State Road 563 - Harden Boulevard / Sikes Boulevard
SR 563 follows a combination of Harden and Sikes Boulevard 4.91 miles north from Pipkin Road in unincorporated Polk County to an expressway along the west side of Downtown Lakeland. The northern 0.582 miles branch off Sikes Boulevard at the south end of SR 539 (Kathleen Road) and follows Martin L. King, Jr. Avenue to U.S. 92 (Memorial Boulevard).
The 0.767 mile section north on Martin Luther King, Jr. Avenue, and east on 10th Street to U.S. 98, was turned over to the city of Lakeland on July 19, 2005. These segments comprise unmarked County Road 563.
Construction for the eastern extension of George Jenkins Boulevard (SR 548) east across the CSX Railroad lines west of SR 563 (Sikes Boulevard) and SR 539 (Kathleen Road) included realigning SR 539 and SR 563 at a new intersection with Martin Luther King Boulevard west of Lake Wire. SR 539 shifted east to directly transition onto SR 563 in place of the previous T-intersection between the arterial and SR 563 along Martin Luther King Boulevard.
North
SR 563 shifts eastward from Harden Boulevard onto Sikes Boulevard from Ariana Street to Lake Hunter. The ensuing traffic light northbound is with Greenwood Street west.
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Straddling the west side of Lake Hunter, Sikes Boulevard arcs northeast to Hartsell Avenue. Hartsell Avenue heads to W Lime Street and Lake Beulah.
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Lime Street crosses SR 563 (Sikes Boulevard) two and a half blocks east from Florida Avenue (SR 37) and one mile from U.S. 98 along Bartow Road.
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SR 563 travels below grade along a short expressway between Lime Street and Lake Wire Drive. Overpasses span Sikes Boulevard for Orange, Lemon and Main Streets.
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Main Street (CR 600) passes over SR 563 just ahead of the turn off for Lake Wire Drive east. A U.S. 98 trailblazer here references the forthcoming intersection with SR 548 (George Jenkins Boulevard).
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Lake Wire Drive connects SR 563 (Sikes Boulevard) with Pine and Bay Streets at the north end of Downtown Lakeland. Lake Wire Drive formerly looped around Lake Wire back to SR 563 along Martin Luther King, Jr. Avenue.
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Sikes Boulevard and Kathleen Road (SR 539) were realigned during construction of the grade separation for SR 548 along George Jenkins Boulevard. Sikes Boulevard defaults onto SR 539, which provides a four lane route north to Interstate 4.
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SR 563 turns onto Martin Luther King Boulevard north from SR 539 (Kathleen Road) and Lake Wire 0.6 miles to U.S. 92 (Memorial Boulevard). SR 539 angles 2.51 miles northwest to I-4 and CR 35A. Prospect Street, a short section of old SR 539 severed by construction of SR 548 along George Jenkins Boulevard, ties in from the west.
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Photo Credits:
- Alex Nitzman: 04/24/19
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Page Updated Tuesday March 23, 2021.