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48-521: Access to the river can be gained at 26°26′N 81°49′W  /  26.43°N 81.81°W  / 26.43; -81.81 . The river is bounded on the west by Estero Bay. The eastern boundary is three miles east of I-75 . The northern and southern river banks are surrounded by developing housing communities towards the eastern part of the river, with greater biodiversity along the western banks. The Estero River, in Southwest Florida ,

96-668: A few miles short of I-95. I-75 was completed in Kentucky in 1970. The last segment in Michigan opened to traffic on November 1, 1973. The last section of I-75 in Tennessee was completed on December 20, 1974. On December 21, 1977, I-75 was completed from Tampa to Sault Ste. Marie with its final segment opening between northern Marietta, Georgia , and Cartersville, Georgia . It was estimated to have cost $ 3.5 billion in 1977 dollars (equivalent to $ 13.7 billion in 2023 ) to build

144-561: A further note, it does not meet with any major junctions until in Downtown Detroit . Once near downtown, I-75 meets several interchanges: an interchange that leads into Canada via the Ambassador Bridge (international bridge border crossing) to Windsor, Ontario ; an interchange with I-375 ; I-94 ; I-96 ; M-10 ; M-8 . I-696 also intersects I-75 in the northern metro area. When the freeway reaches Pontiac , there

192-725: A landmark than it was in the past. The river is still accessible from about 6.4 miles inland to the outlet at the Estero Bay. Many boaters who live on the river visit the island of Mound Key and do a little exploring as the Calusa did. The river is now used for mainly sport fishing and sightseeing. Although the river was hit hard by hurricanes Wilma and Charley in the past couple of years it has been available to boating. 26°25′53.8″N 81°51′25.7″W  /  26.431611°N 81.857139°W  / 26.431611; -81.857139 Interstate 75 Interstate 75 ( I-75 )

240-602: A toll in the new highway, and, by 1968, it was decided that the federal government would pay 90 percent toward the extension of I-75 to southwestern and southeastern Florida. This included subsuming a toll highway from Naples to the Fort Lauderdale area, the Alligator Alley , and furthermore to connect this expressway with I-95 in North Miami —though due to some local opposition , I-75 presently ends

288-466: A variety of wildlife and play a vital role in supporting the large biodiversity of the river. The majority of mangroves can be found at where the Estero River merges into Estero Bay. The great blue heron ( Ardea herodias ) inhabits and breeds in both salt and fresh water habitats, making the Estero River perfect for this heron. It nests from "5 to 20 m above ground", and the trees surrounding

336-474: Is 6.52 miles long. It flows west and spills into Estero Bay estuary. The Estero River has abundant wildlife and is an important habitat for endangered species such as the American alligator ( Alligator mississippiensis ), Key Largo woodrat ( Neotoma floridana smalli ), gray bat ( Myotis grisescens ), and the whooping crane ( Grus americana ) among others. The mangroves on the banks of Estero River support

384-626: Is a river on the southwest Gulf Coast of Florida in the United States , approximately 67 miles (108 km) long. It drains rural areas on the northern edge of the Everglades , east of Fort Myers . An important link in the Okeechobee Waterway , a manmade inland waterway system of southern Florida, the river forms a tidal estuary along most of its course and has become the subject of efforts to restore and preserve

432-568: Is a junction with M-59 and in Flint further northward. It meets I-475 and I-69 and overlaps U.S. Route 23 (US 23). The Interstate then heads north toward Saginaw where I-675 acts as a spur route into the city. Further north in Bay City , US 10 provides access to Midland as well as downtown Bay City. When it nears Standish , US 23 diverts from I-75 to Lake Huron, where it heads further north. The last major interchange in

480-531: Is a major north–south Interstate Highway in the Great Lakes and Southeastern regions of the United States . As with most Interstates that end in 5, it is a major cross-country, north–south route, traveling from State Road 826 (SR 826, Palmetto Expressway) and SR 924 (Gratigny Parkway) on the Hialeah – Miami Lakes border (northwest of Miami, Florida ) to Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan , at

528-473: Is found in abundance along the river banks. This spider is easily identified by the shape of its web. It eats small insects. Also bees can be found nesting on overhanging trees. The water quality in the eastern part of the river is lower compared to the western part; this is attributed to the increasing human development in the Estero area and the subsequent waste. The water quality increases dramatically with

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576-419: Is not uncommon to see one during the day. This mammal has grown used to human presence. The Estero River is a rich habitat for insects . An abundance of mosquito species can be found near the river, which is a perfect habitat for them. Females consume blood for the vital proteins required for egg development. Both males and females are pollinators and consume plant nectar for sustenance. The orb-weaver spider

624-594: Is six lanes all the way to Georgia. The freeway enters the Tampa Bay area before the interchange with I-275 northbound, which handles St. Petersburg -bound traffic. Within the Tampa metro are three more major junctions: one with the Lee Roy Selmon Expressway which carries traffic into Downtown Tampa , one with I-4 (a turbine interchange ) which carries traffic across the center of the state to

672-666: Is the last major junction in Ohio. I-75 then passes by the Lake Erie neighborhoods of Shoreland and Point Place, just before entering the US state of Michigan with the sign welcoming motorists to Michigan. Upon entering Michigan , I-75 follows the northwestern shore of Lake Erie , passing through the residential neighborhoods of Toledo and Luna Pier until about Monroe in which it then heads northeast to enter Detroit . The freeway makes an interchange with I-275 in northern Monroe County . On

720-655: Is the only Interstate located in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan and it continues until it crosses the Canadian border via the Sault Ste. Marie International Bridge . This limited access highway that was planned in the 1950s roughly follows the general route of many older at-grade highways, including US 2 , US 27 , US 25 , and US 41 , among others. Some of these older US Highways (several of which are still in existence) previously had replaced

768-581: The Brent Spence Bridge and continues into Downtown Cincinnati . Immediately after entering Cincinnati , I-75 diverges from I-71, remaining generally due north through the Cincinnati metro area while I-71 curves more to the east and northeast through downtown Cincinnati and its surrounding suburbs. I-74 , Ohio State Route 562 , and Ohio State Route 126 all intersect the freeway as it makes its way northward. After another interchange with

816-655: The Canadian border . It is the second-longest north–south Interstate Highway (after I-95 ) and the seventh-longest Interstate Highway overall. I-75 passes through six different states. The highway runs the length of the Florida peninsula from the Miami area and up the Gulf Coast through Tampa . Farther north in Georgia, I-75 continues on through Macon and Atlanta before running through Chattanooga and Knoxville and

864-474: The Chattanooga metropolitan area , where it intersects with I-24 . Exiting Chattanooga to the northeast, I-75 passes through an area known for dense fog. Twelve people were killed and 42 were injured in a 1990 I-75 fog disaster on that stretch of I-75 in heavy fog on December 11, 1990. I-75 does not meet any other freeways until it overlaps I-40 near Farragut and heads eastbound. Together, they enter

912-606: The Cumberland Mountains in Tennessee. I-75 crosses Kentucky, passing through Lexington before crossing the Ohio River into Cincinnati, Ohio . In Ohio, the highway runs up the western side through Dayton and Lima before crossing into Michigan north of Toledo . I-75 runs northeasterly along the Lake Erie shoreline and Detroit River into the city of Detroit before turning northwesterly and northward to

960-684: The East Coast , and another as I-275 traffic defaults back onto northbound. The freeway proceeds to enter suburban portions of Pasco , Hernando , and Sumter counties on its way to Ocala and Gainesville . At Lake City, Florida , I-10 , intersects with I-75. Afterward, the northmost stretch of I-75 in Florida exits the Sunshine State into southern Georgia . I-75 (unsigned State Route 401 [SR 401] within Georgia) enters Georgia near Lake Park , and it continues northward through

1008-729: The Homestead Extension of Florida's Turnpike and an interchange with I-595 and the Sawgrass Expressway (SR 869), the Interstate leaves the Miami metropolitan area and turns westward to travel through the Everglades along the tolled Alligator Alley , which brings the highway to the Gulf Coast and Naples , where it again heads north. Passing through Bonita Springs , Fort Myers , and Sarasota , I-75

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1056-563: The Mackinac Bridge where the freeway crosses the strait between Lakes Huron and Michigan . Farther north, I-75 approaches the Canadian border at Sault Ste. Marie, downriver from Lake Superior , 1,786.5 miles (2,875.1 km) from its origins near the subtropical Atlantic Ocean . I-75 starts at an interchange with SR 924 and SR 826 on the Hialeah – Miami Lakes border in suburban Miami . After an intersection with

1104-685: The Caloosahatchee to the Okeechobee Waterway system; oxbow lakes mark isolated stretches of the original waterway. In 2013, heavy rains in southern Florida resulted in high runoff into Lake Okeechobee; rising lake levels forced the United States Army Corps of Engineers to release large volumes of polluted water from the lake through the St. Lucie River estuary to the east and the Caloosahatchee River estuary to

1152-402: The Estero River and estuary in the early morning. This heron nests closer to the ground and can coexist with the great blue heron. Its diet consists of insects and small amphibians. American alligators ( Alligator mississippiensis ) can be found along the Estero River, though the numbers are relatively small. This animal plays a crucial role in maintaining the biodiversity of the river by keeping

1200-517: The Estero River inlet and used canoes, which were the fastest way of traveling at the time. They also fished the river. The Koreshans believed the earth was like a cell, and they were living on the inside looking at the center of the cell as the atmosphere of the earth . They lived in Estero alongside the river until 1961 when their land was given over to the state of Florida. The Koreshan cult, being believers in immortality and celibacy, had been in decline since 1908 when Cyrus Teed died. All that exists of

1248-489: The Estero, much of their history is located around the Caloosahatchee River , where they first encountered European settlers. Artifacts are still being discovered in the area. The Calusa's first contact with Europeans was with Spaniard, Juan Ponce de León around 1513. After that they began to diminish. Even though they used the Estero River they also stayed centrally around the Caloosahatchee River , which

1296-785: The Everglades . The river issues from Lake Hicpochee, in southeastern Glades County , approximately 10 mi (16 km) west of Clewiston . It flows west-southwest past LaBelle , where it becomes tidal, forming an estuary along its lower 25 mi (40 km). It broadens as it nears the gulf, passing Fort Myers and Cape Coral . It enters the Gulf of Mexico 10 mi (16 km) southwest of Fort Myers in San Carlos Bay , protected by Sanibel Island . The 5 mi (8 km) C-43 Caloosahatchee Canal connecting Lake Hicpochee to Lake Okeechobee allows continuous navigation from

1344-632: The I-275 beltway, the freeway continues within the metro area, passing through Middletown and heading toward Dayton , where I-675 , I-70 , and U.S. Route 35 have interchanges with I-75. The interchange of I-75 with I-70 is known as the Freedom Veterans Crossroads. After exiting the city of Dayton, I-75 makes its way northbound through Ohio, passing through smaller cities of Troy , Sidney , Wapakoneta , Lima , Findlay and Bowling Green before finally reaching Toledo located on

1392-549: The I-285 beltway and heads north several miles toward Downtown Atlanta . I-75 then runs concurrently with I-85 due north over the Downtown Connector through the central business district of Atlanta, where it intersects with I-20 . The areas where I-85 and I-75 run concurrently are some of the most traffic-prone Interstate Highways in the nation. After the two Interstates split, I-75 diverts from I-85 and heads toward

1440-591: The Koreshans is the state historic site where people may visit the land and observe the history of the Koreshan people. Canoeing, kayaking, boating, and fishing are still available at the local dock of the Estero River Outfitter store. The Estero River has an ongoing connection to the history of Florida . During modern times, new developments have been built by the river and it has become more of

1488-461: The direction of Georgetown . Afterward, the route heads in the direction of Ohio. Near Walton , I-71 runs concurrently with I-75 for the next 20 miles (32 km) or so and heads toward Cincinnati. The two concurrent Interstates then make an interchange with I-275 , the Cincinnati beltway. After passing through Covington , the I-71/I-75 highway traverses the Ohio River via the lower level of

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1536-472: The distance from the drainage outlets and surrounding houses. Since the majority of development occurs on the banks of the eastern parts of the river the water quality decreases inland. The first inhabitants known to occupy the Estero River were the Calusa Indians around 7000 years ago. They used the river for transportation and food; they were heavily dependent on fishing . Even though they lived on

1584-559: The eastern route of the old Dixie Highway . I-75 was planned to end in Tampa, Florida , in the original plan for 41,000 miles (66,000 km) of Interstate Highways. However, beginning in the 1960s, there was a huge growth in the population of Southwest Florida ( Sarasota , Fort Myers , Naples , Cape Coral , etc.), hence the need for new highways, especially a north–south freeway, as well as one connecting Florida's Gulf Coast to South Florida . At first, Florida state legislators proposed

1632-401: The lakes and wetlands to the west. His company removed the rock ledge that formed the falls and rapids below Lake Flirt and straightened the upper reaches of the Caloosahatchee River. Various state and federal projects have widened and deepened the river since then. The conversion of the Caloosahatchee River into a canal drained Lake Flirt and the wetlands descending from Lake Hicpochee. Since

1680-452: The late 19th century, dredging and channelization of the river, as well as the artificial connection to Lake Okeechobee and its use as a water supply for urban and agricultural uses, have substantially altered the hydrology of the river. As a result, both the magnitude and timing of water delivery to the estuary have been substantially altered. Recent programs by the state government have attempted to establish minimum flow levels in

1728-527: The northwest suburbs of Atlanta, with the major cities being Marietta and Kennesaw that it bypasses. To the northwest of Marietta, the highway runs concurrently with I-575 . After the interchange with I-575, the highway leaves the Atlanta metro area and traverses the Blue Ridge Mountains in the north Georgia region as it heads toward Chattanooga. The freeway enters Tennessee directly in

1776-664: The original section. The final stretch of I-75 in South Florida was completed in 1986 in Miami-Dade and Broward counties, and the last stretch to receive the signs for I-75 was the reconstructed (rebuilt and widened) Alligator Alley on November 25, 1992. On September 7, 2024, the Interstate 75 Kentucky Shooting occurred near London, Kentucky in which multiple shots were fired at cars passing by, injuring 5. Caloosahatchee River The Caloosahatchee River

1824-611: The outskirts of Knoxville , where I-75 overlaps itself with a different road, this time I-640 , but only for a short time. When the two meet I-275 , I-75 encounters some of its highest points of elevation through the Cumberland Mountains , cutting through the uppermost peaks and ridges. I-75 continues northbound through the hilly terrain of the Cumberland Plateau region of Kentucky , passing through London and Richmond and eventually reaching Lexington , where it briefly runs concurrently with I-64 before splitting off in

1872-408: The raccoon population in balance. Reported sightings happen along the western part of the river with isolated sightings in the eastern region. Their diet consists of small mammals, birds, and larger amphibians. Raccoons ( Procyon lotor ) are one of the most common nocturnal mammals inhabiting the area. Their diet is omnivorous, consisting of berries, plants, smaller vertebrates, and invertebrates. It

1920-412: The river make for a great nesting habitat. These herons feed mostly on aquatic and terrestrial insects that can be found along the river. The great egret ( Ardea alba ) does not directly compete with the great blue heron; instead it consumes small mammals, amphibians, and sometimes insects. The tricolored heron ( Egretta tricolor ) is similar in diet and habitat to the great egret and can be spotted at

1968-563: The river. Cyrus and a small group of followers moved to Florida, arrived at Estero Bay, and made their way up the Estero River to what is now the Koreshan State Park . They gradually started to build a community and called more and more believers to come down from Chicago. The Koreshans had a major ecological impact on the river when they were living there. They traveled it every day, going in and out of Estero Bay. They hunted and gathered foods from Mound Key , an island just west of

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2016-407: The river. The rapids were close to 1 mile (1.6 km) long, with a drop in elevation of about 10 feet (3.0 m). Lake Hicpochee, about 9,000 acres (3,600 ha) in area, was only 3 miles (4.8 km) from Lake Okeechobee, but there was no connection between the two lakes before the late 19th century. Water flowed from Lake Hicpochee westward into Lettuce Lake and then Bonnet Lake. When the water

2064-415: The state of Michigan before it crosses the international border into Canada is at 4 Mile Road just south of Grayling where US 127 ends with traffic merging onto northbound I-75 and southbound taking drivers through the center of the state. At Mackinaw City , I-75 makes an interchange with US 31 and US 23 before crossing the Mackinac Bridge to reach the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. I-75

2112-605: The towns of Valdosta , Tifton , and Cordele until it reaches the Macon area, where it intersects with I-16 eastbound toward I-75's route. After Macon, it passes the small town of Forsyth . The freeway reaches no major junctions again until in the Atlanta metropolitan area . The first metropolitan freeway met is I-675 , then followed by I-285 , Atlanta's only beltway dubbed as the Perimeter Beltway. It crosses inside

2160-413: The west. Thus, the normal mix of fresh and salt water in those estuaries was replaced by a flood of polluted fresh water resulting in ecological damage. Until late in the 19th century, the Caloosahatchee River was fed by a series of lakes starting from Lake Hicpochee, and including Lettuce Lake, Bonnet Lake and Flirt Lake. A waterfall and set of rapids at the lower end of Flirt Lake marked the beginning of

2208-600: The western shore of Lake Erie and the border of Michigan . I-75 meets the I-475 interchange in the southern suburbs of Toledo in Perrysburg and then I-80 , I-90 , and the Ohio Turnpike . As the interstate highway passes through downtown Toledo, I-475 meets with I-75 again just north of the downtown area of Toledo. It then continues through some industrial areas as it progresses north before approaching I-280 , which

2256-468: Was a much more sophisticated and reliable river. The river's recorded history started with Gustave Damkohler, who found the river in 1882 and lived alongside it in a small shack with his family. In 1894 traveled to his hometown in Chicago , Illinois where he met Cyrus Teed , the leader of Koreshanity (a new religious movement). Damkohler offered Teed 300 acres of the land in Estero, including access to

2304-401: Was high, the two lakes merged. From Bonnet Lake, water flowed into Lake Flirt, which was about 1,000 acres (400 ha) in area and 5 miles (8.0 km) long. All of the lakes were surrounded by extensive wetlands. In 1881, Hamilton Disston , as part of a scheme to drain large areas of wetlands in the interior of Florida, had a canal dredged from Lake Okeechobee to Lake Hicpochee and through

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