Florida

[FLRoadsGuy]

Question for everyone out there. Albert Calis IMed me earlier today the question of the ghost on ramp on NB FL 112 by the airport after you cross the at-grade railroad crossing. I've seen it the many times I've driven by it just never thought about it. Does anyone know and shed some light to where it was suppose to connect to from the airport??
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Gene Janczynskyi

[formulanone]

Seeing how it connects to some airport maintenance or cargo facilities within Miami International Airport, I'm guessing it's probably a remnant of pre-9/11 security measures (note the covered inspection booths just SW of the ghost ramp).

[FLRoadsGuy]

That booth has been there if you look at the Google Earth image 01/14/1994 so it was created when FDOT extended FL 112 to the airport in 1990 and before MIA was rebuilt and expanded.
---
Gene Janczynskyi

[florida]

Today, I traveled to (mostly) Lake County to check some county roads out....

-Lake CR 42 has been realigned in Altoona, along the east side, eliminating the concurrency with SR 19 [and that includes all and any signage even relating to that, on the old routing ]. There is a traffic signal at the intersection and pentagon(!) county shields.
-Marion CR 42 also has some intersection improvements going on at CR 25. They've torn up about a 0.2 mile stretch of CR 42 in Weirsdale, between the Post Office and CR 25 [that stopped me from totally clinching this road  ]
-The new yellow toll banners aren't just for the Toll SR shields anymore. At the US 27/SR 19 intersection, they've been applied to free-standing Turnpike signs, along with added onto the BGSs.
-I don't know how Lake County found the money, but it seems like they've replaced a LOT of route signage on their county roads. Places I've been to in the past [Okahumpka, Lake Jem] look different this time around. It's as if they did it to just do it.
-There are two END shields, one each for CR 44A (this one ends at the 520-530 block of Rose St) and CR 450A in Umatilla, and one BEGIN shield for CR 448 in Lake Jem.
-Sumter CR 229 is shielded along CR 466, but only with JCT assemblies in each direction.
-Marion County seems to use two different fonts on its CR shields, when you're approaching them. The font on the JCT shields have a pointy "4", and the directionals have a softer font.
-Found some street sign blades that list CR 48 as "S.R. 48" and the SR 44 (between US 441 and Orange Avenue) as "CR 44B" and "SR 44B"
-Uni-signs have popped up on Orange Avenue in Eustis.
-Fruitland Park is experiencing growing pains with the widening of US 27/441.
-I only saw one of those US 441 shields with the extended black border, out in the wild.

[formulanone]

Some of the Lake County Route shields are hideously malformed uni-signs.

CR 42 is still a blast to drive on, admittedly. But there is a massive speed trap as you enter Altoona from the east, as you come down a hill going a posted 55, into a 35. There were three motorcycle cops there at the time, but my instincts sort of kicked in just at the top of the hill.

[florida]

Some of the Lake County Route shields are hideously malformed uni-signs.

They've even made the "ears" signs (the signs with both directional banners, one shield and a dual-connected arrow...indigenous to Marion and Lake Counties) into a unisign. That's just lazy.

[D-Dey65]

I've got good news from the Tampa Bay Metro Area;

The last exit on I-275 before terminating at I-75 in the Lutz-Wesley Chapel area has the proper Exit number; 59.

Previously, it was labeled Exit 275, just like on I-75, which made no sense at all.

[formulanone]

Found this three weeks ago...about the only reference to SR 821 in the field:



Edit: Updated image link.

[florida]

^^I like that!

On Sunday, I tracked across North Florida to get some last keys shields photographed.

-ALL colored shields along Alt 27 in Levy County are gone. The only holdout may be CR 241.
-Dixie CR 351 has proper Truck Route signing along US 19/98/27A in Cross City. Trucks are to use CR 351A, and a traffic light has been installed at CR 351A and the US-Triplex in Shamrock.
-A C-356C shield has been found in Perry (date stamped 9/75). Never knew this shield existed at all, and it proves that 356C was a true route and not just a map typo. 
-In Tallahassee, there is still remnant signage along the former routings of SR 366, SR 157 and SR 371 in downtown. (On a side note, the error sign on SR 373 EB at SR 363, which read SR 263 for Adams Street, has been rectified.)
-Twinning of US 90 east of town, out by I-10 is well underway.
-In Madison County, there was a black/white guide sign for Lee at the intersection of CRs 150 and 255 seen here http://g.co/maps/nta9e . This has been replaced with the standard green/white.
-Suwannee County (or FDOT and its contractors) has been implementing 'uni-shields' (a non-cutout pentagon) along County Route intersections. The I-10 off-ramps at CR 137 and CR 252 WB at US 129 have them; the latter replaced a keys shield.
-Luckily, the C-136 shield still stands in Suwannee County...with a date stamp of 1965.
-There was a C-248 in "Beachville" (Suwannee County where SR 247, CR 49 and CR 248 come together, seen here http://g.co/maps/a2znq ) which has been completely removed.
-Only one keys shield remains in Gilchrist County, at an unsigned county route. The one on CR 236 is gone, along with the C-344s which were on CR 307.
-In Gainesville, street-scaping of SR 329 from Depot Ave to NW/NE 8th Ave is complete. The single sign assembly of the concurrency of SR 20 and SR 329 has been replaced with a single SR 20 reassurance. There is also new Junction signage on both directions of Main Street at University Avenue showing that SR 20 and 26 go both directions on University, but lacks any notation of SR 24.
-The SR 26 bypass of Orange Heights is pretty much done. The bridge is open to traffic, but there's still some construction work going on to finish the project. On SR 26, both intersections of the "former" routing are signed "TO US 301" while the signs on US 301 are still the same with the SR 26 shield over a dual-direction arrow.

[agentsteel53]

Found this three weeks ago...about the only reference to SR 821 in the field:

from the photo, it looks like one cannot enter SR-821.  but it's probably a matter of angles.  where is that street blade located? I would like to see which road cannot be entered (probably one coming in at an oblique angle is my guess)

[formulanone]

It's from heading north on US 27, as you pass by the southbound exit ramp from HEFT/821. Sorry, on my phone I can't link Street View, which actually shows the old signs in the traffic light pole. Must be a recent install.

I think you can enter 821 from there, the access ramps from US 27 ramps are kind unique for allowing you to enter it northbound from one side of the overpass and southbound frim the other side...at least, instead of the N/S split after the usual Turnpike toll booth. It's on of the few "free" exits, and there's lots of truck traffic in that area.

But the Do Not Enter sign is for the separation of the traffic that just exited the Turnpike.

[1995hoo]

Found this three weeks ago...about the only reference to SR 821 in the field:

from the photo, it looks like one cannot enter SR-821.  but it's probably a matter of angles.  where is that street blade located? I would like to see which road cannot be entered (probably one coming in at an oblique angle is my guess)

Link to Bing Maps' street view. The ramp to the turnpike is to the right, but in this view the street sign doesn't have the "821" reference. It's apparent in this picture that the "Do Not Enter" sign is meant to tell people not to drive to the left of the median separating the two sides of the ramp.

[agentsteel53]

I had no idea that 821 was the Turnpike.  I had always thought that had reference number FL-91. 

[realjd]

I had no idea that 821 was the Turnpike.  I had always thought that had reference number FL-91. 

SR-821 is the Homestead extension of the Turnpike. SR-91 is the main portion, running from the split with I-75 in Wildwood down to the Golden Glades interchange with I-95 and SR-826 in Miami.

[agentsteel53]

SR-821 is the Homestead extension of the Turnpike. SR-91 is the main portion, running from the split with I-75 in Wildwood down to the Golden Glades interchange with I-95 and SR-826 in Miami.

does Florida have unsigned state routes which are not given any other designation?  i.e. I-xx, US-xx, Florida's Turnpike, or some other name?  

I had thought that 821 fit that bill, and the find was an easter egg like finding a field designation for a Connecticut reference route.  (I think there is one in Conn... otherwise-unsigned route 839 posted on the side of an overpass, if I recall correctly.)

[realjd]

SR-821 is the Homestead extension of the Turnpike. SR-91 is the main portion, running from the split with I-75 in Wildwood down to the Golden Glades interchange with I-95 and SR-826 in Miami.

does Florida have unsigned state routes which are not given any other designation?  i.e. I-xx, US-xx, Florida's Turnpike, or some other name? 

I had thought that 821 fit that bill, and the find was an easter egg like finding a field designation for a Connecticut reference route.  (I think there is one in Conn... otherwise-unsigned route 839 posted on the side of an overpass, if I recall correctly.)

There are unsigned state routes in Florida. Usually they're short roads in urban areas. SR-5054 here in Melbourne is a good example, as are SR-970 and SR-913 in the Miami area. Other short urban state highways are often undersigned, at least in this part of Florida. SR-507 is a good example of that.

[agentsteel53]

There are unsigned state routes in Florida. Usually they're short roads in urban areas. SR-5054 here in Melbourne is a good example, as are SR-970 and SR-913 in the Miami area. Other short urban state highways are often undersigned, at least in this part of Florida. SR-507 is a good example of that.

and that leads to another question: why the four-digit designation?  I had thought 9336 was the only four-digit route, but it looks like there is unsigned 5054 as well.  were all the three-digit numbers in that section of the grid taken?

also: any other routes which are intended to be unsigned, but are signed?  I know there are some SR-5s for US-1 and the like, but I mean a route which is completely unsigned except for an easter egg or two.

[1995hoo]

I had no idea that 821 was the Turnpike.  I had always thought that had reference number FL-91. 

SR-821 is the Homestead extension of the Turnpike. SR-91 is the main portion, running from the split with I-75 in Wildwood down to the Golden Glades interchange with I-95 and SR-826 in Miami.

Is that not considered part of the Turnpike system such that the phrase "the Turnpike" is inappropriate? (That's a serious question. Other than a football trip in November 2005, a visit to the Miami area to visit relatives last summer was the first time I've been to that area. We drove on a very minimal portion of the Homestead Extension, from Red Road east to the mainline before turning south to head downtown, and then later we used the mainline en route to visit another relative in Viera. I may use I-95 next time just to try to finish off one of the final three segments I need for a clinch.)

[realjd]

Is that not considered part of the Turnpike system such that the phrase "the Turnpike" is inappropriate? (That's a serious question. Other than a football trip in November 2005, a visit to the Miami area to visit relatives last summer was the first time I've been to that area. We drove on a very minimal portion of the Homestead Extension, from Red Road east to the mainline before turning south to head downtown, and then later we used the mainline en route to visit another relative in Viera. I may use I-95 next time just to try to finish off one of the final three segments I need for a clinch.)

Nope, it's considered part of "The Turnpike". The mile markers and exit numbers start at Florida City at the end of the Homestead Extension and are continuous all the way to I-75 northwest of Orlando. When driving south on the Turnpike, the exit for the Homestead Extension is simply signed with a Turnpike shield, with the rest of SR-91 signed as "Miami via I-95". The distinction between the HEFT and main Turnpike (SR-821 and SR-91) exist only on paper.

[florida]

There are unsigned state routes in Florida. Usually they're short roads in urban areas. SR-5054 here in Melbourne is a good example, as are SR-970 and SR-913 in the Miami area. Other short urban state highways are often undersigned, at least in this part of Florida. SR-507 is a good example of that.

and that leads to another question: why the four-digit designation?  I had thought 9336 was the only four-digit route, but it looks like there is unsigned 5054 as well.  were all the three-digit numbers in that section of the grid taken?

also: any other routes which are intended to be unsigned, but are signed?  I know there are some SR-5s for US-1 and the like, but I mean a route which is completely unsigned except for an easter egg or two.

Four-digit numbers were started in 1976 after so many numbers were duplicated; there were at least six sections of 225 in Marion, Alachua and Bradford Counties and at least six sections of 280 from Walton County to Jackson County in the Panhandle. Other numbers that were heavily duplicated include 278 and 158.

As for easter eggs...
SR 970 has two shields, one in each direction.
SR 620 has one shield, but is signed as SR 655 otherwise.
SR 114 used to be signed on I-95 BGSs.
SR 102 has one reassurance shield in each direction.
SR 500A is signed only at the SR 19 intersection in Tavares.
Then there's the famous, random SR 55 reassurance shield in Chiefland

And you also have error shield(s) like an SR 165 sign at the split of SR 71 and Jackson CR 165, and a strange Palm Beach County-made SR 711 shield on CR 706.

[1995hoo]

Is that not considered part of the Turnpike system such that the phrase "the Turnpike" is inappropriate? (That's a serious question. Other than a football trip in November 2005, a visit to the Miami area to visit relatives last summer was the first time I've been to that area. We drove on a very minimal portion of the Homestead Extension, from Red Road east to the mainline before turning south to head downtown, and then later we used the mainline en route to visit another relative in Viera. I may use I-95 next time just to try to finish off one of the final three segments I need for a clinch.)

Nope, it's considered part of "The Turnpike". The mile markers and exit numbers start at Florida City at the end of the Homestead Extension and are continuous all the way to I-75 northwest of Orlando. When driving south on the Turnpike, the exit for the Homestead Extension is simply signed with a Turnpike shield, with the rest of SR-91 signed as "Miami via I-95". The distinction between the HEFT and main Turnpike (SR-821 and SR-91) exist only on paper.

Thanks. I'm more familiar with the Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Maine Turnpikes, and with the New York Thruway, simply because I've travelled north far more often than I've travelled south (when I was a kid, our father refused to go south on vacation other than a few trips to Nags Head in the 1970s). The most significant extension there is the Northeast Extension in Pennsylvania and it's universally referred to that way, but I guess the big difference between there and the Homestead Extension in Florida is that the mainline Pennsylvania Turnpike still has more than a minimal segment to the east of the Northeast Extension, whereas the mainline in Florida ends almost immediately after the Homestead Extension splits off. That's kind of why in my mind I perceived the whole thing as simply "the Turnpike" without distinguishing between the extension and the mainline.

As I think about it, I suppose if you're giving directions from outside the Miami area the distinction may matter simply because you have to "exit" from the mainline to the Homestead Extension, so if you fail to mention this someone might just keep straight ahead and get dumped onto I-95, but if you were just giving directions from, say, my brother-in-law's house in Pembroke Pines to Key West you could just say "take US-27 south to the Turnpike entrance, get on the Turnpike south, follow it to its end and then take US-1 the rest of the way." In that situation the distinction seems like it wouldn't really matter.

[formulanone]

Usually traffic reports in the area refer to "the Extension". There's that little 4-mile section of the mainline Florida's Turnpike that's south of its split, and terminates at SR 9, I-95, SR 826, which was its original starting point. The exit for the Sun Life Stadium (whatever they call it this year) is labelled 2X, in case there was any confusion beyween that and non-existent Exit 2 for the Homestead Extension. So reporters in the field and locals call it The Extension, but never State Road 821, because no sign has ever really existed in the field. Most secret route numbers remain hidden as such along Interstates and US Routes (a few exceptions, unlike Georgia for example), and the Turnpikes.

Florida's funny about those Easter eggs; most numbered routes have at least one sign, although usually county routes get the short shrift in urban/suburban areas where there's a high density of shielded routes already.

[rickmastfan67]

SR 102 has one reassurance shield in each direction.

102 has two shields?  I've never seen a second one.  I've only seen a WB shield @ Duval Road.

[florida]

SR 102 has one reassurance shield in each direction.

102 has two shields?  I've never seen a second one.  I've only seen a WB shield @ Duval Road.

My mistake. I was guessing off the top of my head 

[NE2]

Looks like more 9A signs are being changed to 295: http://jacksonville.com/news/metro/2012-03-12/story/9a-steadily-becoming-i-295-beltway