The Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) is conducting a Corridor Study along State Road (SR) 60 from Bay Avenue to McMullen Booth Road. The purpose of the study is to identify potential improvements along the corridor including operational improvements that can be implemented in the short-term.

SR 60 is the main east-west corridor through Clearwater. Locally, it is called Gulf to Bay Boulevard for most of its length. From S. Highland Avenue to S. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. (MLK) Avenue, SR 60 is known locally as Court Street. West of S. MLK Avenue, SR 60 splits into a one-way pair, with Chestnut Street eastbound, and Court Street westbound.

As the main boulevard through Clearwater, the facility serves important competing functions of local access and through traffic. This corridor also plays a critical emergency evacuation role. SR 60 through Clearwater has been known by locals to be a congested corridor for many years. Much of the congestion stems from a few very congested intersections. Side friction relative to commercial property access also plays a role.

The SR 60 corridor is largely constrained to major improvements due to lack of available rights-of-way, heavy land development, prevalence of several recreational and public uses, and that it is already a six lane facility. However, there may be interim improvements that are more operationally oriented that can relieve congestion spots to improve overall mobility.

Factoring the constraints along SR 60, the study area also includes the Drew Street Corridor. Due to its location, continuous length, and proximity to SR 60, Drew Street may be considered as a potential alternative to SR 60.