Florida State Road History

[thomasvista]

Hi all,

After some research I did at work, I wrote a brief article about the history of the State Road system from 1955 until today. I have it hosted as a PDF here:

http://mailer.fsu.edu/~jlearned/garnet-jpl02/History_State_Roads.pdf

I hope you all find it informative. Let me know what you think.

[florida]

Very cool. The Miami-Dade County "Roads" mentioned, consist of 921, 943, 980, 956, 927, 9339, 9282, 9333, 977, 996, 962, 963, 952, 956, right? Are there others which might be unlisted?

[Alex]

"When the 1977 realignment happened, roads that were transferred to the counties kept their number, but as county roads. This is why a fractured, numbered county road system exists."

Didn't the state secondary system also have a fractured road network? There are 5 different CR 399's right now for instance. Or where their implied overlaps that joined all the different segments, or when they made the county road network, did they simply reuse numbers to eliminate suffixed highways and to accommodate numbers for other areas?

The 1977 realignment also coincided with the change from "Keys shields" to the current state highway sign design.

"The 1955 legislation capped the total mileage of the Primary Road system at 11,300 miles..."

Is there any kind of cap still in place? Seems when state road mileage is transferred from a county, that the county must gain something from the state. Or is that not practiced here in every jurisdictional change?

Great article, I enjoyed reading it and learned a bit more about the state road system.

[FLRoads]

Very interesting article. Having been in Florida all my life I have seen numerous changes to the state highway system (as well as the Interstate and U.S. highway systems). As far as some of the state highway numbers changing, the only ones I remember changing in the Fort Myers area (where I grew up) were FL 873 to FL 884 and CR 884 (Lehigh Acres) and SR 80B to CR 865 (Ortiz Avenue). I vaguely remember FL 78 reaching all the way to Pine Island to meet FL 767 at one time before the "realignment".

[thomasvista]

"When the 1977 realignment happened, roads that were transferred to the counties kept their number, but as county roads. This is why a fractured, numbered county road system exists."

Didn't the state secondary system also have a fractured road network? There are 5 different CR 399's right now for instance. Or where their implied overlaps that joined all the different segments, or when they made the county road network, did they simply reuse numbers to eliminate suffixed highways and to accommodate numbers for other areas?

The 1977 realignment also coincided with the change from "Keys shields" to the current state highway sign design.

"The 1955 legislation capped the total mileage of the Primary Road system at 11,300 miles..."

Is there any kind of cap still in place? Seems when state road mileage is transferred from a county, that the county must gain something from the state. Or is that not practiced here in every jurisdictional change?

Great article, I enjoyed reading it and learned a bit more about the state road system.

I am not sure about existence of the name SR (or CR) number for multiple sections of road. I know that in District 4, we had two sections of SR 809, Military Trail in Palm  Beach from Glades Road north, and also Powerline Road in Broward from Sunrise to Sample. They never connected, I don't know why. Also, I don't know why renumbering happened for roads that stayed on the state system. SR 786 used to be SR 74, SR 736 used to be SR 82, and so on. That's further research that I'll have to do if documents are ever found. FDOT is horrible at keeping paper records. Hell, we can't even find official documents regarding roads that were transferred to the counties!

There is no official cap in mileage, but the position of FDOT these days is that they don't want to drastically add mileage to the State Road system, but it's not politically popular to remove mileage either. District 4 wants to extend SR 800 over a greater length of Spanish River Blvd (I handled documents on that at work today actually), but in turn, they are going to take Yamato Road off the system. The process for both of these transfers (they're lumped together) is about halfway done. I received the Cultural Assessment for them today.

So the bottom line is FDOT doesn't want to expand its system, so roads will be taken off the system in lieu of adding new ones on.

[florida]

This is just an opinion. If something is found to back the information up, great. If not, it was a great story 

The renumbering for roads which stayed on the system was probably done to "centralize" the numbers. I visited with Leslie Mami in Tallahassee and one question I asked her was about the 4-digit routes. She showed me planning maps of them, and said it was one person's job (maybe more?) to renumber all the repetitive routes. A 1976 Legislation was the reason why the 4-digits came up; there were too many numbers (5-6 sections of CR 280, CR 225 for examples), so this was to alleviate confusion. As for the renumbering of state routes, that was probably by the same process. There were two sections of SR/S- 74 west of Lake Okeechobee and PGA Blvd made it three. Plus, 2-di routes are for main connections between cities, but PGA Blvd and Davie Blvd probably didn't fit that category (and really do not).

</story/opinion>

When you worked in Tallahassee, did they still have the filing cabinet, in the TSO office, full of folders and papers from the 1950s-1970s? Underneath that was where the 4-di map plans were kept.

As for SR 800/SR 794, Wikipedia is quasi-correct (albeit ahead of the game) on that information?

[florida]

In order to revive this thread with other history, for anyone who is interested, I'll post findings from sifting through old maps.

Right now, concentrating on Brevard County:

-In 1951, SR 522 is shown to have existed in Melbourne on what could now be Lagoon Ave, Crescent Dr, and Avenue D from where Babcock St meets the RR tracks, to US 1.
-Also from 1951, it seems that SR 406 was on Main Street in Titusville from what looks like DeLeon Street to US 1, and SR 405 came up the curvy part of Park Avenue and seems to have turned right onto Main Street to meet SR 406 at DeLeon. It hasn't been signed north of that at all. And US 1 went west on Garden St and north on Norwood Avenue.
-What is now CR 502 (Barnes Blvd) was first christened SR 570 in October 1983, then SR 502 in December 1985, and finally CR 502 in December 1991.
-SR 405 was added to South Street between Park Avenue and US 1 in December 1985, so that should be when SR 406A officially died.
-In 1951, US 1 used Florida and Forrest Avenues in Cocoa.

[Alex]

In 2010, US 883 was established along the old U.S. 331 at Freeport.
In 2010, Interstate 75 was truncated to Exit 2 and supplanted by Toll Florida 924.
In 2010, U.S. 98/441 were relocated onto former CR 880.

Noted these three "changes" on the 2010 Florida official highway map.

[agentsteel53]

In 2010, US 883 was established along the old U.S. 331 at Freeport.

I don't care if it was supplanted by US Flamethrower Jesus - until you find me a green US-331 shield, all other reality is without meaning.

[florida]

In 2010, US 883 was established along the old U.S. 331 at Freeport.

I don't care if it was supplanted by US Flamethrower Jesus - until you find me a green US-331 shield, all other reality is without meaning.

We should petition Walton County to formulate some of those.


Bay County:
1951: SR 274 is possibly routed along Barnes Road with a western terminus at US 231.
1952: SR 22 along CR 28 from SR 30 to SR 75.
        SR 75 is shielded on a bridge that is due south of downtown Panama City
1954: SR 274 is retracted and SR 167 appears in its current routing (now CR 167).
        SR 22-A runs from SR 22 to SR 30 along School, 7th, Transmitter, 14th, and Bob Little.
        SR 22 (on CR 28) is extended from SR 75 to SR 77.
1956: SR 30-C appears on Clara Avenue.
1958: SR 392A is on Transmitter from SR 22-A (14th) north to Game Farm Road and then west to SR 389.
1960: SR 30-B is along Joan/Moylan from SR 392 to SR 30-A.
        SR 392-B is on current CR 747 (Magnolia Beach Road, I think).
*No maps from 1961 to 1974*
1975: SR 729 from either Business US 98 or US 98, along Boatrace and Berthe to SR 22.
       SR 735 from SR 22 to US 231 along Transmitter.
       SR 746 from SR 389 to SR 735 along Game Farm Road.
       SR 743 from SR 22 to US 98 along School
       SR 22-A has been reduced to a routing along 14th and Bob Little, from SR 735 to SR 22
       SR 744 from SR 77 to SR 75 along Baldwin
       SR 736 (former SR 22, presently CR 28) from Business US 98 to US 98.
       SR 757 from SR 392 to US 98 (now CR 3031)
       SR 747 along Magnolia Beach Road
       SR 745 along South Thomas Drive
       SR 30-A (unrelated to the others), 30-D, 30-E, 30-F, 30-H, 30-J have all been implemented in Panama City Beach,
in addition to 30-C and 30-B.
1977: SR 719 added, along what is now CR 2315, between SR 22 and US 231 & SR 390 (<-- which is now CR 2293).

The "1983, revised 1988" shows all the four-digit routes implemented throughout the county, so I'm unsure of when they changed over the 7xx numbers to the 4-digit CRs.

[Charto911]

I think the coolest history is the changing of the interstate highway system to reflect the mile markers rather the exit number. That way when we enter Duval county and see only 380+ miles till downtown miami it feels more realistic than the old 286!

[agentsteel53]

there are 286 exits on I-95 in Florida??? Damn.  Had I been forced to guess, I would've said "about 100".

how many are there on I-10?  don't tell me over 200 there too... there are a few sections where it's 15+ miles between exits.

[NE2]

Anyone have the PDF? The link is now dead.

[xcellntbuy]

The highest exit number on Interstate 95 prior to the mileage-based exit numbering system was Exit 129 in Nassau County.

[florida]

Okeechobee:

1936, rev Jan 1946:
-66 is on 700's alignment from Highlands County Line to 70
-710 on Center Street alignment heading east from 70
-710 followed what is now SE 9th Drive near SE 52 Street (Southeasterly on a tree/track line that can be seen via satellite maps, what is now 63rd Street connected to it) and 710 followed this route until it turned sharper to the SE, then made a sharp S-Turn near the present-day curvature of 710, north of CR 15A (about the 6200 block at Sherman, FL).
-68 runs from 66 to 15 via Potter Road
-68 is proposed from 15 to St. Lucie County Line.


1936, rev Jan 1951:
-710 on Center Street alignment heading east from 70
-700/70 maybe on Park Street??
-700 is on current alignment.
-68 runs from 700 to 15 via Potter Road and from 15 to St. Lucie County Line


Nov 54, rep Jan 55:
-710 still on sharp curve at Sherman.
-15A from 700/15 to 710.
-Temp US 98 is south of Okeechobee, maybe terminating at SR 70 & SR 15 in downtown Okeechobee?
-68 west terminus at 700, and still runs on Potter Road.

[florida]

It's a shame that development in Sandestin has erased any clue of where Walton CR 187 (former S-187?) used to be located. The southern terminus should be on the north side of the Hilton (where there's a road called Elephant Walk) with it running due north along what's now Tivoli Drive to end at US 98 halfway between Sandestin Blvd and Topsail Beach Blvd.


Edit:

After looking over many Walton County maps, SR 187 originally was located on Village Road (east of Topsail Beach Blvd), and possibly had two spurs off to the left (can't confirm it). It's shown on later maps that Village Road became labeled "P" for Private, and 187 was relocated onto the route listed at the top of this post.

[florida]

From FDOT files...

-SR 415 (along today's SR 421) was placed on there as an S-SR on 1/18/77, upgraded to SR on 8/23/79, then renumbered to SR 421 on 5/23/83.

Additions to Primary System:
-89 from US 90 to SR 87 [5/22/62]

1964:
-688 from 697 to 55
-694 from 697 to 55
-838 (on Alligator Alley) from a point approximately 10.6 miles east of S-858 to SR 29 and from the Collier County Line to SR 84 at Andytown.
-45A as the Venice Bypass
-115A from 15 to Myrtle Ave
-827 from US 441 to Recreation Site #9

Additions to Secondary System:
1962:
-33A (Edgewood Drive) from the East Limits of Lakeland to 35/700 (1.209 miles)
-219A from 200 to 26
-23 from 25 to 121 (south of Gainesville)
-315 from S-214 to 21
-30A from S-392A (Transmitter Road) to 22 [this is where it wraps around the east side of Panama City]
-97A from Enon, north to Walnut Hill
-261 from 20, north to 61
-809 as the bridge and approaches at the Broward & Palm Beach County Line where it goes over the Hillsboro Canal
-840A as the two bridges approximately 19 miles north of SR 90.
-951 from Isle of Capri to Old Marco Junction
-808 on Palmetto Park Road from NE 2nd Ave to A1A
-507 as the bridge over Tillman Canal
-478 from 19 to 1.103 miles east.
-207A from River Road to 207

1964:
-693 (66th St) from 595 (Tyrone) to 694 (74th Ave)
-315 from 21 to the East and South by 2.262 miles
-240 from S-245 to S-241
-115A (Soutel Drive) from 15 to 115
-274 from 267 to S-268
-4B (Stockade Road) from S-189 to 4
-281 as the bridge and approaches as Mulatto Bayou
-824 (Moffett Road) from 9 to Old Dixie Highway
-806 from 91 to Swinton Ave
-765 from Lee County Line to 45
-579A from 52 to S-578
-233 from S-229A to 200
-322 from 45 to the Marion County Line
-323 from 45 to S-322
-132 from Suwannee River State Park to 51
-361 from End of existing maintenance (east of Perry) to the south by 0.245 miles
-390 (Majette Tower Road, now CR 2293) from US 231 east by 1.263 miles
-257 from US 90 to S-146, including Leg "A" (the leg serving the church)
-263A from 263 to S-157
-822 from NW 64th Ave to US 441
-708 from US 1 to A1A (Hobe Sound)
-722 from US 1 to A1A (Port Salerno)
-530 from S-545 to Limit St. (less the bridge exceptions)
-665 from 1.0 miles west of Lilly to the northwest and north by 5.533 miles
-133 from US 41/US 441 to US 90
-181A from Walton County Line to US 90 and the leg to SR 81 (most likely the east-west spur to Pirate Cove Rd)
-278 from S-167 to 73
-280 from 277 to 77 including the leg going north to the southern Chipley City Limits
-834 from US 441 to S-809
-828 (Le Jeune Road) at the FEC Railroad Crossing at US 1 and Ponce Deleon Blvd)
-475 due to I-75 alignment from a point south of Marion County Line to the existing maintenance.
-315 from Peters Creek to the southwest by 2.885 miles
-341 from S-242 to US 90
-351A from US 19/98/27A to S-351
-332 from S-336 to 345
-336 from S-347 to 345
-339A from 500 to Blue Springs
-239 from S-239A from S-238A
-238A from S-239 to 18
-22C (East Street in Parker) from SR 30, south to 4th Street (0.225 miles)
-259 from 57 to Mount Olive Church
-142 from Leon County Line to S-259
-157 (on Mission) from S-158 to Douglas Road
-271 as the bridge and approaches at Telogia Creek
-270A from S-270 to S-271 via Rock Bluff Church
-180 as the bridge and approches at Boggy Hollow Creek
-284 from 280 to the north by 0.716 miles
-288 from Orange Hill Church to S-273 at Orange Hill (1.750 miles) [Interesting that it was renumbered to today's CR 156.]
-842 from East Acre Drive to Bryan Blvd
-811A (Andrews) from NE 16th Street to approximately 200 feet north of 816
-505A from North Relief Canal Bridge to S-510
-809 from the FEC Railroad, east to US 1 (Lake Park area?)
-475A from 48 at the northwest limits of Bushnell, north and east to SR 35

Abandonments:
-Portion of S-19A which was the old connection to SR 19 south of Eustis, due to relocation of SR 500 from milepost 2.335 to 2.543...length of 0.208 miles to be returned to Lake County [1962]
-Old 25 south of Micanopy [1964]
-In Korona, S-324 from US 1 to the north by 0.726 miles (this is where Old Dixie Highway meets US 1 in southern Flagler County, the road going due north is what's described, but it is today shielded as Flagler CR 325) [1964]
-405 on Main Street to Washington Street, milepost 5.079 to 5.760 (0.681 miles) [1964]
-US 1's old route in Malabar, it was realigned for 1.411 miles [1964]
-US 1 from Ti-Co Airport Road at milepost 32.414 to milepost 35.471 south of SR 50 (this is where US 1 used to bow east of its current alignment at the intersection of SR 405) [1964]

[florida]

A 1934 map of St. Johns County shows US 1 possibly using a now-defunct bridge (and route) along Arapaho Avenue, crossing over a (dismantled) bridge to the intersection of Riberia and Duero, up Duero to MLK and up MLK to King. I can't tell if it used that routing since the King Street, Leonardi Street, and Old Dixie Highway leg jumping back to current US 1 at Arapaho is shaded in the same color....and neither have shields on them.

[florida]

A 1951 map of Escambia County has Alt US 90 going along SR 10A, NOT bypassing Pensacola as today. US 90 is not shielded at all, except on each end (Alabama State Line and Santa Rosa County Line), but Alt US 90 is shielded twice with SR 10A in Central Pensacola. Maybe they were playing around with the idea of doing this, or maybe it was actually briefly signed??

http://ufdc.ufl.edu/UF00016154/00001/1x?td=escambia&vo=12&vp=2078,4236

[florida]

It is absolutely amazing when FDOT's "planning maps" (best term to describe them) are based off of real highways.

In the "planning map" for Leon County, SR 362 was shown "proposed" along the east-west portion of Gaines Street and a ~1982 map of Leon County shows SR 362 added to Gaines Street (which would later be renumbered to SR 371).

The "planning map" for Duval County listed S-21G and S-21A in two certain sections of Jacksonville, and a 1956 map of Duval County shows the actual SR 21G and SR 21A in those places. (Along with SR 5 spanning the Fuller Warren Bridge.)

These maps also help explain number gaps in the numbering system and now I really believe they are the real deal (even though they are from FDOT's headquarters).

[jmdengr]

Does anyone have any information on the history of US in south Miami-Dade in the Homestead/Florida City area?  US 1 has jumped around a lot down there.  Krome Ave (SR 997) is now where SR 5A Business US 1 in the mid 60's... 

[NE2]

Does anyone have any information on the history of US in south Miami-Dade in the Homestead/Florida City area?  US 1 has jumped around a lot down there.  Krome Ave (SR 997) is now where SR 5A Business US 1 in the mid 60's... 

Here's the Dixie Highway alignment in 1919, from the turn by turn directions in the Automobile Blue Book (wait for the overlay to load): http://www.openstreetmap.org/?lat=25.4765&lon=-80.4506&zoom=14&layers=M&relation=1260376
And a 1936 map: http://fcit.usf.edu/florida/maps/pages/100/f126/f126.htm

[jmdengr]

Thanks... Gave me a great starting point.   Maybe someone can chime in on this:

In 1956 Dade County conveyed the right of way for the present US1, (now called State Road 5) at its present location, one block east of Krome. At some time between 1956 and the opening of the new road, Krome was designated State Road 5A, and "Business US1" until the new US1 was opened. After that, the portion of Krome was no longer a State Road but a "County maintained road".

In September 1982, the county re-conveyed the original right of way to DOT. That right of way was only 35 feet from the County Line. There was no mention of the 100 feet easement.
When the County originally conveyed the right of way to the state in 1931, it was only 35 feet from the center line and the Deed provided that if the "highway shall be lawfully and permanently
discontinued the Title.to the land shall immediately revert" to the County.

I believe that is what happened sometime between 1956 and 1972. That is why it was necessary for the county to convey the road back to the DOT in 1982.
I have the 1982 resolution, and right of way maps. I need the documents that show how the State either officially abandoned the Road or conveyed Title to the County.

[NE2]

If you've already looked through the county and state records, I don't know what else there is.

[jmdengr]

Thanks, wasn't sure if I was missing something.