112-762: Florida's Turnpike , designated as unsigned State Road 91 ( SR 91 ), is a controlled-access toll road in the U.S. state of Florida , maintained by Florida's Turnpike Enterprise (FTE). Spanning approximately 309 miles (497 km) along a northwest–southeast axis, the turnpike is in two sections. The SR 91 mainline runs roughly 265 miles (426 km), from its southern terminus at an interchange with Interstate 95 (I-95) in Miami Gardens to an interchange with I-75 in Wildwood at its northern terminus. The Homestead Extension of Florida's Turnpike (abbreviated HEFT and designated as unsigned SR 821) continues from
224-704: A barrier toll system was implemented from the Three Lakes toll plaza north to the terminus at I-75, and from Lantana south to I-95, in the 1990s. In 2015, the portion between the Golden Glades toll barrier and I-595 in Davie was converted to a cashless toll system . Additional projects to convert the turnpike to an electronic collection system were completed between I-595 and Lantana in 2019, and from SR 429 north to I-75 in Wildwood in 2020. The final stretch of
336-498: A lifestyle center called The Collection at Boca Town Center which will provide shopping, dining, and entertainment. Crocker Partners will build a Restaurant Row near the mall. Boca Raton's eastern coast has two miles of beaches, notably Red Reef Park and South Inlet Park. Red Reef Park has the Gumbo Limbo Environmental Complex , an environmental education center. Founded in 1984, Gumbo Limbo
448-583: A Native American tribe of hunter-gatherers who relocated seasonally and between shellfish sources, distinct from the Tequesta to the south and the Jaega to the north. What Spanish voyagers called "Boca de Ratones" was originally to the south, in present-day Biscayne Bay in Miami-Dade County . The area of Boca Raton was labeled "Rio Seco", meaning "Dry River", during this time. By mistake during
560-545: A day, seven days a week. The system, consisting of closed-circuit television traffic cameras , dynamic message signs , highway advisory radio , and radar vehicle detection system, allow the TMC to see anything from congestion to crashes, to disabled vehicles that may pose a threat to the Turnpike's motorists. When necessary, the TMC will activate the dynamic message signs and highway advisory radio stations to alert motorists of
672-565: A four-lane highway as it goes through a less developed portion of Palm Beach County, crossing interchanges with Lake Worth Road , followed by the Lake Worth/West Palm Beach Service Plaza at mile marker 94. In West Palm Beach , the highway has interchanges with US 98 / SR 80 (Southern Boulevard), a SunPass -only interchange at Jog Road, followed by an interchange at Okeechobee Boulevard (exit 99) that heads directly into downtown West Palm Beach. North of
784-632: A hybrid numbering system, where adjacent exit numbers differed by 4 south of SR 60 (exit 60 at the time) and 5 north of SR 60. The Bureau of Public Roads approved an Interstate 95 alignment that used 41 miles (66 km) of the Turnpike from PGA Boulevard (SR 786) in Palm Beach Gardens north to SR 70 in Ft. Pierce in the 1950s. In the mid-1960s, the State Road Department authorized traffic counts be conducted to determine if
896-466: A move announced in November 2009. The staffed toll plazas were converted into electronic toll gantries, and the only ways to pay are either by SunPass transponders or a "toll-by-plate" program. The Turnpike mainline began its conversion to a cashless toll road with the Golden Glades toll barrier being converted into a toll gantry on January 25, 2014, and no longer accepts cash. The portion south of I-595
1008-619: A northwestern direction, where hilly countryside becomes a part of the terrain for the remainder of the expressway while intersecting with Hancock Road (exit 278) in Minneola , an electronic toll interchange . At mile 285, it has a northbound exit/southbound entrance with US 27 , followed by the Leesburg electronic toll gantry at mile 288, and a southbound exit/northbound entrance with US 27 at mile 289. The last interchange in Lake County
1120-514: A partial interchange between SR 417 and Florida's Turnpike in the late 2000s, after negotiations dating back to a 1991 field study. The interchange is being built in two phases. The first phase, built by CFX, added ramps from southbound SR 417 to southbound Florida's Turnpike and from northbound Florida's Turnpike to northbound SR 417. Construction on the first phase began in September 2013 and opened on January 26, 2015. The second phase, completing
1232-562: A state or national emergency, most common being a hurricane watch , warrant rapid movement of the population. Eight service plazas are located along the turnpike, spaced about 45 miles (72 km) apart. All eight plazas are open 24 hours a day and located on the center median of the turnpike for access from both directions and offer gasoline, diesel fuel, internet access , travel and tourism info and tickets, picnic areas, TV news, gift shops offering Florida Lottery , family-friendly restrooms , and pay phones . A convenience store/gas station
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#17327912429011344-549: A strict development code for the size and types of commercial buildings, building signs, and advertisements that may be erected within the city limit, which has led to major thoroughfares without billboards and large advertisements, as well as increased green spaces on roads. Boca Ratón translates to "Mouse Mouth" in English. Its name was originally labeled in the early European maps of the area as Boca de Ratones (Spanish for 'Mouth of Mice'). Boca , meaning "mouth",
1456-662: A true world leader", as the Legislature put it, Florida's Turnpike was designated by the Florida Legislature in 1998 as the Ronald Reagan Turnpike, with 20 signs throughout the turnpike showing the designation. In April 1999, SunPass was introduced to the public, with SunPass-only interchanges and lanes being introduced throughout the 2000s. The HEFT ceased cash toll collections on February 19, 2011, becoming an exclusive electronic toll road ,
1568-453: Is "Rugged Inlet". Others claim that ratones referred to pirates who hid out in the area, and thus the name could translate to "Pirates' Inlet". City residents pronounce Raton as / r ə ˈ t oʊ n / . People not from the region often mispronounce this as / r ə ˈ t ɒ n / instead. The area where Boca Raton is now located was originally occupied by the Glades culture ,
1680-621: Is a lifestyle center in downtown Boca Raton. The area contains several stores and fashion boutiques, restaurants, an iPic movie theater, and housing. The Center for the Arts at Mizner Park is on the development's north end, which includes the Boca Raton Museum of Art and the Count de Hoernele Amphitheater. Royal Palm Place is adjacent to Mizner Park, and it contains upscale shopping, restaurants, and apartments. Town Center at Boca Raton
1792-525: Is a principal city of the Miami metropolitan area , which had a population of 6,138,333 at the 2020 United States Census . It was first incorporated on August 2, 1924 as "Bocaratone", and then incorporated as "Boca Raton" on May 26, 1925. While the area had been inhabited by the Glades culture , as well as Spanish and later British colonial empires prior to its annexation by the United States,
1904-622: Is a city in Palm Beach County, Florida , United States. The population was 97,422 in the 2020 census and it ranked as the 23rd-largest city in Florida in 2022. However, many people with a Boca Raton postal address live outside of municipal boundaries, such as in West Boca Raton . As a business center, the city also experiences significant daytime population increases. Boca Raton is 45 miles (72 km) north of Miami and
2016-502: Is a cooperative project of the City of Boca Raton, Greater Boca Raton Beach and Park District, Florida Atlantic University, and Friends of Gumbo Limbo. In addition to the sea tanks, butterfly garden and boardwalk trail through the hammocks complete with an observation tower, Gumbo Limbo also houses a research facility run by FAU where students study coral reefs, sea turtles, sharks, sea grass and other marine-related subjects. Sugar Sand Park
2128-501: Is a massive combined interchange with both US 17 / US 92 /US 441 ( Orange Blossom Trail ) and SR 528 (Beachline Expressway), which combines a series of partial cloverleaf interchanges with access ramps from side roads. The turnpike then intersects with Consulate Drive (southbound exit 255) and SR 482 (Sand Lake Road) (future exit 257). After passing the I-4 interchange (exit 259) near many of Orlando's theme parks, connecting directly with
2240-985: Is a municipal park in Boca Raton. It contains the Children's Science Explorium. Another park is the Burt Aaronson South County Regional Park in West Boca Raton. The park contains several amenities, including the Osprey Point Golf Course, a dog park , the Sunset Cove Amphitheater, the Coconut Cove Waterpark, and the Daggerwing Nature Center. Spanish River Park is a family-friendly city park along
2352-543: Is a neighborhood in Boca Raton, immediately north of downtown and within city limits. The neighborhood was originally platted on May 30, 1915 for the blue-collar African Americans employed at the Boca Raton Resort and similar establishments, on area farms, in construction, and various other jobs. Boca Raton has a tropical rainforest climate ( Köppen climate classification Af ), as its driest month (December) averages 62.5mm of precipitation, narrowly meeting
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#17327912429012464-655: Is an upscale super-regional shopping center in Boca Raton that is the largest enclosed and conventional shopping mall within Palm Beach County, and the third largest by square feet in South Florida , behind Sawgrass Mills and Aventura Mall . In 1999, the Simon Property Group bought Town Center at Boca Raton and began building a new wing on its southeastern side, and completed renovations in 2018. Seritage Growth Properties plans to build
2576-454: Is another of his many inventions of foreign "facts". Mizner, who never went to Brazil nor knew Brazilians, simply made it up because the name "Botafogo" ("fire thrower") sounded impressive, as was the concept of imitating Rio de Janeiro . (The only street in Rio de Janeiro anything like the supposed picture, actually an artist's conception, of "Botafogo" that Mizner included in his first catalogue,
2688-503: Is constructed underneath the homes and streets, in addition to electrical systems in some areas. There are several high points in the city, such as 4th Avenue which is aptly named "High Street". The highest point in this area is the guard shack at Camino Gardens, which is 24 ft (7.3 m) above sea level. The Boca Raton Hotel's Beach Club rests at 23 ft (7.0 m) above sea level. Several small tunnels run under roads in Boca, but
2800-467: Is funded for the 2024 fiscal year. The Turnpike Enterprise is also studying a possible developer-funded future interchange at County Road 468 (mile marker 300, servicing The Villages and Lady Lake ). This project is neither funded nor scheduled for construction at this time. There has been discussion of creating a northern extension. North of the HEFT–Mainline interchange, the mainline continues
2912-503: Is land and 1.9 sq mi (5.0 km ) of it (6.63%) is water. Boca Raton is a " principal city " (as defined by the Census Bureau) of the Miami metropolitan area . Approximately 1 square mile is on the barrier island Deerfield Beach Island ( DBI ), also colloquially known as Deerfield Cay . Like other South Florida cities, Boca Raton has a water table that does not permit building basements, however plumbing and sewage
3024-686: Is located at the Snapper Creek plaza on the Homestead Extension of the turnpike, while the remaining seven are full-service plazas, featuring a selection of franchised fast food restaurants. Three of the service plazas (Pompano, Port St. Lucie/Fort Pierce, Turkey Lake) also provide E85 ethanol . The Turkey Lake, Ft. Drum plaza, Canoe Creek, Okahumpa, Port St. Lucie, West Palm Beach, and Pompano Beach plazas also have Tesla Superchargers for Tesla electric vehicles. The operation of Sunshine State Parkway gas stations and service centers
3136-522: Is located to the southwest of the amphitheater within the Mizner Park property. The National Cartoon Museum was built on the southwest edge of Mizner Park in 1996. Open for six years, the museum relocated to its original home in New York City in 2002. As development continued to focus to the west of the city in the 1980s and 1990s, the mall area known as Town Center at Boca Raton became
3248-555: Is the pt:Canal do Mangue , which runs down the middle of two streets, but is nowhere near Botafogo, a more elegant name than Mangue " mangrove ". ) Only 0.5 miles (0.80 km) of the road was built (although the street has subsequently been extended to the west at normal scale). According to drawings, the centerpiece of the street was to be a canal for pleasure boats; it was never built. All streets were to be at least 60 feet (18 m) wide. His first buildings in Boca Raton were his Administrative Buildings, on El Camino Real (in 2018
3360-587: Is with County Road 470 (exit 296), which does not provide cash. At mile marker 299, the turnpike passes through the final service plaza, the Okahumpka service plaza. Between US 301 (exit 304) and the northern terminus (mile 309) there is no toll. The turnpike ends with an interchange with I-75 in Wildwood , about 20 miles (32 km) south of Ocala . Exit 307 at SR 44 provides access to southbound I-75 through that interstate's exit 329, while northbound I-75 travelers (and bidirectional SR 44 travelers) can access
3472-683: The Addison Restaurant ), and a small hotel to house interested investors. Mizner designed Boca's first town hall/police station/fire station/library, although the design actually built is much smaller and less expensive than what Mizner planned. Today (2018) it is the Boca Raton History Museum , which houses Boca's Welcome Center and the Boca Raton Historical Society. The hotel was his Ritz-Carlton Cloister Inn, built in 1926, later renamed
Florida's Turnpike - Misplaced Pages Continue
3584-620: The Boca Raton Resort & Club , and is one of the only "5 star" hotels in Florida. The 1969 addition of its "pink tower" hotel building is visible from miles away as a towering monument on the Intracoastal Waterway . Because of the end of the Florida land boom of the 1920s and the 1926 Miami hurricane , the Mizner Development Corporation went into bankruptcy in 1927. Little of Mizner's Boca Raton
3696-615: The CSX rail line and northwest of Florida Atlantic University . Originally situated in unincorporated Palm Beach County, the site was annexed into Boca Raton almost a year following its dedication in 1970. Construction of IBM's main complex began in 1967, designed by Marcel Breuer , and the manufacturing and office complex was dedicated in March 1970. The campus was designed with self-sufficiency in mind and sported its own electrical substation , water pumping station, and rail spur. By 1984 IBM
3808-729: The Floridan Hotel near the capitol. Only four votes against the turnpike were entered at the end of the session's roll call, and the Legislature granted permission to build with a $ 70 million bond issue in June 1955. A Turnpike bridge in Stuart bears his name to honor his contributions. Construction on the Parkway began on July 4, 1955, starting at what is now the Golden Glades Interchange. In October 1956, all work on
3920-475: The Microsoft MS-DOS operating system for its personal computer line. In 1991, the new downtown outdoor shopping and dining center, Mizner Park , was completed over the site of the old Boca Raton Mall. It has since become a cultural center for southern Palm Beach County. Featuring a landscaped central park between the two main roads (collectively called Plaza Real) with stores only on the outside of
4032-584: The Pulitzer Prize for Public Service in 1964, the first for the newspaper, and led to changes in the way the state of Florida managed highway construction projects. For just over 11 years, the road was known as the Sunshine State Parkway (SSP). On April 12, 1968, the road was renamed to its current name of Florida's Turnpike, to identify that the toll road was located in Florida and to avoid confusion from other Florida landmarks such as
4144-631: The Sunshine Skyway Bridge . The Sunshine State Parkway moniker was commonly used for the next decade, and remnants of the name can be seen on several Turnpike maintenance buildings. The Florida Department of Transportation was created in July 1969, with the Florida State Turnpike Authority becoming a part of the new FDOT. On September 1, 1971, the Turnpike switched from a sequential exit numbering system to
4256-590: The Venezuelan government, under President Hugo Chávez , nationalized Citgo, and in 2006, political controversy resulted in a movement to remove the brand from the turnpike. In 2009, Areas U.S.A. signed a 30-year contract for operation of food and retail concessions, taking over operations from Martin Petroleum and HMSHost . Florida Turnpike Services, L.L.C., Areas' partner, replaced the Citgo brand with Shell ,
4368-414: The "Florida Turnpike Act", which Governor Dan McCarty signed into law on July 11, 1953, as well as the Florida State Turnpike Authority, which had the ability to plan, design, and construct bond-financed toll roads, in whose creation Costar was instrumental, to be repaid through the collection of tolls from Turnpike customers. Thomas B. Manuel , known as the "Father of the Turnpike", served as chairman of
4480-697: The $ 1.288 million plus range. Since the mid-2010s, there has been a developing boom such as the building of the Mandarin Oriental's Residences, remodeling of Downtown Boca Raton's Mizner Park, and development around Florida Atlantic University and Lynn University. On November 2, 2004, the voters of the Via Verde Association, Waterside, Deerhurst Association (Boca South), Marina Del Mar Association, Rio Del Mar Association (both originally Boca Del Mar communities), and Heatherwood of Boca Raton Condominium Association approved annexation into
4592-688: The 1960s, preliminary studies began for expanding portions of the Turnpike to six lanes in South Florida and additional north–south highways in that area. Dade County and the State Road Department developed a plan for the West Dade Expressway (now known as the Homestead Extension of Florida's Turnpike), beginning at the Turnpike near the Dade County/Broward County line, turning westward and southward, and terminating at Florida City in southern Dade County. In 1967,
Florida's Turnpike - Misplaced Pages Continue
4704-443: The 19th century, mapmakers moved this location to the north and began referring to the city's lake, today known as Lake Boca Raton, as "Boca Ratone Lagoon" and later "Boca Ratone Sounde". An inland stream near the lake was later renamed Spanish River , and eventually became part of the Intracoastal Waterway . When Spain surrendered Florida to Britain in 1763, the remaining Tequestas, along with other Indians who had taken refuge in
4816-520: The 75–83 degrees range, while summer high temperatures are about 87–92 degrees. Boca Raton and other parts of Palm Beach County have a significant Jewish population. Certain areas of outside of Boca Raton city limits, such as the Sandalfoot Cove community, have significant populations of Brazilian and other Latino immigrants. Boca Raton is known for its affluent and educated social community. According to Forbes , Boca Raton has three of
4928-494: The Bee Line Connector and Homestead Extension of Florida's Turnpike would be financed by revenue bond issues as extensions of Florida's Turnpike. The Beeline Expressway opened in 1973 and the Homestead Extension opened in 1974 as a part of the Turnpike mainline. Between 1974 and 1986, the turnpike experienced little change other than maintenance as the original bonds on the road were being paid off. During this period,
5040-484: The Boca Raton city limits , increasing the city land area to 29.6 square miles (77 km ). A new gated community called Royal Palm Polo was annexed to the City of Boca Raton, which is the only jurisdiction north of Clint Moore Road. According to the United States Census Bureau , the city has an area of 29.1 sq mi (75.4 km ), of which 27.2 sq mi (70.4 km ) of this
5152-506: The Cypress Creek and Lantana toll plazas were built as part of this project. Coin baskets were installed in 1994 after years of delays. The portion of road north of Kissimmee was converted to a coin drop system on August 20, 1995. On July 7, 1995, the Leesburg toll barrier was opened. at this point, the existing Three Lakes toll plaza and Wildwood toll plazas were closed. Because he "was one of America's most beloved presidents and
5264-549: The Florida Keys, were evacuated to Cuba . In the 1770s, Bernard Romans reported seeing abandoned villages in the area, but no inhabitants. The area remained largely uninhabited for long afterwards, during the early years of Florida's incorporation in the United States. The first significant European settler to this area was Captain Thomas Moore Rickards in 1895, who resided in a house made of driftwood on
5376-406: The Florida State Turnpike Authority from January 1955 to January 1961. Manuel debated with state legislature members opposed to tollways, emphasizing the need for a good highway system in a tourism-driven state. During the 1955 legislative session, many small-county legislators and others opposed to the Parkway formed a "kill the 'Pike'" coalition; Manuel won over the legislators at his headquarters in
5488-595: The Florida State Turnpike Authority was authorized to perform engineering and feasibility studies on the West Dade Expressway and the Bee Line Connector extension, now known as the Martin Andersen Beachline Expressway. The results of the studies came in December 1968, but due to an uncertain bond market and an unknown future for the toll authority, decisions on the roads were delayed. In 1969, FDOT and Orange and Dade County officials agreed
5600-713: The HEFT at the Miami-Dade/Broward County line 4 miles (6 km) from Golden Glades, continuing the HEFT's mile marker. The highway goes through the inland suburbs of Miramar , Hollywood , and Davie , with an exit at Hollywood Boulevard ( SR 820 ) at mile 50, and passing west of the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Hollywood just south the Griffin Road ( SR 818 ) interchange (exit 53). In Davie, about 8 miles (13 km) north of
5712-667: The Homestead Extension interchange, it intersects with I-595 , providing direct access to Alligator Alley and Ft. Lauderdale International Airport . After two more interchanges, one with Sunrise Boulevard ( SR 838 ) in Plantation and Commercial Boulevard ( SR 870 ) in Tamarac , it crosses the Cypress Creek Toll Plaza in North Lauderdale , the second on the mainline. Just 1 mile (1.6 km) north of
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#17327912429015824-411: The I-4 express lanes to and from the east along I-4, the Turnpike moves in a northwest direction, first passing by the Turkey Lake Service Plaza at mile marker 263, where the FDOT district headquarters of the Turnpike are located. The Turnpike has the next two interchanges with Orlando area tollways, SR 408 (East-West Expressway) at exit 265 and SR 429 (Western Expressway) at exit 267A, where in between
5936-436: The IBM PC division to Research Triangle Park in Raleigh, North Carolina , and converted the manufacturing facilities into offices and laboratories, later producing products such as the OS/2 operating system and VoiceType Dictation, later known as ViaVoice voice-recognition software . IBM maintained its facilities in the South Florida area until 1996, when the facility was closed and sold to Blue Lake Real Estate. The site
6048-416: The Office of Florida's Turnpike was formed, with $ 220 million worth of revenue bonds being sold in April 1989 to renovate the toll plazas, service centers and improve the road with the reduction of urban congestion. Fifteen new interchanges were planned in the early 1990s, with four of them opened by July 1991. The section between the Golden Glades Plaza and Lantana was converted to a coin drop toll in 1990,
6160-593: The Port St. Lucie-Fort Pierce service plaza at mile marker 144. The turnpike intersects I-95 one last time just south of SR 70 (exit 152) in Fort Pierce , as I-95 continues to head up the east coast of Florida and the turnpike curves inland towards Orlando. North of the SR 70 interchange, the turnpike enters a rural area, with cattle farms and orange groves lining the road for most of the section between Fort Pierce and Kissimmee , with only one interchange: SR 60 in Yeehaw Junction (exit 193). There are two service plazas in this area, one at Fort Drum at mile marker 184 and
6272-509: The State Road 70 exit (exit 152) and from SR 50 (exit 272) to U.S. 27 (northbound exit 285) from four to eight lanes. In Miami-Dade County , several widening projects including new through lanes are underway. There are plans to widen the Turnpike from Kissimmee Park Road (exit 240) to US 192 (exit 242) and from Neptune Road to just north of Osceola Parkway (exit 249) all from four to eight lanes. A new diverging diamond interchange will be constructed at Nolte Road during this process. Construction
6384-417: The Sunshine State Parkway north of Ft. Pierce was abandoned and plans for a state-long turnpike were shelved due to passage of the National Interstate and Defense Highways Act , which provided for construction of limited-access highways in the corridors that had been under study for the Parkway Extension. One was Interstate 95 , which was slated to connect Jacksonville with Miami in a similar alignment to
6496-464: The Thomas B. Manuel Bridge over the St. Lucie Canal, crossing I-95 without an interchange just south of the SR 714 interchange, the only exit in Martin County. I-95 heads west towards the western fringes of St. Lucie County development, while the turnpike takes a path through the central areas of the county. The turnpike has two interchanges in Port St. Lucie, one at Becker Road (exit 138), the third SunPass-only exit, and SR 716 (exit 142), followed by
6608-406: The board authorized a study for the Parkway Extension to Orlando, and connecting the Interstate routes in Florida. In 1961, Governor Collins approved the sale of $ 80 million in bonds to finance the parkway extension from Fort Pierce to Wildwood , adding another 156 miles (251 km) of roadway and shifting Interstate 75's route 6 miles (10 km) eastward from its original alignment. The extension
6720-409: The city's present form was developed predominantly by Addison Mizner starting in the 1920s. Mizner contributed to many buildings in the area having Mediterranean Revival or Spanish Colonial Revival architecture. Boca Raton also became a key city in the development of the early computer industry. The city is the birthplace of IBM 's first personal computer and various other technologies created by
6832-432: The company. Still centered around luxury beach culture, the city today is dotted by many malls and shopping centers, including the Town Center at Boca Raton . The ODP Corporation , which operates Office Depot and OfficeMax , is headquartered here. Boca Raton is also home to the main campus of Florida Atlantic University and the Evert Tennis Academy , owned by former professional tennis player Chris Evert . The city has
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#17327912429016944-455: The current brand for gas stations along the turnpike. Many of the restaurant brands were also changed over, with Dunkin' Donuts replacing Starbucks locations as well as KFC , Pizza Hut , Villa Pizza and Wendy's replacing most Popeyes and Burger King locations. The reconstruction and renovation of six of the service plazas began on November 1, 2010, to be completed in 2012. The Okahumpka and Ft. Pierce plazas will begin reconstruction when
7056-449: The east side of the East Coast Canal, south of what is now the Palmetto Park Road bridge. He surveyed and sold land from the canal to beyond the railroad north of what is now Palmetto Park Road. Early settlement in the area increased shortly after Henry Flagler 's expansion of the Florida East Coast Railway , connecting West Palm Beach to Miami. Boca Raton as a city was the creation of architect Addison Mizner . Prior to him, Boca Raton
7168-444: The geographic center of what is referred to as West Boca Raton, though this mall was not annexed into the city until 2004. Forbes ranked Boca's Royal Palm Yacht and Country Club the third most exclusive gated community in the US in 2017. Many mansions and estates have been built and reflect the high real estate values. 18.1% of homes for sale are within the $ 655,000–$ 966,000 range, 8.5% in the $ 966,000–$ 1.288 million range, and 11.9% in
7280-448: The gift shop and gas stations at all service plazas, as well as Walgreens , Publix , and CVS stores statewide. Since 2021, E-ZPass , which is used primarily in the Midwest and Northeast U.S., has also been accepted on Florida's Turnpike. As the Turnpike and its system of roads are primary routes for emergency evacuations , tolls may be suspended, in cooperation with the state's emergency operations center and county governments, when
7392-509: The interchange, the highway enters stretch of sparse development between this point and Port St. Lucie , intersecting with the Beeline Highway , another SunPass only interchange before leaving West Palm Beach. Just north of the SR 786 interchange in Palm Beach Gardens (exit 109), I-95 parallels the Turnpike to the east for about 20 miles (32 km), with I-95 visible from the turnpike as it has an interchange with SR 706 (exit 116) in Jupiter and into Martin County . It breaks off as it crosses
7504-437: The interchange, was built by the Turnpike Enterprise. After a series of delays, construction began in 2017 and the completed interchange was fully opened on May 21, 2021. As part of the project, the turnpike mainline was widened from four to eight lanes between Osceola Parkway (exit 249) and the Beachline Expressway (SR 528, exit 255). Reconstruction of the northern end of the Turnpike at its junction with Interstate 75 improved
7616-454: The list of investors, but he had little to invest. Instead of the existing Palmetto Park Road, the main street in Mizner's Boca was to be El Camino Real, 20 lanes wide, which Mizner fancifully translated as "The Royal Highway", referring to Spain's road network and to the road to Santa Fe and to the Spanish missions in California . (Spanish kings rarely or never travelled on these roads; "The Government Road" would be just as accurate.) It
7728-492: The longest of any US expressway. It then passes exit 240 located at Clay Whaley Road, a partial interchange featuring a northbound on- and southbound off-ramp only. After interchanges with US 192 / US 441 (exit 242 northbound, exit 244 southbound) and the Osceola Parkway (exit 249), the turnpike enters Orange County and Orlando , expanding to eight lanes north of the latter interchange and quickly intersecting SR 417 (Central Florida GreeneWay) (exit 251). Exit 254 in Sky Lake
7840-680: The mileage from mile 47 from the HEFT. The spur of the mainline south of the HEFT to the Golden Glades Interchange assumes an alternate numbering system that suffixes an X to each exit number. Unsigned highway Too Many Requests If you report this error to the Wikimedia System Administrators, please include the details below. Request from 172.68.168.226 via cp1108 cp1108, Varnish XID 252785938 Upstream caches: cp1108 int Error: 429, Too Many Requests at Thu, 28 Nov 2024 10:54:03 GMT Boca Raton, Florida Boca Raton ( / ˌ b oʊ k ə r ə ˈ t oʊ n / BOH -kə rə- TOHN ; Spanish: Boca Ratón [ˈboka raˈton] )
7952-495: The minimum standard of 60mm in the driest month to qualify for that designation. In general the climate is warm and sunny much of the year, although daily thundershowers occur in the hot season from June through September. Boca Raton is frost free. The warm tropical climate in South Florida supports the growth of tropical trees and plants such as the coconut palm that was introduced hundreds of years ago to Florida in nearby West Palm Beach . Winter high temperatures are typically in
8064-492: The newspaper's coverage of unchecked spending by the Florida Turnpike Authority that led to estimated costs quadrupling from initial estimates of $ 100 million. Waldron received a tip about excessive spending by John Hammer, chairman of the Florida Turnpike Authority, which included expensive hotels and meals, corsages for his secretary and overcharging for a chartered plane. His coverage earned the newspaper
8176-704: The northern end of the Golden Glades Interchange in Miami Gardens as a six-lane highway, and passes through the Golden Glades Toll Barrier, a cashless toll point, similar to the ones on the HEFT. About 2 miles (3 km) north of the toll gantry, it passes by Hard Rock Stadium , home to the Miami Dolphins of the National Football League , to the west before intersecting with the northern end of
8288-512: The other plaza projects are complete. Total renovation costs are estimated at $ 160 million. Florida's Turnpike Enterprise operates with intelligent transportation systems (ITS), used to detect and manage incidents on their roadways. The ITS are managed by two traffic management centers (TMCs), one in Pompano Beach and the other in Ocoee , operated by Florida's Turnpike Enterprise 24 hours
8400-455: The other, Canoe Creek, at mile marker 229. Between Fort Pierce and Yeehaw Junction, the turnpike travels in a nearly east-west direction heading inland, with a 40.5-mile (65.2 km) gap between the two exits, the second longest of any US expressway. Between Yeehaw Junction and Kissimmee, the turnpike, returning to a north-northwest direction towards Orlando, has a 48.9-mile (78.7 km) (47 miles (76 km) southbound) stretch without an exit,
8512-420: The planned Sunshine State Parkway Coastal Route. This resulted in completion of a truncated 110-mile (180 km) highway that ran from Miami to Fort Pierce, opening on January 25, 1957. In January 1959, Governor LeRoy Collins , favoring a Parkway extension from Fort Pierce to Orlando, stated that building the Parkway north of Orlando would be unnecessary due to the interstate highway system. In late May 1959,
8624-455: The portion between I-4 and SR 408 being finished in 2010, SR 408 to Beulah Road (at the north end of the SR 429 interchange) opened in March 2011, and the portion between Beulah Road and SR 50 (exit 272) was completed in 2012. In 2007, legislation was passed in Florida to index toll rates across the state to the national Consumer price index (CPI), to be enacted by the end of June 2012. As a result,
8736-529: The potential situation, as well as AMBER / Silver Alerts . The Road Rangers Safety Patrol offers free roadside assistance on Florida's Turnpike mainline and Homestead Extension. Utility and tow trucks patrol 12 designated zones looking for stranded motorists to provide services such as fuel, tire changes, and use of a cellular phone; and also watching out for crashes and road debris . The Traffic Management Center dispatches them to accidents, debris removal, disabled vehicles, or anything that may potentially affect
8848-402: The primary method of paying tolls on the turnpike, with 80% of customers using the system as of October 2009. SunPass can be used on most Florida toll roads, in conjunction with other electronic toll collection systems in Florida ( E-Pass and LeeWay). SunPass users benefit from an average of a 25% discount on tolls and access to SunPass-only exit ramps. SunPass transponders are available at
8960-797: The road is no longer illuminated by streetlights but rather only at interchanges, near service plazas, and some urban areas (like near Orlando ). It then enters Deerfield Beach with an interchange with the Sawgrass Expressway in Coconut Creek (exit 71), the final interchange in Broward County. The Turnpike then enters Palm Beach County , with one interchange each in Boca Raton ( Glades Road , exit 75), Delray Beach ( Atlantic Avenue , exit 81) and Boynton Beach ( Boynton Beach Boulevard , exit 86). The turnpike narrows to
9072-419: The roads are built up several feet at these locations, or are on dunes. Several of these tunnels are under State Road A1A at Spanish River Park, from the west side of the road where parking is available to beachgoers, to the east side of the road, which is where the beach is located. A1A is already higher than the surrounding land here due to sand dunes formed by erosion and other natural features. Pearl City
9184-458: The roads, Mizner Park resembles a Mediterranean suburban "town center" with a more contemporary look. It features many restaurants and is home to the Boca Raton Museum of Art , which moved to the new facility in 2001. In 2002, a new amphitheater was built, replacing a smaller one and providing a large-capacity outdoor venue where concerts and other performances are held. The Mizner Park Cultural Center, an indoor performing arts/comedy show theater
9296-479: The same through at least 2014. Toll rate increases were scheduled for every five years, and mid-2017 was the next scheduled date for such an increase. However, a combination of a low inflation rate and problems within the relevant state authorities caused multiple cancellations and changes in schedule for the next increase. The final projected date for an increase in tolls was eventually set for October 29, 2017. The Turnpike Enterprise and OOCEA (now CFX) agreed to build
9408-541: The separation of Interstate 95 from the Turnpike was feasible, with arguments that using a concurrent alignment was costing Florida money for federal highway funding, but not without the concern of losing toll revenue. Over time, the interstate adopted a route closer to U.S. Route 1 , including parallel between Stuart and Palm Beach Gardens, with the turnpike being removed from the I-95 alignment in 1973, and I-95 being completed in 1987. With Florida still growing in population in
9520-651: The site's layout for its previous use as an airfield is plainly evident. Boca Raton Airport 's runway was once part of the original airbase, and is still active to this day, although the runway has been rebuilt. Army School Building #3 (T-604) of the Army Air Forces Base has survived as the office building for the Cynthia Gardens apartment complex on Northwest 4th Avenue. Boca Raton was the site of two now vanished amusement parks , Africa U.S.A. (1953–1961) and Ancient America (1953–1959). Africa U.S.A.
9632-551: The six-year agreement, which began with the 2014 season. The Bowl is held at FAU Stadium . St. Mark Greek Orthodox Church in Boca Raton hosts a popular Greek festival during the last weekend of January. An estimated 15,000 people attended the festival in 2018. Additionally, the city hosts the " Festival of the Arts BOCA " annually during the spring, and the Brazilian Beat Festival in the fall. Mizner Park
9744-515: The southern end of the mainline for another 48 miles (77 km) to US Highway 1 (US 1) in Florida City . The slogan for the road is "The Less Stressway". The mainline opened in stages between 1957 and 1964, while the extension was completed in 1974. The turnpike runs through Miami , Fort Lauderdale , and West Palm Beach , where it parallels I-95, and through Orlando , where it crosses I-4 . The main section of Florida's Turnpike begins at
9856-682: The ten most expensive gated communities in the U.S. The Royal Palm Yacht and Country Club holds the #1 spot, The Sanctuary takes #6, and Le Lac takes the #8 spot. The Boca Raton Bowl is a National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) sanctioned Division I college football bowl game that features the Mid-American Conference (MAC) facing off against an opponent from the American Athletic Conference (AAC) or Conference USA (C-USA) in alternating years. Each conference participates four times during
9968-683: The toll plaza, it intersects with the Pompano Beach Service Plaza, the first of seven full-service plazas on the mainline, and where the Turnpike's operations center is located. Still in Pompano Beach, it has a northbound-only exit (and southbound-only entrance) at Atlantic Boulevard ( SR 814 ), followed by full interchanges with Coconut Creek Parkway/Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard (County Road 912) (exit 67) and Sample Road ( SR 834 ) (exit 69). North of exit 69,
10080-476: The toll rates on roads on Florida's Turnpike Enterprise were raised on June 24, 2012, an increase of 11.7% to reflect the previous five years. The legislation allows for SunPass rates to be raised slightly each year, with cash rates going up every five years, with SunPass rates staying about a quarter cheaper than cash rates. In keeping with the legislation, SunPass and toll-by-plate rates were raised again on July 1, 2013 by 2.1%, with cash toll rates projected to stay
10192-472: The traffic merge pattern between I-75 and SR 44 with new flyover ramps and additional traffic lanes. The northbound off-ramp to SR 44 was completed on September 19, 2019, while southbound on-ramp construction was completed in early November 2019, and the project overall was completed in early January 2020. Plans are in the works to widen the Turnpike from the Lake Worth Road interchange (exit 93) to
10304-563: The traveling public; they also assist the Florida Highway Patrol with traffic maintenance during incidents involving blockage of lanes. In the years following World War II , Florida was experiencing unprecedented growth in population and tourism, along with a revitalized citrus industry recovering from a harsh freeze early in the decade; the increased traffic load quickly burdened the state's highway system. South Florida businessman and accounting firm owner Charles B. Costar
10416-538: The turnpike at this exit. Tolls on the turnpike are an average of 6.7 cents per mile (4.2 ¢/km) for cars and other two- axle vehicles using SunPass . A trip on the entire turnpike (not including the Homestead Extension) would cost $ 22.59 with Toll-by-Plate, and $ 17.45 with SunPass. The turnpike was originally entirely on the ticket system , but due to congestion in the Miami and Orlando metro areas,
10528-412: The turnpike experienced the first of five toll hikes on February 15, 1979, when the cost of a trip from Golden Glades to Wildwood increased to $ 5.90 from $ 4.80, the road's original toll. In 1989, the Turnpike switched its exit numbering system to the mile-log system, starting from the south end of the Homestead Extension, 13 years before Florida's interstates integrated it into their system. In 1988,
10640-588: The turnpike to use the ticket system ran between what are now electronic toll gantries at Lantana (mile 89.4 in Palm Beach County) and Three Lakes (mile 236.5 in Osceola County). This section was converted to a cashless system on November 8, 2021, removing the final cash-based toll collections and converting the entire length of the turnpike to electronic toll collection. The SunPass electronic toll collection system, in use since 1999, has become
10752-414: The two exits, the turnpike expands to become a twelve-lane highway, and reverting to an eight-lane highway north of the SR 429 interchange. The last two Orange County interchanges are with SR 50 five miles apart at exit 267B and 272, with the turnpike becoming a four-lane highway north of exit 272, and staying that way for the rest of its northward journey. The Turnpike then enters Lake County , heading in
10864-680: Was Palm Beach County's largest corporate employer, with 8,500 Boca Raton employees. Among other noteworthy IT accomplishments, such as the mass production of the System/360 and development of the Series/1 mainframe computers, IBM's main complex was the birthplace of the IBM PC , which later evolved into the IBM Personal System/2 , developed in nearby Delray Beach . Starting in 1987, IBM relocated its manufacturing for what became
10976-401: Was a common term to describe an inlet on maps by sailors (as in a river mouth ). The meaning of the word ratones for the area is less certain. Some claim that the word ratones appears in old Spanish maritime dictionaries referring to "rugged rocks or stony ground on the bottom of some ports and coastal outlets, where the cables rub against". Thus, one possible translation of Boca Raton
11088-605: Was a wild animal park in which tourists rode a "Jeep Safari Train" through the park. There were no fences separating the animals from the tourists. It is now the Camino Gardens subdivision one mile west of the Boca Raton Hotel. A red wooden bridge and remnants from the Watusi Geyser and Zambezi Falls, a 30-foot waterfall, from Africa USA can still be seen at the entrance to Camino Gardens. Ancient America
11200-679: Was an unincorporated farming town with a population of 100 in 1920. In 1925, Mizner announced his plan for "the foremost resort city on the North American continent," "a new exclusive social capital in America." After spending several years in Palm Beach, where, in his own words, he "did more than any one man to make the city beautiful," and designed the Everglades Club among many other buildings, in Boca Raton his plan
11312-571: Was built surrounding a real Native American burial mound. Today, the mound is still visible within the Boca Marina & Yacht Club neighborhood on U.S. 1 near Yamato Road. In the late 1960s, IBM announced their intentions to open a manufacturing plant in the area. In 1965, well before the extension of I-95 into Southern Florida, IBM, working in secret with the Arvida corporation, quietly purchased several hundred acres of real estate west of
11424-498: Was concerned that a trip down the east coast of Florida would take days on the available road network, passing through every small beachside town and siphoning off the traffic before visitors reached South Florida. After driving on the Pennsylvania Turnpike during a vacation there, he envisioned a similar high-speed turnpike in Florida. In 1953, Costar led a lobbying group that resulted in the state legislature creating
11536-569: Was confiscated and used as the site of the Boca Raton Army Air Force Base, a major training facility for B-29 bomber crews and the only facility in the U.S. training radar operators. Much of the Boca Raton Army Airfield was later donated to Palm Beach County and became the grounds of Florida Atlantic University . Many of FAU's parking lots are former runways of the airbase. When viewed from above,
11648-418: Was converted on August 29, 2015. Between 2005 and 2012, the Turnpike spent $ 380 million doubling the number of lanes from SR 528 to the northernmost interchange with SR 50 west of Winter Garden (exit 272). Most of the section was expanded from four to eight lanes, with the section between SR 408 and SR 429 being expanded from six to twelve lanes. The portion between SR 528 and Interstate 4 opened in 2008, with
11760-568: Was donated to the Palm Beach County School District and converted into Don Estridge High Tech Middle School . It is named after Don Estridge , whose team was responsible for developing the IBM PC . IBM returned in July 2001, opening the software development laboratory at Beacon Square off Congress Avenue. It is noteworthy that still left standing inside the old IBM complex is the office and conference table where Bill Gates signed his historic deal to supply IBM with
11872-734: Was ever built: his Administration Buildings , the Cloister Inn, 1/2 mile of El Camino Real, the small Dunagan Apartments (demolished), a few houses near the Cloister Inn (demolished), the Spanish Village neighborhood, and a few small houses in what is now the Old Floresta Historic District neighborhood. During World War II , some of the land used by the Japanese farmers of the Yamato Colony
11984-729: Was incorporated in 1925, and promptly issued $ 5 million of stock, which was fully subscribed in less than a week. $ 500,000 was reserved for the "average Floridian"; the remainder was purchased by, as Addison called them, "noted personages", all with a Palm Beach connection: Lytle Hall, Harold Vanderbilt , J. Leonard Repogle, the Duchess of Sutherland , Rodman Wanamaker , Paris Singer , Irving Berlin , Madame Frances Alda , W. C. Robinson , H. H. Rodgers, D. H. Conkling, A. T. Herd, Porte, William Kissam Vanderbilt II , Elizabeth Arden , Jesse Livermore , Clarence H. Geist , and T. Coleman du Pont as chairman. Addison's brother Wilson also appears on
12096-533: Was opened in three stages: a 61-mile (98 km) section between Yeehaw Junction and Orlando opened on July 17, 1963, a section linking Fort Pierce and Yeehaw Junction opened on November 22, 1963, and the section between Orlando and the northern terminus of I-75 opened on July 24, 1964, completing the mainline. With the St. Petersburg Times in 1963, a team led by Martin Waldron wrote a total of 150,000 words as part of
12208-432: Was originally bid out under separate contracts, and as a result, differing petroleum brands operated concurrently along the parkway, with varying levels of service and pricing. This practice was discontinued in 1995 when all service center operations were combined to improve supply and continuity of service; with Martin Petroleum, a Florida corporation, operating the stations with Citgo brand fuel at its stations. Since then,
12320-463: Was originally to be circular, with a lagoon in the middle. Soon it became, in the plans, Boca Raton's main east–west street, to be 220 feet (67 m) wide and with a canal for pleasure boats in the center. (In the drawing of it on the cover of Mizner Development's first brochure is a Venetian gondola . ) His statement that it was inspired by Botafogo , a neighborhood and beach in Rio de Janeiro , Brazil,
12432-767: Was sold to T-REX Management Consortium, then to the Blackstone Group in 2005, who renamed it the Boca Corporate Center and Campus. The site was later renamed the Boca Raton Innovation Campus (BRiC). Crocker Partners, noted for its development of Mizner Park and Office Depot headquarters , purchased BRiC in April 2018. What used to be IBM's Building 051, an annex separated from the former main IBM campus by Spanish River Boulevard,
12544-425: Was to create from scratch "a resort as splendid in its entirety as Palm Beach is in spots." Activity in that area began at least a year, and probably more, before Mizner's announcement. Land acquisition, tens of thousands of acres, was the largest part. But it is hard not to see Mizner's hand in the incorporation of Boca Raton in 1924; the city immediately appointed him Town Planner. The Mizner Development Company
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