Traveling 270 miles within the Sunshine State, U.S. 301 originates in Downtown Sarasota and leaves Florida alongside U.S. 1/23 northwest of Hilliard. U.S. 301 parallels the I-75 corridor north from Bradenton through the Tampa Bay Region to Dade City, The Villages and Ocala. Northeast from Ocala to I-10 near Baldwin, U.S. 301 comprises the main route joining I-75 and Florida's Suncoast with Jacksonville and the I-95 corridor north into Georgia.
U.S. 301 Florida Guides
North
Auxiliary Routes
A mostly arterial style route takes U.S. 301 northward from Sarasota through Bradenton, Palmetto and Ellenton, with an overlap alongside U.S. 41 across the Manatee River. Curving east from Interstate 75 at Exit 224, U.S. 301 becomes a rural two lane road north of Parrish with provisions for eventual expansion. Suburban frontage increases as U.S. 301 advances north from Sun City Center to Riverview. A $50.8 million expands U.S. 301 to a six lane, divided arterial 3.8 miles north from SR 674 (Sun City Boulevard) to Balm Road. The project commenced in October 2017 and finished in late 2021.
Meeting Interstate 75 again at Exit 254, U.S. 301 traverses industrial areas east of Tampa before turning eastward again from near Temple Terrace to Thonotosassa and Zephyrhills. An overlap with U.S. 98 takes U.S. 301 north through Pasco County to Dade City, where long term construction will expand the the route to a four lane divided roadway. U.S. 98 turns west to Brooksville ahead of the Hernando County line as U.S. 301 remains north to Ridge Manor, Bushnell and Wildwood along a mostly rural route.
U.S. 27/441 combine with U.S. 301 at Belleview for an overlap into Downtown Ocala. Leading north into Belleview, planned construction will widen a 2.37 mile section from north of CR 42 to south of 134th Place to four lanes. U.S. 27 turns west from U.S. 301/441 at Ocala toward Williston and Perry. North from Ocala, U.S. 301 provides the main route and a trucking corridor, between the I-75 corridor and I-95 corridor at Jacksonville. As such the route is entirely four lanes with 65 mile per hour speed limits in rural areas.
Florida State Road 24 ties into U.S. 301 at a grade separated intersection northeast from Gainesville at the city of Waldo. Until the city police department was disbanded in 2014 following allegations of ticketing quotas, Waldo was the first of three towns along U.S. 301 known for rigid speed enforcement. The city of Hampton was another until 2014, when its police force was also decommissioned. Both communities are patrolled by the county sheriff. Starke, in addition to being the Bradford County seat, is also where traffic congestion increased along U.S. 301, especially along southbound. This changed with completion of the Starke Truck Route (U.S. 301 Alternate), a 7.3 mile long limited access bypass for U.S. 301 to the west. Lawtey, seven miles to the north of Downtown Starke, remains a city with rigid speed enforcement along U.S. 301 preceding a rural and linear stretch into Duval County (Jacksonville).
U.S. 301 travels through western reaches of Jacksonville between Maxville and Bryceville. The town of Baldwin lies at the cross roads of U.S. 90/301 and two CSX Railroad corridors just north of Interstate 10. Prior to September 13, 2020, U.S. 301 dog legged east alongside U.S. 90 (Beaver Street) through the town center, where congestion issues with turning trucks was a routine problem. Opening at that time was the four lane Baldwin Bypass (SR 201), an at-grade controlled access route passing west of town from the exchange with I-10 north back to old U.S. 301 near Baldwin Bay. The $60 million, four mile project got underway in March 2017 and was fully completed in early 2021. The remainder of U.S. 301 leading northeast to U.S. 1/23 at Callahan was previously widened to four lanes. Also with four lanes, U.S. 1-23-301 overlap northwest to Hilliard and Folkston, Georgia.
U.S. 301 State Roads
- State Road 683
SR 683 overlays U.S. 301 north from Sarasota to the overlap with U.S. 41 at Bradenton - State Road 55
U.S. 301 combines with U.S. 41 north through Bradenton to Palmetto, with SR 55 acting as the state designation. - State Road 43
SR 43 carries U.S. 301 north through Ellenton to a point just south of Interstate 4 and U.S. 92. - State Road 41
SR 41 continues U.S. 301 north from I-4 to SR 39 at Zephyrhills - State Road 39
SR 39 joins U.S. 301 northward as a hidden route from Zephyrhills to U.S. 98. - State Road 700
The overlap with U.S. 98 through Pasco and Hernando Counties includes SR 700. - State Road 35
SR 35 commences alongside both U.S. 98/SR 700 from Clinton Heights northward for U.S. 301. - State Road 533
SR 35 and 700 followed the U.S. 98/301 Business loop through Dade City until its decertification in 2006. The mainline bypass to the east remains SR 533 with a gap in both SR 35 and 700. - State Road 25
Where U.S. 301 joins U.S. 27/441 at Belleview, SR 35 emerges as its own route, with SR 25 taking over alongside SR 500 northward into Ocala. - State Road 500
SR 500 is the counterpart to U.S. 27 through Marion County, following U.S. 301 and 441 between Belleview and Ocala. - State Road 200
State Road 200 joins U.S. 301 as its hidden route in Ocala, overlaying the highway northward to Callahan. - State Road 10
SR 10 follows U.S. 301 briefly through Baldwin as the counterpart to U.S. 90. - State Road 15
SR 15 represents U.S. 301 alongside U.S. 1/23 from Callahan north to the Georgia state line at Boulogne.
 scenes |
 | Pasco County Road 578 (Lock Street) concludes at U.S. 98/301 in Dade City. A pair of county-installed colored shields remained in use here until 2006. 11/23/03 |
 | Sumter County Road 656 intersects U.S. 301 at Croom A Coochee, just north of the Hernando County line. 02/09/14 |
Photo Credits:
- 11/23/03 by Justin Cozart. 02/09/14 by AARoads.
Connect with:
Interstate 4
Interstate 10
Interstate 75
Florida's Turnpike
U.S. 27
U.S. 41
U.S. 98
U.S. 441
State Road 16
State Road 44
State Road 50
State Road 54
State Road 56
State Road 60
State Road 100
State Road 228 / County Road 228
State Road 582 - Fowler Avenue
Page Updated 08-10-2023.