstate 75 on November 25, 1992, fully completing the highway from Miami to Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan.^[19]

In January 2000, the west end toll plaza of Alligator Alley was dedicated to the memory of Edward J. Beck, a toll taker who was murdered while on the job on January 30, 1974.^[20]

In April 2008, FDOT proposed a 72-mile (116 km) section of Alligator Alley to be leased to private operators. One of the motives to privatize the section of Alligator Alley was a way to generate revenue for the state.^[21] However, the motion failed in May 2009 when no bids were received that met the required terms.^[22]

Future[edit]

Construction began in September 2016 to redesign the interchanges with the north end of Florida's Turnpike (Exit 328) and SR 44 (Exit 329), connecting them with collective-distributor roads, and eliminating left-hand access to Florida's Turnpike from the main southbound lane. This is a joint effort between the Florida's Turnpike Enterprise and Florida Department of Transportation and the project is anticipated to be complete in winter 2019.^[23]

Another interchange is planned for Overpass Road north of State Road 54, connecting to County Road 530.^[24][25]

Many widening projects are underway on I-75 to eventually bring it to at least six lanes from Naples to the Georgia state line.^[26][27][28]

FDOT is implementing express lanes along 28 miles (45 km) of the I-75 and SR 826 (Palmetto Expressway) corridors, from just south of the SR 836 (Dolphin Expressway), in Miami-Dade County, to I-595 in Broward County. This project will complete another section of the South Florida managed lanes network for all motorists and will improve mobility, relieve congestion, provide additional travel options and accommodate future growth in the area. The 75 Express Lanes project extends 15 miles (24 km) along I-75 from Northwest 170 Street, in Miami-Dade County, to I-595, in Broward County. Work will be completed in four segments to minimize affects to the public. Construction began early 2014 and is scheduled to be completed by mid-2019. The total project is estimated to cost $481 million.^[29]

Services[edit]

Several rest area facilities exist along I-75 throughout the state. In addition, there are separate facilities for each direction of the Interstate in Hamilton and Suwannee counties, southbound and northbound, respectively, and a welcome center south of the state line. Exit 131 has a single facility accessible from both travel directions on I-75, as well as the intersecting highway. Exit 161 had a rest stop at the interchange's southeast quadrant but it closed in 2015 because of low usage.^[30] Exit 191 also had a rest stop at the interchange's northeast quadrant that closed in the 1990s.^[31] Each rest area has rest rooms, vending machines, picnic tables, dog walk areas, and nighttime security. The welcome center also has travel information and free orange juice, the state's official state beverage.^[32]

Motorist-aid call boxes were installed starting in 1973, initially from the Georgia line to Lake City,^[33] eventually being installed on both outside shoulders of the road every one mile (1.6 km) to allow drivers to indicate the need for gasoline, repair (tire or engine), or emergency services (police, ambulance, or fire). The majority of the call boxes were removed in late 2013 because of the rising maintenance cost and the availability of newer technology.^[34]

Intelligent transportation systems (ITS) are used throughout the Interstate. ITS is a fiber optic system of traffic cameras, overhead message signs, microwave vehicle detectors, travel time sensors, road and weather information sensors, and highway advisory radios.^[34] FDOT has a>CountyLocationmi^[1]kmOld exitNew exitDestinationsNotesMiami-DadeMiami Lakes0.0000.000–SR 924 eastWest end of SR 924; continuation beyond SR 8260.0380.06111SR 826 (Palmetto Expressway) – Miami International AirportSigned as exits 1A (north) and 1B (south); formerly swappedHialeah1.4702.36622Northwest 138th Street / Graham Dairy Road4.4547.1683A4SR 860 east (Northwest 186th Street / Miami Gardens Drive)Miami-Dade–Broward
county lineHialeah–Miramar line4.9237.9233B5Florida's Turnpike Extension north – Fort Lauderdale, OrlandoNorthbound exit and Southbound entrance; exit 39 on Turnpike Extension; exit opened Spring 2019Florida's Turnpike Extension – Fort Lauderdale, Orlando, Homestead, Key WestSouthbound exit only; exit 39 on Turnpike Extension; other moments via exit 2; northbound ramps opened Spring 2019BrowardMiramar6.96611.21147 Miramar Parkway (CR 858)Access to Memorial Hospital MiramarPembroke Pines9.20414.81259SR 820 (Pines Boulevard)Signed as exits 9A (east) and 9B (west); access to Memorial Hospital WestPembroke Pines–Davie
city line10.86717.489611 Sheridan Street (CR 822)Access to Memorial Hospital WestDavie–Weston line13.16621.189713Griffin Road (CR 818)Signed as exits 13A (east) and 13B (west); to SR 81814.99724.135815 Royal Palm BoulevardAccess to Cleveland Clinic FloridaSunrise–Weston–
Davie tripoint17.37927.9691019I-595 east / SR 869 north (Sawgrass Expressway) to Florida's Turnpike / I-95 – Fort Lauderdale, Coral Springs, West Palm Beach, Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport, Port EvergladesWeston21.11933.9881121SR 84 west / Indian TraceNorthbound exit and southbound entrance (exit 22 provides full access)22.06435.5091222SR 84 east / Glades Parkway23.49437.8101323US 27 (SR 25) – Hialeah, Miami, South BayEverglades Wildlife Management Area25^[36]40East Toll Plaza (northbound)35.3^[36]56.8Recreational and rest areasMiccosukee Reservation49.42879.5471449CR 833 (Snake Road)CollierBig Cypress National Preserve63.0^[36]101.4Rest areaMiles City80.048128.82514A80SR 29 – Everglades City, Immokalee​100^[36]160West Toll Plaza (southbound)​101.284163.00115101CR 951 (SR 951 south) to SR 84 – Naples, Marco IslandAccess to Physicians Regional Medical Center-Collier Boulevard​104.552168.260--105CR 886 (Golden Gate Parkway) – Golden Gate, Naples​107.134172.41516107CR 896 (Pine Ridge Road) – Naples, Golden GateAccess to Physicians Regional Medical Center-Pine Ridge​111.401179.28317111CR 846 (Immokalee Road) – Naples Park, Delnor - Wiggins State ParkLeeBonita Springs115.385185.69418116CR 865 (Bonita Beach Road) – Bonita Springs, Gulf BeachesEstero122.748197.54419123CR 850 (Corkscrew Road / Miromar Outlets Boulevard) – Germain Arena, Estero​127.068204.49620128CR 840 (Alico Road) – Southwest Florida International Airport​130.808210.51521131CR 876 (Daniels Parkway / SR 876 east) – Cape CoralRest area on northeast corner of interchange; access to Gulf Coast Medical CenterFort Myers135.426217.94722136SR 884 (Colonial Boulevard) – Fort Myers, Lehigh AcresAccess to Lee Memorial Hospital136.985220.45623138SR 82 (M.L. King Jr. Boulevard) – Fort Myers, Immokalee​138.494222.88424139CR 810 (Luckett Road) – Fort Myers​140.416225.97825141SR 80 (Palm Beach Boulevard) – Fort Myers, LaBelle​140.926–
141.666226.798–
227.989Bridge over Caloosahatchee RiverBayshore142.777229.77726143SR 78 (Bayshore Road / Pine Island Road) – North Fort Myers, Cape CoralCharlotte​157.004252.67327158CR 762 (Tuckers Grade) – Tropical Gulf Acres, North Fort Myers, Cape Coral​158.8^[36]255.6Weigh station​160.270257.93028161CR 768 (North Jones Loop Road) – Punta Gorda, Punta Gorda AirportPunta Gorda163.611263.30629164US 17 (SR 35) – Punta Gorda, ArcadiaAccess to Bayfront Health Punta Gorda​164.304–
165.832^[36]264.422–
266.881Bridge over Peace River​166.395267.78730167CR 776 (Harborview Road) – Port Charlotte, Charlotte Harbor​169.573272.90131170CR 769 (Kings Highway) – Arcadia, Port CharlotteDeSoto
No major junctionsSarasotaNorth Port178.559287.36332179CR 779 (Toledo Blade Boulevard) – North Port, Port Charlotte181.505292.10433182CR 771 (Sumter Boulevard) – North Port​190.580306.70934191CR 777 (River Road) – North Port, Englewood​192.821310.31535193CR 765 (Jacaranda Boulevard) – Englewood, VeniceVenice195.120314.01535A195CR 762 (Laurel Road) – Nokomis, Venice, Laurel​199.319320.77336200SR 681 south – Venice, OspreySouthbound exit and northbound entrance; former I-75 south; access to Venice Regional Bayfront Health​204.884329.72937205SR 72 (Clark Road) – Siesta Key, Arcadia​206.906332.98338207SR 758 (Bee Ridge Road) – SarasotaAccess to Doctors HospitalFruitville209.622337.35439210SR 780 (Fruitville Road) – Sarasota, St. ArmandsSarasota–Manatee
county line​213.139343.01440213CR 610 (University Parkway) – Sarasota-Bradenton International Airport, SarasotaDiverging diamond interchange (DDI) flow implemented May 21, 2017. First DDI completed in the state.^[37]Manatee​216.826348.94841217SR 70 – Bradenton, Arcadia​220.425354.74042220SR 64 – Bradenton, Zolfo Springs, WauchulaAccess to Manatee Memorial Hospital​223.498–
224.226^[36]359.685–
360.857Bridge over Manatee River​224.103360.65943224US 301 (SR 43) – Ellenton, Palmetto​227.874366.72844228I-275 north (SR 93) – St. PetersburgNorthern end of SR 93 overlap; southern end of SR 93A overlap​229.290369.00645229CR 683 – ParrishHillsborough​237.2^[36]381.7Rest area​240.126386.44546240SR 674 – Ruskin, Sun City CenterSigned as exits 240A (east) and 240B (west) southbound; access to South Bay Hospital​245.966395.84447246CR 672 – Apollo Beach​250.158402.59048250Gibsonton, Riverview (Gibsonton Drive)​253.741408.35749254US 301 (SR 43) – Riverview​255.587411.32750256SR 618 (Selmon Expressway) – Tampa, Port of TampaExit 15 on SR 618Brandon256.559412.89251257SR 60 – BrandonAccess to Brandon Regional HospitalMango259.307417.31452260SR 574 (Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard)Signed as exits 260A (east) and 260B (west) northbound​260.729419.60353261I-4 (SR 400) – Tampa, OrlandoI-4 exit 9Temple Terrace264.803426.15954265SR 582 (Fowler Avenue) – Temple Terrace​265.814427.78655266CR 582A (Fletcher Avenue)Access to AdventHealth TampaTampa (New Tampa)269.849434.28056270CR 581 (Bruce B. Downs Boulevard)Pasco​273.708440.49057274I-275 south (SR 93) – Tampa, St. Petersburg, AirportSouthbound exit and northbound entrance; north end of SR 93A overlap; south end of SR 93 overlapWesley Chapel275.200442.89157A275SR 56 – Land O' Lakes, Tarpon Springs277.0^[36]445.8Rest area278.670448.47658279SR 54 / CR 54 – Zephyrhills, Wesley ChapelPasco285.295459.13859285SR 52 – Dade City, San Antonio, New Port RicheyAccess to Bayfront Health Dade City​292.620470.92660293CR 41 – Dade CityHernando​300.969484.36361301US 98 / SR 50 (SR 700) – Orlando, BrooksvilleAccess to Bayfront Health BrooksvilleSumterWithlacoochee State Forest306.0^[36]492.5Rest area307.125494.27062309 To CR 476 (via CR 476B north) – Webster​313.036503.78363314SR 48 – BushnellLake Panasoffkee319.468514.13464321CR 470 (CR 475) – Sumterville, Lake Panasoffkee​326.797525.92965328Florida's Turnpike south (SR 91) – OrlandoSouthbound exit and northbound entrance​328.004527.87166329SR 44 – Inverness, WildwoodMarion​337.1^[36]542.5Weigh station​339.357546.14267341CR 484 – Belleview, Dunnellon​344.6^[36]554.6Rest areaOcala348.340560.59968350SR 200 – Ocala, Silver Springs, Hernando, DunnellonAccess to AdventHealth Ocala (formerly Munroe Regional Medical Center) and Ocala Regional Medical Center350.816564.58469352SR 40 – Ocala, Silver Springs352.195566.80370354US 27 (SR 500) – Ocala, Williston, Silver Springs​356.478573.69671358SR 326Irvine366.723590.18372368CR 318 – Irvine, Orange LakeAlachua​373.650601.33173374CR 234 – Micanopy​381.5^[36]614.0Rest areaGainesville382.390615.39774382SR 121 (Williston Road) to SR 331 – Gainesville, Williston383.694617.49675384SR 24 (Archer Road) – Gainesville, ArcherAccess to UF Health Shands Hospital387.218623.16776387SR 26 (Newberry Road) – Gainesville, NewberryAccess to North Florida Regional Medical Center​389.815627.34677390SR 222 (NW 39th Avenue) – GainesvilleAccess to UF Health Shands Emergency Center-Springhill and Gainesville Regional AirportAlachua398.854641.89378399US 441 (SR 20 / SR 25) – Alachua, High SpringsTraxler404.225650.53779404CR 236 – High Springs, Lake ButlerColumbia​411.8^[36]662.7Rest areaEllisville413.709665.80080414US 41 / US 441 (SR 25) – Lake City, High Springs​422.632680.16081423SR 47 – Fort White, Lake CityLake City427.351687.75582427US 90 (SR 10) – Lake City, Live OakAccess to Lake City Medical Center​434.702699.58583435I-10 (SR 8) – Jacksonville, TallahasseeI-10 exit 296Suwannee​439.386707.12384439SR 136 – White Springs, Live OakHamilton​445.4^[36]716.8Inspection station​448.5^[36]721.8Weigh station​451.262726.23685451US 129 (SR 51) – Jasper, Live Oak​460.350740.86286460SR 6 – Jasper, MadisonJennings466.825751.28287467SR 143 – Jennings​469.0^[36]754.8Florida Welcome Center (southbound only)​470.808757.692I-75 north (SR 401) – ValdostaGeorgia state line1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi

• Concurrency terminus
• Incomplete access
• Tolled

In literature[edit]

In John D. MacDonald's novel, The Long Lavender Look, part of his series about fictional detective Travis McGee, the story takes place on Alligator Alley and in nearby towns accessible from it.

References[edit]

1. ^ ^abStaff. 'FDOT Interchange Report'(PDF). Florida Department of Transportation. Retrieved February 28, 2018.
2. ^Burghard, August (1969). Alligator Alley: Florida's Most Controversial Highway. Washington, DC: Lanman. pp. 3–29. Excerpted in 'Alligator Alley Story'. naples.net. Archived from the original on February 6, 2012. Retrieved June 25, 2012.
3. ^FIHS System Map (Map). Florida Department of Transportation. January 1, 2006. Archived from the original on December 22, 2007. Retrieved February 9, 2008.
4. ^Kernicky, Kathleen (March 7, 1993). 'Alligator Alley Now A Memory'. Orlando Sentinel. Retrieved August 6, 2014.
5. ^'Bruce B. Downs Bridge to Southbound I-75 is now Open' (Press release). Florida Department of Transportation. July 24, 2008. Retrieved July 24, 2001.
6. ^'I-75/University Parkway Diverging Diamond Interchange (DDI) Fact Sheet'(PDF). Florida Department of Transportation. August 16, 2015. Retrieved May 17, 2019.
7. ^'Diverging Diamond opens in Sarasota'. wfla.com. Retrieved May 3, 2019.
8. ^'Interstate 75 at University Parkway Diverging Diamond Interchange' (Press release). HDR. Retrieved May 3, 2019.
9. ^Staff (May 31, 2011). 'Cross Florida Greenway Land Bridge'. Florida Department of Environmental Protection. Retrieved July 24, 2011.
10. ^Google (April 26, 2010). 'Overview Map of I-75 in Florida' (Map). Google Maps. Google. Retrieved April 26, 2010.
11. ^ ^abcd'Interstate 75'. AA Roads. Retrieved July 28, 2016.^{[self-published source]}
12. ^'West Coast Turnpike Study Ordered By Kirk'. St. Petersburg Times. April 20, 1967. p. 1B.
13. ^Stafford, Charles (December 14, 1968). 'Boyd Approved I-75 Extension to Miami'. St. Petersburg Times. Retrieved August 2, 2016.
14. ^'I-75 Extension Should Kill Toll Road: Cramer'. Daytona Beach Morning Journal. August 16, 1968. p. 16.
15. ^ ^ab'Interstate 75'. Interstate-Guide. Retrieved August 6, 2014.^{[self-published source]}
16. ^Kern, Arlene. 'Florida's New Interstate Exit Numbers for I-75'. State Traffic Engineering and Operations Office, Florida Department of Transportation. Retrieved July 24, 2011.
17. ^ ^abSullivan-Hartung, Maureen. 'Alligator Alley: 45 years of connecting east and west'. Florida Weekly. Archived from the original on August 8, 2014. Retrieved August 6, 2014.
18. ^'It Will Be 7 Years Before Highway Network Is A Reality'. Sarasota Herald-Tribune. April 2, 1973. p. 9A.
19. ^Staff. 'Previous Interstate Facts of the Day'. Celebrating the Eisenhower Interstate Highway System. Federal Highway Administration. Retrieved May 11, 2010.
20. ^http://archive.naplesnews.com/news/letter-honoring-my-dad-ep-313150829-341485401.html/
21. ^'Florida puts 'Alligator Alley' leasing plan on hold'. Reuters. May 19, 2009. Retrieved February 28, 2019.
22. ^Wayne, Leslie (June 5, 2009). 'Politics and the Financial Crisis Slow the Drive to Privatize'. The New York Times. Retrieved June 4, 2009.
23. ^'Interchange improvement project begins at I-75 and Florida's Turnpike in Wildwood'(PDF) (Press release). FDOT and Florida's Turnpike Enterprise. August 18, 2016. Retrieved March 2, 2018.
24. ^'Project Information'. Overpass Road from Old Pasco Road to US 301. Pasco County Department of Planning. Retrieved April 24, 2014.
25. ^Mamdooh, Sally (April 23, 2014). 'New Interchange to Connect I-75 to US 301 in Pasco'. St. Peterburg, FL: Bay News 9. Retrieved April 24, 2014.
26. ^'I-75 On the Go'. I-75 On the Go. Florida Department of Transportation. Retrieved August 6, 2014.
27. ^'Construction Projects: I-75'. MyTBI. Florida Department of Transportation. Retrieved August 6, 2014.
28. ^'Interstate 75 Current Construction Projects'. Florida Department of Transportation. Retrieved April 6, 2016.
29. ^'75 Express'. Florida Department of Transportation. Retrieved September 1, 2014.
30. ^Braun, Michael. 'Jones Loop rest area in Charlotte County closes after Easter 2015'. The News-Press. Retrieved July 20, 2018.
31. ^'Interstate 75 North - Sarasota County'. AA Roads. Retrieved January 9, 2019.
32. ^'State Beverage'. Florida Department of State. Retrieved July 20, 2018.
33. ^'Motorist-aid call boxes still needed'. Ocala Star-Banner. May 28, 2002. Retrieved September 22, 2015.
34. ^ ^abTurner, Jim (October 19, 2013). 'DOT Removing 'Antiquated' Highway Motorist Call Boxes'. Naples Daily News. Retrieved July 20, 2018.
35. ^Glotzbach, Gene (August 2014). 'The Waze Connection'(PDF). Traffic Engineering and Operations Office. SunGuide Disseminator. Florida Department of Transportation. Retrieved July 20, 2018.
36. ^ ^{abcdefghijklmnopq}Staff. 'Straight Line Diagrams'. Florida Department of Transportation. Retrieved February 28, 2018.
37. ^Becnel, Thomas (May 21, 2017). 'Diverging Diamond makes its University Parkway debut'. Herald-Tribune. Sarasota, Florida. Retrieved July 11, 2017.

External links[edit]

Route map:

• Interstate 75 Index: Florida at AARoads
• I-275 Florida has information tangential to its parent I-75 in the Tampa Bay area

Concert Program Notes

Band Program Notes