by the state of Florida. Today In its current form, the Courtney Campbell Causeway stretches approximately from eastern Clearwater to Tampa's Rocky Point island and subsequently to the mainland of western Tampa. The topographical causeway is broken by two elevated spans that allow watercraft access to and from Old Tampa Bay. There are two beaches along the Causeway: the Ben T. Davis Municipal Beach maintained by the City of Tampa at the east end, and an unnamed beach owned by the Florida Department of Transportation on the west end. Frontage roads accessible at several points along the route run alongside the main four-lane road and are broken up by the bridge spans. A public boat ramp exists on the northern side just east of the largest bridge span. Because of its lower capacity, lower posted speed limits, and lack of elevation coupled with the numerous palm and mangrove vegetation along the route, the Causeway offers some of the most picturesque views of any major road in the Tampa Bay area. In 2007, the Florida DOT conducted a study to further enhance the Causeway with the addition of a recreational trail, supplanting the less-used frontage road on the north side. In 2010, Florida DOT constructed a service road as part of the Airport Interchange project. When the gate is unlocked, this serves as a bike path connecting Cypress Road (at Cypress Point Park), Tampa to the Causeway and Rocky Point Island. Additionally, a bike path connecting the Causeway to Dana Shores Drive and Town 'n' Country (with a street connection to the Upper Tampa Bay Trail) has been paved. In Pinellas County, the causeway trail connects to the Ream Wilson Clearwater Trail and thereby to the Pinellas Trail. Given the demolition of the Friendship Trail Bridge, this bicycle link has become another connection across Tampa Bay. In January 2018, construction began on a new water channel through the eastern side of the causeway. The new channel was needed to improve water quality in parts of Old Tampa Bay north of the causeway. The channel will be spanned by a bridge without supporting piers in the water, a design that will avoid trash and pollutants being caught on piers in the water. The $12 million project is expected to be finished in the summer of 2019. References External links "It's official: Courtney Campbell is scenic" 1934 establishments in Florida Bridges completed in