Emory L. Bennett Causeway

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Emory L. Bennet Causeway
Official name	Bennett Causeway
Carries	Four lanes of State Road 528
Crosses	Indian River, Sykes Creek, and Banana River
Locale	Cocoa, Merritt Island, and Cape Canaveral
Maintained by	Florida Department of Transportation
Design	Groups of plate girder bridges
Total length	8.25 miles
Width	Four lanes

The Emroy L. Bennett Causeway is the easternmost portion of State Road 528, from US 1 to the eastern terminus of SR 528. At US 1, the scenic byway, the Indian River Lagoon Scenic Highway ends. It also carries Florida State Road A1A. The causeway was named in honor of Emory L. Bennett, recipient of the Medal of Honor for his actions during the Korean War.

Heading eastbound toward Port Canaveral and the Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, before the causeway crosses the Indian River Lagoon, it crosses CR 515, or the Indian River Lagoon Scenic Highway. The eastbound bridge has been replaced by the old bridge. If you were heading westbound on the Bennett Causeway, you'll notice that before you cross the bridge, the eastbound lanes are still off the ground. It next enters Merritt Island. Notice Tropical Trail didn't go over the freeway. It has a gap between Venetian Way and the northern shore of the Barge Canal. The next exit is Florida State Road 3, which provides access to John F. Kennedy Space Center and Indian Harbor Beach via Tropical Trail. Bennett Causeway runs parallel with Sea Ray Drive. Both of these roads go over Sykes Creek. Overhead signs start to appear for Port Canaveral terminals A and B. The next exit is Banana River Drive, the eastern terminus of Sea Ray Drive. It starts to cross the Banana River. The next exit is Cruise Terminal A and the Cape Canaveral Air Force Station. It next starts to head southeast to Cape Canaveral. The final exit is George J. King Boulevard, which provides access to Cruise Terminal B. Finally, the Bennett Causeway and Florida State Road 528 ends. Florida State Road A1A continues as Astronaut Boulevard. Florida State Road 524, just west of the US 1 exit, is an approach to the Bennett Causeway. In some local maps, SR 524 is named Bennett Causeway, although it is actually named Clearlake Road.

[edit] History

The Emory L. Bennett Causeway and approaches, running from State Road 520 west of Cocoa northeast and east across U.S. Highway 1, the Indian River Lagoon, Merritt Island and the Banana River, was dedicated October 11, 1963 as a two-lane toll bridge and road.^[1] It was assigned the SR 528 number over its whole length. At the same time, the present State Road 401 north of SR 528 was also built.^[2] In 2003, construction has started on replacing the eastbound bridge over the Indian River Lagoon. It is now finished. The westbound bridge over the Indian River Lagoon will be replaced between 2013 and 2018.