The road was renamed for President John F. Kennedy in 1964 by unanimous vote of Tampa City Council following his visit to Tampa on November 18 , 1963 , and his assassination in Dallas four days later on November 22 . His motorcade made use of the roadway during that visit . It was chosen for such a renaming because Kennedy had used about five miles ( 8 km ) of Grand Central Avenue for his motorcade leading through the center of the business district . According to Kennedy Library records , President Kennedy 's public exposure in Tampa was only second in length of time during his entire presidency to that of his visit earlier that year to Berlin , Germany . Since then , the roadway has seen many changes , such as expansions to 4-6 lanes . Today , Kennedy Blvd. is a vital link to and from downtown Tampa and serves as an alternate to I-275 during rush hour
assassination
Assassination of John F. Kennedy
John F. Kennedy Boulevard (Tampa, Florida)