State Road 559 / County Road 559
Partitioned into two sections, SR 559 lines Berkley Road north 6.53 miles from U.S. 92 in Auburndale to SR 559A (C. Fred Jones Boulevard) in north Auburndale. SR 559A links the western leg of SR 559 with the original alignment, 1.54 miles to the east. The eastern branch of SR 559 runs north from CR 559 to a diamond interchange (Exit 44) with Interstate 4 and CR 557A at Broadway Boulevard. This 3.02 mile long section of SR 559 angles northwest along Broadway Boulevard to SR 33 (Commonwealth Avenue) in Polk City.
Florida State Road 559 Guides
County Road 559 extends 6.96 miles south from SR 559 to U.S. 92 in Auburndale. CR 559 runs along the northeast side of Lake Juliana to an S-curve south and then east around the Juliana Village subdivision. This section was previously realigned to eliminate two sharp curves. Continuing south onto Polk City Road, CR 559 passes east of Lake Arietta to residential areas along Lake Ariana.
CR 559 straddles the eastern lake shore south along Lake Ariana Boulevard to Lake Stella Drive, a one way couplet encircling Lake Stella. Shifting onto Main Street, CR 559 continues to an at-grade crossing with the CSX Railroad by Downtown City Park en route to the Auburndale city center. CR 559 concludes at U.S. 92, with the remainder of what was SR 559 south on Main Street unnumbered. Main Street elevates onto a viaduct spanning another CSX Railroad line southwest to SR 655 (Recker Highway).
A jurisdictional transfer from the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) and Polk County dropped State Road 559 south from C. Fred Jones Boulevard to SR 655 (Recker Highway) in Auburndale.2 The same action added C. Fred Jones Boulevard, and the previous alignment of CR 559A, to the state road system. Collectively redesignated as SR 559A, the two sections inventoried are 1.088 miles and 0.475 miles respectively. The Straight Line Diagram (SLD) for SR 559A was revised on April 16, 2020.
Berkley Road (CR 655) south to U.S. 92 in Auburndale was transferred to the state; 6.486 miles were inventoried in the SLD on April 21, 2020. Berkley Road and C. Fred Jones Boulevard become part of a realigned State Road 559. C. Fred Jones Boulevard was formerly Auburndale Cutoff Road.
The diamond interchange with Interstate 4 was reconstructed during a $21.39 million project. Work to construct a new overpass for SR 559 across I-4 and widening the state road south to the realignment of CR 559A (C. Fred Jones Boulevard) ran from August 2014 through early 2017. Construction also shifted the eastbound roadway for I-4 southward, added lighting and made drainage improvements.1
Historically north into Polk City, SR 559 followed a combination of Auburndale Cutoff Road (CR 559A) and Berkley Road (CR 655) to SR 33 (Commonwealth Avenue). This route was previously numbered as Florida State Road 61 as well. The alignment along Broadway Boulevard and Camp Gilead Drive southeast from Downtown Polk City was a part of Florida Secondary 577 leading to Auburndale.
The southern extension of SR 559, including the overpass across a CSX Railroad line and adjacent SR 655, was constructed from January 2011 and December 2011 at a cost of $5.2 million. Linking SR 655 (Recker Highway) with U.S. 92 north of CR 544A (Darby Avenue), the 0.7 mile long roadway created a more direct route from Auburndale. Work also expanded a portion of Recker Highway to accommodate turn lanes with SR 559.3,4
Main Street - North
Main Street (old SR 559) loops northeast onto the overpass spanning SR 655 (Reckey Highway) and the CSX Railroad line.
05/30/19
Main Street proceeds north into the Auburndale street grid ahead of the signalized intersection with Derby Avenue. Unmarked here, Derby Avenue doubles as Polk County Road 544A west to SR 655 and east to SR 544.
05/30/19
Main Street continues two blocks north from CR 544A (Derby Avenue) to U.S. 92 south of Downtown Auburndale. Replaced by unsigned CR 559, State Road 559 previously began here.
05/30/19
North
Confirming marker formerly posted north of U.S. 92 (Magnolia Avenue) in the city of Auburndale.
05/15/16
CR 559 advances two blocks north from U.S. 92 to Bridgers Avenue. Bridgers Avenue is a historic alignment of U.S. 92.
05/15/16
Navigating through Downtown Auburndale, CR 559 along Main Street circumvents City Hall Plaza.
05/15/16
Leaving Downtown Auburndale, CR 559 (Main Street) angles northwest from Polk Avenue to Park Street.
05/15/16
CR 559 resumes along a northward heading from Park Street and next encircles Lake Stella.
05/15/16
Main Street extends north from Lake Stella to Bay Street and the east shore of Lake Ariana.
05/15/16
CR 559 (Lake Ariana Boulevard) straddles Lake Ariana 1.25 miles north from Main Street to Polk City Road.
05/15/16
Old Lake Alfred Road branches east from CR 559 (Lake Ariana Boulevard) to Lynchburg and the city of Lake Alfred.
05/15/16
CR 559 dog legs east from Lake Ariana Boulevard along Polk City Road toward Interstate 4.
05/15/16
Polk City Road leads north from Bolender Road in Auburndale to unincorporated areas of Polk County between Lake Juliana and Lake Mattie. CR 559 takes a stair stepped route westward, reentering the Auburndale city limits at William Van Fleet Road (old CR 559A) west.
05/15/16
North
County Road 559A formerly ran west and north along William Van Fleet Road from SR 559 in north Auburndale. The route was realigned onto a new four lane alignment (C. Fred Jones Boulevard) opened to traffic in February 2017.
05/15/16
Shifting westward CR 559 expands into a four lane arterial ahead of C. Fred Jones Boulevard (SR 559A) and Interstate 4.
05/15/16
Polk County Road 559A (C. Fred Jones Boulevard) constitutes a four lane link between SR 559 and CR 655 (Berkley Road).
11/03/18
The 2017 realignment of CR 559A (C. Fred Jones Boulevard) ties into SR 559 opposite Baylake Resort Road, a south side frontage road for I-4.
11/03/18
South
Expansion of SR 559 included realigning Baylake Resort Road and the access road to a Love's Truck Stop to connect with the state road opposite CR 559A (C. Fred Jones Boulevard).
11/03/18
C. Fred Jones Boulevard opened to traffic in February 2017 as the new alignment of Polk County Road 559A west. The four lane arterial links SR 559 with CR 655 (Berkley Road) as part of a truck route between I-4 and U.S. 92 to Downtown Auburndale.
11/03/18
A jug handle was added south of CR 559A and Baylake Resort Road to accommodate larger trucks returning to I-4 from the Love's Truck stop.
11/03/18
CR 559 south narrows to two lanes through an unincorporated area of Polk County.
05/20/22
South
William Van Fleet Road intersects SR 559 south at the succeeding intersection. Formerly both CR 559A and Auburndale Cutoff Road, the L-shaped route leads 0.7 miles west to Lake Juliana Estates and CR 559A (C. Fred Jones Boulevard).
07/04/08
Continuing south from William Van Fleet Road, SR 559 passes between the Lake Juliana Landings manufactured home community and wetland areas from Lake Mattie.
05/22/20
Remaining orange groves along CR 559 south at Sutton Road.
05/22/20
Suburban development along CR 559 south of Lake Mattie Road. Construction of the Cascara subdivision here started in 2019.
05/22/20
Shifting eastward from Lake Juliana, CR 559 resumes a southward heading and enters the city of Auburndale again at Cory Court.
05/22/20
Polk City Road leads CR 559 south by a number of subdivisions east of Lake Arietta and north of Lake Ariana. The state road dog legs west between Bolender Road and Lake Ariana Boulevard.
05/22/20
Polk City Road leads CR 559 south by a number of subdivisions east of Lake Arietta and north of Lake Ariana. The county road dog legs west between Bolender Road and Lake Ariana Boulevard.
05/22/20
CR 559 hugs the eastern periphery of Lake Ariana along Lake Ariana Boulevard for a 1.25 mile stretch.
05/22/20
Old Lake Alfred Road stems east from CR 559 at Lake Ariana to Lynchburg and Pierce Street to the Lake Alfred city center.
05/22/20
Advancing southwest from the Ariana Heights area, CR 559 continues to Main Street N.
07/04/08
Main Street leads CR 559 away from Lake Ariana to Lake Stella. The county road circumvents the lake along Lake Stella Drive.
05/22/20
07/04/08
CR 559 resumes along N Main Street to connect with Park Street N into Downtown Auburndale.
05/22/20
Park Street takes CR 559 across the CSX Railroad between Stadium Road and Polk Street.
07/04/08
CR 559 turns again, following Park Street East alongside City Hall Plaza.
05/22/20
Returning to Main Street, CR 559 continues south from Park Street and Downtown Auburndale.
05/22/20
Main Street South intersects Bridgers Avenue at the Auburndale Heights neighborhood between Downtown and U.S. 92 (Magnolia Avenue).
05/22/20
Two blocks south of Bridgers Avenue, CR 559 meets U.S. 92 (Magnolia Avenue).
05/22/20
U.S. 92 is a local arterial route joining Auburndale with neighboring Lakeland to the west and Lake Alfred to the east.
05/22/20
CR 559 (Main Street) south at U.S. 92 (Magnolia Avenue). U.S. 92 travels three miles west to Polk Parkway (SR 570) and 2.5 miles east to Winter Haven Regional Airport (GIF).
05/22/20
Main Street intersects Derby Avenue (CR 544A) two blocks south of U.S. 92. CR 544A is a local route east to SR 544 (Havendale Boulevard) and west to SR 655 (Recker Highway).
10/26/19
Main Street extends 0.92 miles south from U.S. 92 to SR 655 (Recker Highway) in Auburndale. Beyond Derby Avenue (CR 544A), Main Street elevates onto the 421.9 foot long span over a CSX Railroad and Recker Highway.5
05/30/19
Main Street (old SR 559) makes a 180 degree turn from the CSX Railroad bridge to conclude at SR 655 (Recker Highway).
05/30/19
State Road 655 follows Recker Highway west to U.S. 92 near Lake Lena in Auburndale. Recker Highway leads SR 655 southeast to SR 620 and Lake Shipp Drive in Winter Haven.
05/30/19
References:
- "I-4/SR 559 project is for future." The Ledger (Lakeland, FL), November 4, 2015.
- "FDOT Public Hearing for the Proposed Jurisdictional Transfer of State Road (SR) 559 in Polk County." Capital Soup, December 17, 2018.
- "Open Street in Sight." The Ledger (Lakeland, FL), August 10, 2011.
- "Road Work Done On State Road 559." The Ledger (Lakeland, FL), December 28, 2011.
- SR-559 (MAIN ST.) over SR-655 AND CSX RR, Polk County, Florida. BridgeReports.com.
Photo Credits:
- Alex Nitzman: 05/30/19, 10/26/19
- ABRoads: 07/04/08, 05/15/16, 11/03/18, 05/22/20, 05/20/22
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Page Updated Friday May 10, 2024.