State Road 44 West - Inverness to Crystal River



Citrus County Road 470 comprises a 5.42 mile long loop north around Tsala Apopka Lake from SR 44 west to Downtown Inverness.
07/10/11
07/10/11

SR 44 (Gulf to Lake Highway) spans Withlacoochee State Trail before joining U.S. 41 north at Highland Boulevard.
07/10/11
07/10/11

U.S. 41 south leads south from Inverness to Floral City, Brooksville and the Tampa Bay region.
07/10/11
07/10/11



U.S. 41 branches north from SR 44 to the unincorporated community of Hernando and Dunnellon in Marion County.
07/10/11
07/10/11


The southern leg of Citrus County Road 581 lines Pleasant Grove Road south 11.90 miles to the Hernando County line, where it becomes CR 481 en route to Lake Lindsey.
09/15/19
09/15/19

CR 581/481 provide a more direct route south from Inverness to Brooksville, bypassing Floral City and U.S. 41 to the west.
07/10/11
07/10/11

CR 491 (Lecanto Highway runs northeast to Beverly Hills, Holder and SR 200 and south to U.S. 98 near Brooksville.
07/10/11
07/10/11

CR 490 runs 6.18 miles west to U.S. 19/98, and then 2.21 miles along a spur to Homosassa along the Homosassa River.
07/10/11
07/10/11

SR 44 heads northwest from Lecanto to a diamond interchange (Exit 68) with SR 589 (Suncoast Parkway).
03/02/22
03/02/22

SR 589 (Suncoast Parkway) is a toll road traveling 70 miles south from CR 486 to SR 60 (Memorial Highway) by Tampa International Airport (TPA) in Hillsborough County.
09/13/25
09/13/25

The Suncoast Parkway opened to traffic 2.3 miles north from SR 44 to CR 486 (Norvell Bryant Highway) on August 23, 2025.
09/13/25
09/13/25

SR 589 opened 13 miles south from SR 44 to U.S. 98 (Ponce De Leon Boulevard) in northern Hernando County on February 28, 2022.
09/13/25
09/13/25

Span wire traffic lights at Rock Crusher Road were replaced with these mast arm assemblies as part of a repaving project along 2.4 miles of SR 44 between Norvell Bryant Highway to N Lopp Point. The project was completed on October 17, 2024 (FDOT, 2024).
09/13/25
09/13/25

Forthcoming CR 486 (Norvell Bryant Highway) stems east from SR 44 to U.S. 41 (Florida Avenue) at Hernando.
09/13/25
09/13/25

A four lane arterial, CR 486 (Norvell Bryant Boulevard) runs 10.80 miles east, connecting SR 44 with Black Diamond, CR 491 to Beverly Hills, and Citrus Hills.
09/13/25
09/13/25

Turkey Oak Drive comprises an at-grade bypass of Crystal River to U.S. 19/98 northwest for Red Level and Inglis.
09/13/25
09/13/25

Traffic lights were installed along SR 44 at NE 8th Avenue / Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Avenue as part of a repaving project between U.S. 19/98 and NE 10th Avenue in Crystal River. The signal commence operation on March 1, 2023 (FDOT, 2023).
09/13/25
09/13/25
References:
Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT). (2024, October 17). 432582-1-52-01 SR 44 (Gulf to Lake Hwy) Repaving from Norvell Bryant Hwy to west of N Lopp Point. FDOT. https://www.fdottampabay.com/project/760/432582-1-52-01
Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT). (2023, June 14). 441665-1-52-01 SR 44 Repaving from US 19 to NE 10th Ave. FDOT. https://www.fdottampabay.com/project/515/441665-1-52-01
Photo Credits:
- ABRoads: 07/10/11, 11/25/11, 12/26/11, 11/25/12
- Alex Nitzman: 09/15/19, 03/02/22, 09/13/25
- AARoads: 09/13/25
Connect with:
Page Updated Monday September 15, 2025.