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[zzcarp]

It's great that they got the temporary repairs done so quickly. I just wish the video reports showed some of the fixes versus showing parts of the roadway that were mostly undamaged.

[rickmastfan67]

It's great that they got the temporary repairs done so quickly. I just wish the video reports showed some of the fixes versus showing parts of the roadway that were mostly undamaged.

[zzcarp]

It's great that they got the temporary repairs done so quickly. I just wish the video reports showed some of the fixes versus showing parts of the roadway that were mostly undamaged.

Wow! Thank you for sharing.

The striking thing for me was the uniform cross-section with sideslopes on the over-water connection from the barrier island to the bridge. Good work by the earthwork crew and the surveyors.

[D-Dey65]

Is there a way to view the cameras on the Astor Bridge on SR 40? I want to see how bad the flooding is on the St. Johns River, but I can't find the link.

[Jaxrunner]

The other day I had the displeasure of traveling south bound on I 75 through the Ocala area. Despite this being a Sunday afternoon the traffic was stop and go from Micanopy down to Wildwood. I remember the Highway being 6 lanes since I first traveled on it in the 1990's and now it seems to be at capacity. I'm sure this is a problem throughout the state as FL continues to add thousands of new residents every week. Since there is huge opposition to building new roads it seems the only solution is to widen I 75 which will be a long multiyear process. I'm sure the state would love to add Toll Lanes, and that might be a solution. Has anyone heard of any plans to address I 75?

[pianocello]

The other day I had the displeasure of traveling south bound on I 75 through the Ocala area. Despite this being a Sunday afternoon the traffic was stop and go from Micanopy down to Wildwood. I remember the Highway being 6 lanes since I first traveled on it in the 1990's and now it seems to be at capacity. I'm sure this is a problem throughout the state as FL continues to add thousands of new residents every week. Since there is huge opposition to building new roads it seems the only solution is to widen I 75 which will be a long multiyear process. I'm sure the state would love to add Toll Lanes, and that might be a solution. Has anyone heard of any plans to address I 75?

Ah, yes. Southbound on Sundays always has a ton of traffic, I don't miss it when I lived in Orlando and visited my wife in Gainesville. I got a lot of mileage out of SR 326, 40, and 19 that year.

There's a master plan to address that part of I-75, but it looks like it's in the early early early stages. This is on FDOT District 5's website (their jurisdiction ends at the county line between Ocala and Gainesville): https://www.cflroads.com/project/443624-1

I couldn't find anything from District 2, but I thought I had in the past. I would expect this master plan to continue into D2 and end either in Gainesville or Lake City.

[Alex]

The other day I had the displeasure of traveling south bound on I 75 through the Ocala area. Despite this being a Sunday afternoon the traffic was stop and go from Micanopy down to Wildwood. I remember the Highway being 6 lanes since I first traveled on it in the 1990's and now it seems to be at capacity. I'm sure this is a problem throughout the state as FL continues to add thousands of new residents every week. Since there is huge opposition to building new roads it seems the only solution is to widen I 75 which will be a long multiyear process. I'm sure the state would love to add Toll Lanes, and that might be a solution. Has anyone heard of any plans to address I 75?

I saw the red and blood red for I-75 on Google Maps from Micanopy south to Ocala and orange at Wildwood on October 16 when we were headed back to Tampa from Middleburg. Traffic congestion is now routine through Ocala and especially at the Turnpike north end. I opted to avoid all of it that day, staying way to the east on SR 21, then shifting over to CR 21 and CR 315. Ended up bypassing Ocala via SR 40 and SR 35 to Belleview. CR 475 then to SR 44, which crosses over I-75 by CR 466:



Traffic was still sluggish southbound at that point. I-75 was fine south beyond the Turnpike.

I also avoided I-75 north from Wildwood to Ocala on my way north the previous day, as traffic congestion was again an issue. With no alternate routes and the influx of population plus nonstop suburban development, I-75 is just going to get worse. MCORs failed and that was aimed to build a couple of new toll road corridors to shift some traffic off I-75. But anti-road NIMBYism has the loudest voices here.

And wait until the new DDI with a planned Buc-ee's a nearby opens on the north side of Ocala, and see traffic congestion further increase.
https://www.cflroads.com/project/435209-1/I-75_at_NW_49_St_Project_Development_and_Environment_PD_E_Study

[D-Dey65]

Does everybody remember my advocacy for an I-975 between Ocala and Jacksonville? I'm starting to believe that'd be a better idea now more than ever, but I don't think it would solve everything. One thing I noticed about the exits directly in Ocala is that they're too close to one another. Not New York close, but still merely two miles apart. A pair of separate local and express lanes might be ideal in the city, but somehow I don't think anyone would go for that.

[pianocello]

Does everybody remember my advocacy for an I-975 between Ocala and Jacksonville? I'm starting to believe that'd be a better idea now more than ever, but I don't think it would solve everything. One thing I noticed about the exits directly in Ocala is that they're too close to one another. Not New York close, but still merely two miles apart. A pair of separate local and express lanes might be ideal in the city, but somehow I don't think anyone would go for that.

The Ocala interchanges don't even have auxiliary lanes between one another! I don't think that would solve the problems entirely, but it would definitely alleviate some of the issues in the area.

[Jaxrunner]

From what I read the State is building another interchange in Ocala so that is going to bring more traffic on the highway. I 75 needs to be modernized and treated as an urban freeway through this area. Ocala is one of the fasted growing areas in FL, in addition more developement near I 75.

I like the idea of a freeway between Ocala and Jacksonville but with FL's relucance to build new highways probably won't happen. Still a good connector between US 301 and I 75 is needed.

[D-Dey65]

I just looked at that area where they want to build the interchange. They've got some construction machinery dealers, a horse trailer dealer and a place to store your boats and RVs.
https://www.google.com/maps/@29.2352288,-82.1902156,975m/data=!3m1!1e3?hl=en
If they can get through the limerock mine, maybe they can connect 49th Street to 35th Street Road.  Somehow I've got the feeling that's what they want besides the Buc-ees.

I saw the red and blood red for I-75 on Google Maps from Micanopy south to Ocala and orange at Wildwood on October 16 when we were headed back to Tampa from Middleburg. Traffic congestion is now routine through Ocala and especially at the Turnpike north end. I opted to avoid all of it that day, staying way to the east on SR 21, then shifting over to CR 21 and CR 315. Ended up bypassing Ocala via SR 40 and SR 35 to Belleview. CR 475 then to SR 44, which crosses over I-75 by CR 466:



Traffic was still sluggish southbound at that point. I-75 was fine south beyond the Turnpike.

Normally when I drive up north, I don't go on roads like these unless I want pictures of something on these roads, with the exception of SR 40. Your ordeal, and the photographic evidence has made me reconsider my next journey.  When I drove to Folkston, Georgia back in March, I took I-75 all the way to SR 26 in Gainesville. That was because I wanted pictures of the rest areas near Paynes Prairie Preserve State Park, SR 26A, SR 121. parts of Lake Butler, and the Baldwin Bypass, among other sites.  I still want to go to Folkston soon, and back home to the New York Tri-State Area someday, but it may be time for another way to get there. And no, I'm not going straight out to I-95.



 

[roadman65]

Florida is especially bad on I-4 between US 27 and US 192, now with Northeast Polk and Northwest Osceola building a lot of single family homes to occupy all the land between US 27 and US 17-92 in the Davenport area along with the US 192 corridor is making that area one of the most densely populated regions in the US. So more people and, of course more cars using roads not built for the traffic counts it currently has.

Most of all no alternates as Old Lake Wilson Road is a parking lot as the signal at CR 532 and two lanes causes long signal queues.  Then US 17 & 92 is congested and forget about US 27.  Plus Deen Still Road is no longer that quick back road coming in from the west anymore as the signal at US 27 cause a three to four light delay and a one mile queue into it.  I remember Deen Still was a great bypass of I-4 between Lakeland and Disney Area, but all roads are impassable in NE Polk and NW Osceola now during peak travel times.

Plus weekends are just as bad as weekdays as at one time even in New York traffic would simmer down when people were off from work and would work around the house or relax in front of the TV watching sports or spending a day with family.  Now there are no Saturdays and Sundays noticeably different from Monday through Fridays as shift work prevails.  No home time for some anymore and too many joyriding in their cars is an activity to conquer boredom is another reason for more traffic.  Plus our culture change in the last several decades is effecting our driving habits thus creating these traffic hotspots.

Then, of course, no proactive planning as we just worry about things later.  And if we get a good freeway proposal, the NIMBYs stop it before it even gets off the ground.   Florida is going to someday have more people per square mile than any other state except New Jersey at the rate their building.

[pianocello]

Florida is going to someday have more people per square mile than any other state except New Jersey at the rate their building.

That's a bold statement. The population density would need to increase by more than 2.5 times to surpass Rhode Island (2nd in population density as of 2020), and that ain't gonna happen with only single-family housing. On top of that, some parts of the Nature Coast are pretty barren and there's over 2 million acres of the Everglades that are either protected or otherwise uninhabitable.

I agree with the rest; developers, cities and counties are really shooting themselves in the foot by adding all this housing with little roadway connectivity. I-4 between US 27 and SR 429 is a nightmare and it's only getting worse.

[roadman65]

Florida is going to someday have more people per square mile than any other state except New Jersey at the rate their building.

That's a bold statement. The population density would need to increase by more than 2.5 times to surpass Rhode Island (2nd in population density as of 2020), and that ain't gonna happen with only single-family housing. On top of that, some parts of the Nature Coast are pretty barren and there's over 2 million acres of the Everglades that are either protected or otherwise uninhabitable.

I agree with the rest; developers, cities and counties are really shooting themselves in the foot by adding all this housing with little roadway connectivity. I-4 between US 27 and SR 429 is a nightmare and it's only getting worse.

Well, its never going to get resolved at all as it seems to be an ongoing thing, for people to want to leave the cold and move to sunny Florida.   Plus, you had a person in high power, not see what development has done to other states, whom traveled through other states to promote Florida as a place for developers to develop and other people a chance to start new from overcrowding in their own states.

Though they are moving from one overcrowding to another,  nobody will care as if you are from Long Island and come to Central Florida, you have the same conditions with roads there as you do in Florida, so its the same except for the lack of snow and palm trees here and none in New York.

[VTGoose]

I agree with the rest; developers, cities and counties are really shooting themselves in the foot by adding all this housing with little roadway connectivity. I-4 between US 27 and SR 429 is a nightmare and it's only getting worse.

When our son and daughter-in-law moved to Florida for her residency in 2015, they bought a house in Waterset in Apollo Beach (smart move, they came out ahead when they sold it 5 years later). In that span of time, Waterset expanded almost exponentially to the south. Other developments on both sides of I-75 added more and more vehicles to the already inadequate Big Bend Road exit on I-75, backing up traffic for quite a distance on the interstate in the afternoons when people were coming home from work. Paseo Al Mar Blvd. was eventually pushed through to U.S. 41 opposite Apollo Beach Blvd., providing an alternative exit from Waterset. It was also promised that there would be a new exit built on I-75 (this road does now cross the highway and extends to U.S. 301) but that hasn't happened yet. The kids were more than happy to leave that experience behind (short move to Baton Rouge, they are now back and live in St. Petersburg). But that is the perfect example of development without thoughts of adequate roadways.

[D-Dey65]

Florida is especially bad on I-4 between US 27 and US 192, now with Northeast Polk and Northwest Osceola building a lot of single family homes to occupy all the land between US 27 and US 17-92 in the Davenport area along with the US 192 corridor is making that area one of the most densely populated regions in the US. So more people and, of course more cars using roads not built for the traffic counts it currently has.

I'm surprised developers aren't trying to revive Orlampa. For those who don't know, that's a failed community that was supposed to be built near the Fantasy of Flight Museum near Polk City. Even without that development, Exit 44 could use some work on that interchange, especially traffic signals with FL 559 at the westbound off and on ramps.

[Avalanchez71]

Florida is especially bad on I-4 between US 27 and US 192, now with Northeast Polk and Northwest Osceola building a lot of single family homes to occupy all the land between US 27 and US 17-92 in the Davenport area along with the US 192 corridor is making that area one of the most densely populated regions in the US. So more people and, of course more cars using roads not built for the traffic counts it currently has.

Most of all no alternates as Old Lake Wilson Road is a parking lot as the signal at CR 532 and two lanes causes long signal queues.  Then US 17 & 92 is congested and forget about US 27.  Plus Deen Still Road is no longer that quick back road coming in from the west anymore as the signal at US 27 cause a three to four light delay and a one mile queue into it.  I remember Deen Still was a great bypass of I-4 between Lakeland and Disney Area, but all roads are impassable in NE Polk and NW Osceola now during peak travel times.

Plus weekends are just as bad as weekdays as at one time even in New York traffic would simmer down when people were off from work and would work around the house or relax in front of the TV watching sports or spending a day with family.  Now there are no Saturdays and Sundays noticeably different from Monday through Fridays as shift work prevails.  No home time for some anymore and too many joyriding in their cars is an activity to conquer boredom is another reason for more traffic.  Plus our culture change in the last several decades is effecting our driving habits thus creating these traffic hotspots.

Then, of course, no proactive planning as we just worry about things later.  And if we get a good freeway proposal, the NIMBYs stop it before it even gets off the ground.   Florida is going to someday have more people per square mile than any other state except New Jersey at the rate their building.

I have often wondered why Deen Still Road doesn't have a county route marker of some kind. I thought it may have been to keep people from using it has an alternate route of I-4.  I used it as an alternate.  My timing must have been better than your timing I guess.

[Max Rockatansky]

Dean Still Road would make for a perfect extension of County Road 54 along with eastern Rockridge Road.  I used to use Dean Still quite a bit as the middle ground to I-4 and FL 50 when I was heading to Brooksville but wanted a more quiet drive. 

[roadman65]

The problem with Deen  Still is the signal at US 27 queues cars and semis over a mile thanks to logistic centers and warehouses at the Deen Still/ US 27 intersection.

It’s no longer the back road it once was thanks to the GPS and Z Radio 88 who now expose that hidden treasure for all to use when a problem happens on I-4.

[Alex]

The problem with Deen  Still is the signal at US 27 queues cars and semis over a mile thanks to logistic centers and warehouses at the Deen Still/ US 27 intersection.

It’s no longer the back road it once was thanks to the GPS and Z Radio 88 who now expose that hidden treasure for all to use when a problem happens on I-4.

Thanks to GPS and Waze/Google Maps traffic Deen Still Road gets a lot more use nowadays due to the regular traffic congestion on I-4 from ahead of US 27 east to CR 532 at Championsgate. The traffic is taking a toll on the pavement on Deen Still Road as a result with numerous potholes in both directions. My wife hit a deep one on Saturday that ultimately led to a flat front right tire with a bent rim. Fortunately we were able to get to a parking lot beyond Deen Still Road to change the tire.

[D-Dey65]

Does the mileage on this sign seem accurate to anyone else here, or not?
https://www.google.com/maps/@30.6826641,-81.6724269,3a,75y,179.85h,93.28t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sfJsBI5E93UJbxlVXMSlMDA!2e0!7i16384!8i8192?hl=en

[amroad17]

Does the mileage on this sign seem accurate to anyone else here, or not?
https://www.google.com/maps/@30.6826641,-81.6724269,3a,75y,179.85h,93.28t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sfJsBI5E93UJbxlVXMSlMDA!2e0!7i16384!8i8192?hl=en

The numbers are close--maybe adding 1 to each of them would make the sign more accurate.  It is something I would not change if I was the DOT.

I took a look at an April 2011 image and saw that FL 200/A1A was listed at 5 and Jacksonville was listed at 23.  There was no mention of I-295 BELTWAY as it was not yet signed nor completed then.  The current sign was posted sometime between April 2011 and June 2015.

So, that sign is somewhat accurate, i.e. close.  At least it is not off like some of the Ohio and Kentucky mileage signs in some places, some of which are 5 miles off.

[NE2]

Does anyone know if the grading visible near Wakulla Beach was for the original Gulf Coast Highway plan? It roughly matches what's shown on the 1946 county map, and was present by 1952 per aerials.

[Stephane Dumas]

There's some GSV shots taken in August 2022 showing the progress of the construction of the flyover ramps linking US-19 with the Gateway expressway as well as the Gateway Expwy itself on Sept 2022.
https://goo.gl/maps/RKbLZXCj6sq5p6Qi9
https://goo.gl/maps/SQZ7QWz4Po8KwvdG7

[formulanone]

Does anyone know if the grading visible near Wakulla Beach was for the original Gulf Coast Highway plan? It roughly matches what's shown on the 1946 county map, and was present by 1952 per aerials.

I would have guessed it was a former or an unused railroad grade.