At this point, the state road heads into Cortez and gains a center left-turn lane, passing residential development.

SR 684 curves southeast and becomes a four-lane divided highway, passing through wooded areas with some trailer parks to the south, with the median turning into a center left-turn lane.

[4] When the road was added to the state highway system, it was designated as SR 18A, which also continued along Gulf Drive to the north end of Anna Maria Island.

SR 18 ran from Longboat Key, then east along Cortez Road, and then north to Bradenton along Palma Sola Drive.

SR 684 would also continued north along Gulf Drive to the northern end of Anna Maria Island when it was first designated.