Venetian Causeway

Venetian Causeway
Venetian Causeway from Downtown Miami, east toward Miami Beach in 2002
Coordinates	25°47′28″N 80°09′54″W / 25.791°N 80.165°W / 25.791; -80.165
Crosses	Biscayne Bay
Locale	Miami to Miami Beach
Maintained by	MDX
Heritage status	NRHP (1989)[1]
Preceded by	Collins Bridge
Characteristics
Design	Bascule
Total length	2.8 miles (4.5 km)
Longest span	0.4 miles (0.64 km)
History
Designer	Harvey Stanley, Raymond Concrete Pile Co.
Opened	1925 (original causeway & bridges) 1999 (current bridges)
Statistics
Toll	$3.00[2]
Venetian Causeway
U.S. National Register of Historic Places
NRHP reference No.	89000852[3]
Added to NRHP	July 13, 1989
Location

The Venetian Causeway crosses Biscayne Bay between Miami on the mainland and Miami Beach on a barrier island in the Miami metropolitan area. The man-made Venetian Islands and non-bridge portions of the causeway were created by materials which came from the dredging of the bay. The Venetian Causeway follows the original route of the Collins Bridge, a wooden 2.5 mi (4 km) long structure built in 1913 by John S. Collins and Carl G. Fisher which opened up the barrier island for unprecedented growth and development.

The causeway has one toll plaza (administered by the Miami-Dade County Public Works department^[4]) on Biscayne Island, the westernmost Venetian Island. The toll for an automobile is $3.00 (US).^[5]

The causeway has two bascule bridges. At the Downtown/Western Beginning of the causeway travelers are greeted by two columns vertically saying "VENETIAN WAY" along with a sign indicating that there is a weight limit .

At the South Beach/Eastern Terminus, drivers must choose whether to go north onto Dade Boulevard or eastbound onto 17th Street to Ocean Drive, Collins Ave/A1A, Lincoln Road, City Hall, The Convention Center, Jackie Gleason Theater and the beach .

The Venetian Causeway was listed in the National Register of Historic Places in 1989.^[6] It was re-dedicated in 1999 after the completion of a $29 million restoration and replacement project.^[7]

In 2023 Miami-Dade County initiated a plan to replace the 11 original bridges along the causeway with higher structures.^[8]

A popular use of the causeway is for exercising, including both jogging and bicycling.

• Belle Isle
• Collins Bridge
• Di Lido Island
• Biscayne Island
• Rivo Alto Island
• John S. Collins
• Carl G. Fisher

• 
  View of the Venetian Causeway and islands with South Beach in the background, as seen from the 1800 Club in Downtown Miami
• 
  The westernmost of the two drawbridges on the causeway, with its draw span opened for a boat
• 
  View from water level towards Miami Beach
• 
  View towards Miami Beach
• 
  The Venetian Causeway viewed from former site of The Miami Herald
• 
  Entrance to Venetian Causeway from Miami side
• 
  Column with Sign
• 
  Bridge detail, lamps and railing
• 
  Entrance to Venetian Causeway with Columns view towards southeast

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Venetian Causeway.

• New York Times Article (March 21, 2008): Islands of Calm