AARoads Forum

Regional Boards => Southeast => Topic started by: Max Rockatansky on January 20, 2019, 08:06:42 PM

Title: Old Tampa Highway
Post by: Max Rockatansky on January 20, 2019, 08:06:42 PM
There is an old brick alignment of the Dixie Highway on the Polk/Osceola County Line that still exists as a through road known as Old Tampa Highway.  Old Tampa Highway was also part of early US 17/92 before the modern Highway to the west was built.   Made a return trip today while heading west out of Orlando to Lakeland, my photos from today can be found here:

https://flickr.com/photos/151828809@N08/sets/72157706023125354

I have an older album from 2015 when I lived in the area that way batter lighting conditions:

https://www.flickr.com/gp/151828809@N08/bnnoQQ

What I find interesting about the Old Tampa Highway is that the Osceola section is the only remaining brick part.  For whatever reason Osceola County keeps spot patching the bricks rather than paving the road.  The Polk County Monoliths were placed in the 1930s on major roadways, the one on Old Tampa Highway has a typo that says "Citurs Center."
Title: Re: Old Tampa Highway
Post by: Max Rockatansky on February 02, 2019, 09:56:43 PM
I created a blog post regarding the odd maintenance circumstances that allow a brick segment of Old Tampa Highway to exist.  The Old Tampa Highway was part of the West Dixie Highway, Lee Jackson Highway, pre-1945 FL 2, early US 92 and probably early US 17.  I added a couple older maps showing the route over the Old Tampa Highway but I'm fairly certain it was replaced by the late 1930s by the modern US 17/92 alignment.  Polk County Route 547 west out of Loughman is still signed as Lee Jackson Highway west of Old Tampa Highway.

https://surewhynotnow.blogspot.com/2019/02/old-tampa-highway.html