NASA Causeway

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Visitors Complex from NASA Parkway

The NASA Parkway, part of which is known as the NASA Causeway, is an east-west route in from the mainland to the barrier island^[clarify] in Brevard County, Florida; it is the main route to Titusville, Florida, Kennedy Space Center, and Cape Canaveral Air Force Station. The eastern NASA Causeway, the portion of the parkway crossing the Banana River between Merritt Island and Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, is most notable for being the closest general-public viewing site to viewing launches of the Space Shuttle, and, previously, Saturn V and Saturn 1B rockets, all from Launch Complex 39 pads A and B.

It is an access route to tourists from the west. Another way to get in from the south is Florida State Road 3. Because of the gate after Space Commerce Way, they must make a left on Space Commerence Way to get to the Visitor Complex. It is 4 lanes wide with a speed limit of 55. East of SE 2nd Street, it is 2 lanes wide as it goes over the Banana River by a bascule bridge and into the Cape Canaveral Air Force Station. It becomes Industury Road and ends at Samuel C Philips Parkway. It has access to the tip of Cape Canaveral via Central Control Road. The Cape Canaveral Light is visible. Turn left on Lighthouse Road, than make an immediate left to LC-46.

Beginning at U.S. Route 1 in Titusville, it immediately crosses the Indian River Lagoon via bascule bridge. 2 miles east of the lagoon, it enters Merritt Island,Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge, and the John F. Kennedy Space Center At this point, the Merritt Island peninsula is 6 miles wide. At Dragon Point, near Mathers Bridge, it is only 14 feet wide. It then passes the Visitor Complex. Soon after the traffic signal, it comes over to a gate. It is only accessible to tour buses and the staff of the Kennedy Space Center. It goes over Florida State Road 3, known as Orisno, the intersection of NASA Parkway and the Kennedy Parkway. The power line disappears and follows Kennedy Parkway. It next passes the business area of KFC. At the eastern boundary of the district, it is 2 lanes wide and goes over the Banana River as another bascule bridge. It becomes Industury Road, entering the Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, and ending at Samuel C Philips Parkway.

[edit] The western side

The west side of NASA Parkway contains a Bascule bridge (officially known as NASA Causeway West). Two canals are along that route on either side. Most of the western parkway is rural area containing wildlife. To the east of NASA Parkway, just outside of Titusville, is located the Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge. Just east of State Road 3 is the Kennedy Space Center visitor complex. East of the complex is a gate patrolled area. The alternative route, available to non-NASA badged civilians, to travel from Kennedy Parkway to NASA Parkway is Space Commerce Way. Tour buses can go to the Vehicle Assembly Building on Kennedy Parkway.