State Road 29 (SR 29) is a state highway that runs north–south through Southwest Florida. It begins in Carnestown (just north of Everglades City) and runs north to a point just south of Palmdale. A rural road, it runs mostly through uninhabited farmland in its northern half, and along wetlands in its southern half. The route previously continued south of Carnestown to Everglades City and Chokoloskee, which has since become County Road 29 (CR 29).
Route description
Florida State Road 29, just north of US Route 41 in Carnestown
County Road 29
CR 29 begins on Chokoloskee Island at SR 29's historic southern terminus, where it known as Smallwood Avenue (named for Ted Smallwood, who opened the areas historic general store which is now a museum).[2] From Chokoloksee, CR 29 crosses a causeway across Chokoloskee Bay to Everglades City. In Everglades City, it turns east along Broadway and north along Collier Avenue, where it continues out of the city and terminating at U.S. Route 41 in Carnestown.[3]
SR 29 drawbridge over the Caloosahatchee River in LaBelle, Florida
North of I-75, State Road 29 borders the Florida Panther National Wildlife Refuge to the west and continues to border the Big Cypress National Preserve up to a point just south of Sunniland.
SR 29 turns west briefly and back north through the city of Immokalee, a small farming town with large migrant populations. SR 29 expands to four lanes in as it passes through central Immokalee along Main Street and North 15th Street. Just north of Immokalee, SR 29 is reduced to two lanes before intersecting with State Road 82, which travels west to Fort Myers.
SR 29 continues due north through more agricultural areas until it reaches the city of LaBelle. SR 29 enters LaBelle along Main Street. It then comes to an intersection with SR 80, a transpeninsular route connecting Fort Myers and West Palm Beach. SR 29 then turns east along SR 80 for one block before turning north again at Bridge Street. SR 29 then crosses the Caloosahatchee River on a bascule drawbridge.
North end of State Road 29
On the north side of the river, SR 29 intersects CR 78 and SR 78 before continuing north through rural Glades County. SR 29 comes to its northern terminus at an intersection with US 27 (unsigned SR 25), just south of Palmdale.
History
State Road 29 was extended from Immokalee to Everglades City in the 1920s around the same time as the construction of the Tamiami Trail. Its construction was championed by Barron Collier as a land connection to Everglades City (the county seat of Collier County at the time).[4] The route was originally designated SR 164 until it was changed to SR 29 during the 1945 Florida State Road renumbering.[5] SR 29 was extended from Everglades City to Chokoloskee in 1956 upon the completion of a causeway across Chokoloskee Bay.[2]
Former SR 29 swing bridge over Caloosahatchee River in LaBelle
South of Immokalee, SR 29 ran alongside the now-abandoned Atlantic Coast Line RailroadHaines City Branch from Harrisburg (just south of Palmdale) to Everglades City, which was also built in the 1920s. Part of this line was once the Deep Lake Railroad, which was once owned by Barron Collier. The railroad was removed from Sunniland south to Everglades City in 1957, and the rest of it was removed in the 1980s.[6]
SR 29 Bascule bridge over Caloosahatchee River under construction with original swing bridge in front of it
SR 29's current bascule bridge over the Caloosahatchee River in LaBelle was built in 1959, replacing a swing bridge.[7] The swing bridge was just west of the bascule bridge connecting Desoto Avenue and Main Street on the south side and North Bridge Street on the north side of the river. The construction of the bascule bridge resulted in the realignment of SR 29 from Main Street to Bridge Street in LaBelle.[8]
The Florida Department of Transportation removed a large number of State Roads from its list for state control and maintenance to county control in the 1980s. SR 29 south of US 41 to Everglades City and Chokoloskee was given to county control at this time, becoming CR 29.[9]
When plans were made to upgrade Alligator Alley to carry Interstate 75 in 1973, State Road 29 was not initially planned to have an interchange with the freeway due to environmental concerns. This decision was reversed in 1989 during construction of I-75 and interchange ramps were included after steps were taken to protect the endangered Florida panther.[10]
State Road 29 Truck is a truck detour along South Bridge Street. It begins at the northwest corner of LaBelle Airport south of the southeast corner of SR 29 and CR 80A. SR 29 Truck also intersects CR 80A, and runs along the east side of SR 29 until it reaches SR 80 near the Old Hendry County Courthouse.
County Road 29A is a route bypassing Immokalee to the northeast. It runs mostly southeast to northwest, and is named New Market Road.
County Road 29A begins as New Market Road East, as a straight south to north road until it approaches a local fire station on the northeast corner of an access road to Immokalee Airport, and curves to the northwest. The road serves as the headquarters for the Immokalee State Farmer's Market. At Charlotte Street New Market Road East becomes New Market Road West. The straight northwestern to southeastern pattern continues until it curves to the west and approaches the terminus at SR 29 and Westclox Road north of the city, but not before a northbound turning ramp forks off to the right.
County Road 29A is a short, former segment of SR 29 in LaBelle. It runs north along North Main Street from the SR 29/80 multiplex at the Old Hendry County Courthouse to Park Avenue, where it turns east terminating a block later at Bridge Street (SR 29) at the foot of the drawbridge over Caloosahatchee River. This segment of Main Street is the former alignment of SR 29 when the old swing bridge over the river was in service.[8]
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