Florida State Road 60

State Road 60 (SR 60) is an east–west route transversing Florida from the Gulf of Mexico to the Atlantic Ocean. The western terminus of SR 60 is at the Sunsets at Pier 60 site in Clearwater Beach. The eastern terminus is in Vero Beach near the Atlantic Coast just past State Road A1A.

Route description

Clearwater through Tampa

SR 60 begins in Clearwater Beach, at the once controversial Clearwater Roundabout, which is also shared by Gulfview Boulevard and Mandalay Avenue. The route is primarily a four lane divided highway named Causeway Boulevard. This segment includes the Clearwater Bridge over the Mandalay Channel which leads to a man-made island containing only one intersection with Island Way, which leads to Pasadees Key and Big Mangrove Key, the former of which is where the Clearwater Marine Aquarium can be found. Before the man-made island ends, SR 60 rises above the Intracoastal Waterway along the Clearwater Memorial Causeway to reach mainland Clearwater. Once on the mainland, the road divides into Court Street (one-way westbound) and Chestnut Street (one-way eastbound) between Bay Avenue and Ewing Avenue. Along the way, both streets intersect the Pinellas Trail and the CSX Clearwater Subdivision at the same time along East Street. One block later, the streets are joined by US 19 Alternate at Myrtle Avenue, and are overlapped through the end of the one-way pair west of MLK Boulevard where the routes only run along Court Street. The overlap with US Alternate 19, ends as it turns south at Missouri Avenue (hidden SR 651), while SR 60 continues east until reaching the intersection of South Highland Avenue, where hidden SR 651 terminates. From there the route also joins Gulf-to-Bay Boulevard.

Throughout Clearwater, Gulf-to-Bay Boulevard serves as a long, straight west-to-east commercial strip, with notable intersections at Keene Road, later Belcher Road, and then Old Coachman Road and a power line crossing. The first interchange along the route is with US 19 which is the first Single-Point Urban Interchange in the United States. Another SPUI interchange follows with County Road 611, which consists of McMullen-Booth Boulevard and the Bayside Bridge. The last intersection in mainland Pinellas County is South Bayshore Drive, before the road becomes the Courtney Campbell Causeway over Tampa Bay to Memorial Highway, the eastern terminus of the causeway, and the southern terminus of SR 589 (Veterans Expressway) in Tampa. The road runs along a reverse J hook around Runway 19R of the Tampa International Airport into the airport interchange which includes SR 616 (Spruce Street) to US 92 in Westshore, and the George L. Bean Parkway to the airport.

Memorial Highway ends at the interchange with I-275, but SR 60 turns east along John F. Kennedy Boulevard (originally Grand Central Avenue), thus becoming the main non-limited access route from downtown Tampa to Brandon, as it passes WestShore Plaza. As it was in Clearwater, SR 60/Kennedy Boulevard serves as a commercial strip within western Tampa. Notable exceptions are sites such as the American Legion Cemetery just before the intersection with U.S. Route 92 at Dale Mabry Highway. Diagonally across from WTVT (Fox-13 TV station), the road intersects Florida State Road 685 (Henderson Avenue). Few realize that beyond Henderson, SR 685 continues in a hidden overlap with SR 60. One of the more unique intersections is with Willow Avenue which also has a railroad crossing with the CSX Port Tampa Spur from the southwest to northeast corners. Beginning at "Boulevard" SR 60 enters the territory of the University of Tampa. At Snow Park, Kennedy Boulevard branches off to the northeast while Grand Central Avenue continues straight east. From there, the route passes by the Henry B. Plant Museum just before crossing the Kennedy Boulevard Drawbridge over the Hillsborough River. Originally known as the Lafayette Street Drawbridge, the bridge was added to the National Register of Historic Places on February 20, 2018.

Immediately after crossing the Hillsborough River, eastbound SR 60 turns south for one block along Ashley Drive, then turns back east again along Jackson Street. Merely one block later the route is joined in another overlap with southbound US Business Route 41 at the intersection with North Tampa Avenue. Northbound US Bus. 41 can be accessed two blocks later at North Florida Avenue when it leaves Kennedy Boulevard a block north, taking hidden SR 685 with it to Lutz.

Just before leaving Downtown Tampa, SR 60/US Bus 41 runs beneath the Lee Roy Selmon Expressway (westbound only Exit 8) and is joined by southbound Florida State Road 45 at Brush Street, while northbound SR 45 is encountered at Nebraska Avenue. The one-way pair in Tampa ends when eastbound SR 60/45/US Bus 41 turns north onto Meridian Avenue and east onto Kennedy Boulevard. Three blocks later the routes end at Channelside Drive then turn north along that street until the intersection with Adamo Drive where they turn east. From there it continues paralleling the Lee Roy Selmon Expressway, and is surrounded by more industrial zoning.

Southbound US Bus 41/SR 45 leaves SR 60 at 21st Avenue, while northbound US Bus 41/SR 45 joins SR 60 at 22nd Avenue. SR 60 continues to run in close proximity to the Lee Roy Selmon. East of US BUS 41, the route runs under the southern terminus of the Interstate 4 Connector with no connecting ramps, then has a major intersection with US 41 followed by driveways to the CSX Uceta Yard. The industrial development continues as the road  runs along a bridge over the Tampa Bypass Canal then intersects South 78th Street (CR 573), which includes part of another interchange with Lee Roy Selmon on the southeast corner.

Brandon through Polk County
Within the vicinity of the intersection with US 301 SR 60 makes the transition into Brandon where the route approaches the elaborate interchange with Interstate 75 at exit 257 and Adamo Drive changes its name to Brandon Boulevard. The zoning gradually transitions from industrial to mainstream commercial, most notably at the northwest entrance to the Brandon Town Center. Brandon Boulevard ends at Mount Carmel Road, but the route continues eastward simply as "State Road 60." Between North Valrico Road and South Miller Road, SR 60 runs along the Brandon-Valrico border, fully entering Valrico at the intersection of North and South Miller Roads. Between Saint Cloud Avenue and Skywood Drive, SR 60 has a railroad crossing with the CSX Valrico Subdivision, although a local street to a gated community near the tracks is named "Valrico Station Road," suggesting the historic presence of a former railroad station. Just outside of the border of Valrico, is a local preserve area named the Sydney Dover Conservation Park, which includes the Dover Horse Trails.

In Hopewell, south of Plant City the route officially gets the street name of Hopewell Road, even though it is still signed as S.R. 60. The major intersection in Hopewell is the southern terminus of Florida State Road 39 and northern terminus of Hillsborough County Road 39. East of there, the Hopewell Truck Weigh Station shows up in the median. After the vicinity of the weigh station ends. SR 60 crosses another CSX railroad crossing, this time with the Plant City Subdivision. The route begins curving to the southeast as it enters Bealsville then turns east again as it crosses the wetlands of the English River, where it intersects South County Line Road thus crossing the Hillsborough-Polk County Line only to return to the southeast as it approaches the South Lakeland Airstrip. Along this second southeast trajectory it crosses a pair of bridges over Poley Creek, continuing the name of "SR 60." One last intersection with "Old Highway 60" and Bailey Road on the north side as well as Shady Hammock Drive can be found near the Mulberry city limits, just before crossing the bridges over the North Prong of the Alafia River. At the intersection with the east end of Polk County Road 676 and Old Highway 60, current SR 60 has a railroad crossing with the CSX Mulberry Yard, then the road turns east again at another segment of Old Highway 60. At the intersection with Prairie Mine and Diesel Roads, SR 60 is named West Canal Street. The road encounters a local street named Phosphate Boulevard which flanks the west side of the crossing with the Bone Valley Subdivision, and then intersects Florida State Road 37. West Canal Street becomes East Canal Street one block later at the intersection with Northeast and Southeast First Avenue. The name Canal Street terminates at Kid Ellis Road and SR 60 resumes signage east of Mulberry. 

Beyond the Mulberry City Limits, the road is scattered with various construction, chemical, and mining equipment companies. The road takes a brief northeast bend after it approaches a railroad crossing with a spur leading to some phosphate mines owned by Mosaic. Similar scattered businesses continue along the road with the addition of a TECO Substation on the south side and an FDOT building on the north side. East of these two structures, the road edges at a southeast angle where the presence of construction and chemical companies begins to diminish (though not necessarily disappear) as it approaches the second crossing of the Valrico Subdivision.

The road gains the name West Main Street west of Bartow city limits, but then moves northeast onto North Van Fleet Drive between West Main Street runs straight east into Downtown Bartow. North Van Fleet Drive runs along a bridge over the Valrico Subdivision, then as it descends it curves straight east again where it becomes West Van Fleet Drive. The transition from West to East Van Fleet Drive occurs when SR 60 encounters the intersection with U.S. Route 98 in Florida (Broadway Avenue and hidden SRs 35 and 700). US 98 and SR 35 join SR 60 in a short overlap while SR 700 continues south along Broadway Avenue to East Main Street. Just after crossing the Fort Fraser Trail, the overlap with US 98/SR 35 ends when SR 60 moves onto a new alignment onto East Van Fleet Drive, then runs over a bridge below the US 17-98 overlap. East Van Fleet Drive continues to the Peace River Bridges. From east of Bartow the road is simply called SR 60.
A few small businesses dot the road as it starts to take a few more curves to the northeast. One other site includes the TECO Peace Creek Solar Plant. An intersection that would otherwise be unimportant is Enterprise Boulevard, a small road leading to the Polk State College - Clear Springs Advanced Technology Center. One of the more significant intersections along this segment is with Polk County Road 655A southeast to Alturas then moves around the north coast of Lake Garfield, where it encounters the intersection of Polk County Road 655 north to US 17 and the southern terminus of Florida State Road 655 in Eloise. East of the vicinity of the lake is a share intersection between Old Bartow-Lake Wales Road which leads to Polk County Road 653 and the northeast end of Polk County Road 655A, and after this the route runs southeast again. 

Still not able to remove itself from its not to urban surroundings and features, the road's barren scenery is interrupted by the crossing of the CSX Auburndale Subdivision, which is frequently used by Amtrak's Silver Star and Silver Meteor lines. Attempting to move to the northeast one last time before turning back southeast, the landscape is slightly more developed, and it encounters the road to Lake Wales Municipal Airport. However, it doesn't officially enter the City of Lake Wales itself until another railroad crossing, this time with the Lake Wales Branch of the Florida Midland Railroad. The Lake Wales city line is where the name changes to West Polk Avenue. Curving to southeast and east again, it encounters the interchange with US 27. SR 60 leaves West Polk Avenue and moves southeast onto Hesperides Road in eastern Lake Wales. The road turns straight east at South Second Street, and then runs along a pair of bridges over Scenic Road 17 but access to and from that route is only available through the aforementioned West Polk Avenue continuation from eastbound SR 60 and a half-diamond interchange with Fourth Street from westbound SR 60, which is also flanked by the Lake Wales Branch of the Florida Midlands Railroad underneath.

East of Lake Wales

The name Hesperides Road continues into County Road 630 near Indian Lake Estates. From there it is a two-lane road, however the road briefly becomes wider at locations such as Robert's Ranch, Grape Hammock Road and the KICCO (Kissimmee Island Cattle Company) Wildlife Management Area The road is joined by the Florida National Scenic Trail just before the bridge and dam over the Kissimmee River, where it crosses the Polk-Osceola County Line. From there the road curves southeast again, and the trail leaves SR 60 at an intersection with a dirt road leading to the Three Lakes Wildlife Management Area. Very little exists beyond this point besides farms and scrubland.
 Still rural, the route enters Yeehaw Junction where it encounters US 441 and the historic site of the former Desert Inn and Restaurant, until it was destroyed by a jackknifing tractor-trailer in 2019. East of US 441, the road is upgraded again at the interchange Florida's Turnpike and resumes its status as a four-lane divided highway. Additionally, it receives the street name Stan Mayfield Memorial Highway, a name that it will continue to posses even as it crosses the Osceola-Indian River County Line. Entering the county, the road briefly turns east then southeast again after the north gate of Wedgworth Farms, only to turn east again at the Fort Drum Marsh, where it runs between the Blue Cypress Conservation Area and Fort Drum Wildlife Management Area. Beyond these two preserves, the road is surrounded mostly by sod farms, with a brief interruption known as the intersection with Indian River County Road 512, a county road leading to Sebastian. Further east, it passes by a historical marker at the site of Fort Vinton in the eastbound lanes. The area becomes more developed as it approaches Interstate 95 at Exit 147 in West Vero Corridor. The street name is changed to Richard Raczkoski Memorial Highway from I-95 to 43rd Avenue, though it still signed as 20th Street. It is at 43rd Street east of the bridge over the Main Canal where SR 60 officially enters the City of Vero Beach.

Before the intersection with 20th Avenue, SR 60 divides into the last one-way pair. It becomes 19th Place (one-way eastbound) and 20th Street (one-way westbound). The two streets run parallel to each other through the railroad crossing of the Florida East Coast Railway Main Line. Running parallel to this line is Commerce Avenue where eastbound 19th Place becomes 20th Street (one-way eastbound) and 20th Place (one-way westbound). Five blocks later in intersects US 1 at Eighth Avenue. The one-way pair finally comes to and end on 20th Street just west of the intersection with Sixth Avenue. 20th Street ends at Indian River Boulevard and continues eastbound onto a dead-end street named Tarpon Road, but SR 60 turns north along Indian River Boulevard (CR 603).

Even without the cosigning with SR 60, Indian River Boulevard is a four-lane divided highway. Here the route is flanked by a tree-obstructed frontage road for a boat channel-lined community on the east side, and condominiums apartments on the west side until the second crossing of the main canal, where the surroundings become more natural. The route leaves Indian River Boulevard to turn east again at the road leading to the Merrill P. Barber Bridge. The bridge climbs above marshland on the mainland before passing over the Indian River then lands on Orchid Island. At the first intersection with Indian River Drive East and Riverside Park Drive, the street is named Beachland Boulevard, a four-lane tree-lined often divided highway with provisions for left-turn lanes. On the first block after this intersection, SR 60 is flanked by the Beachland Elementary School along the north side to Mockingbird Drive, and the Riverside Theater along the south side. The rest of the boulevard appears to be typical land-boom era development. Florida State Road 60's eastern terminus is at Florida State Road A1A. Beachland Boulevard continues east of SR A1A as a four-lane divided city street until Ocean Boulevard, where it becomes a loop entrance and exit to Sexton Plaza Beach.

Local street names for SR 60

From west to east:
 Causeway Boulevard from the intersection with Gulfview Boulevard and Mandalay Avenue on Clearwater Beach to causeway.
 Memorial Causeway on causeway between Clearwater Beach and mainland Clearwater.
 SR 60 divides into Court Street (one-way westbound) and Chestnut Street (one-way eastbound) between Bay Ave and Ewing Ave.
 Court Street from Ewing Ave to S Highland Ave.
 Gulf-to-Bay Boulevard from S Highland Avenue to Tampa Bay.
 Courtney Campbell Causeway over Tampa Bay to Memorial Highway, the eastern terminus of Courtney Campbell Causeway, and the southern terminus of SR 589 in Tampa
 Memorial Highway from the eastern terminus of Courtney Campbell Causeway and southern terminus of SR 589 to junction I-275
 John F. Kennedy Boulevard from I-275 to Channelside Drive. (Cosigned with Business U.S. Highway 41 most of that section)
 Channelside Drive until junction Adamo Drive.
 Adamo Drive until junction with Interstate 75.
 Brandon Boulevard from I-75 until Mount Carmel Road.
 SR 60 to Plant City.
 Hopewell Road in Plant City, resumes SR 60 east of Plant City.
 Simply signed SR 60 from there until reaching Mulberry city limits.
 Canal Street in Mulberry, resumes SR 60 signage east of Mulberry.
 West Main Street west of Bartow city limits.
 Van Fleet Drive between West Main Street in Bartow, to the Peace River Bridges.
 From east of Bartow to Lake Wales is simply called SR 60. In Lake Wales it is called West Polk, although it changes to Hesperides Road in eastern Lake Wales and east of the city.
 Simply signed SR 60 until Interstate 95.
 Stan Mayfield Memorial Highway from the Florida Turnpike to I-95.
 Richard Raczkoski Memorial Highway from I-95 to 43rd Avenue.
 20th Street in Vero Beach from Interstate 95 to 20th Avenue.
 19th Place (one-way eastbound) and 20th Street (one-way westbound) in Vero Beach from east of 20th Avenue until Commerce Avenue.
 20th Street (one-way eastbound) and 20th Place (one-way westbound) in Vero Beach from east of Commerce Avenue to west of 6th Avenue.
 20th Street from west of 6th Avenue in Vero Beach to Indian River Blvd.
 Cosigned with Indian River Blvd until Merrill P. Barber Bridge.
 Merrill P. Barber Bridge over the Indian River.
 Beachland Boulevard after bridge until eastern terminus at State Road A1A.

History

Clearwater realignment
Originally, SR 60 in Clearwater traveled west of Highland Avenue along Gulf-to-Bay Boulevard and Cleveland Street to the Memorial Causeway. When construction of the new Memorial Causeway began in 2001/2002, SR 60 was realigned along Court Street and Pierce Boulevard to the Causeway, with the original alignment downloaded to the city of Clearwater. Between Pierce and Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard, SR 60 is split into two one-way streets—Court Street carrying westbound traffic, and Chestnut Street carrying eastbound traffic.

Prior to the realignment, Court Street east of Missouri Avenue was known as SR 651, while Court and Chestnut Streets west of Missouri was a locally maintained road signed as "Bypass 60".

Major intersections

Related routes

State Road 60A

State Road 60A served as a bypass for Bartow, Florida, until SR 60 was realigned to follow that route in 2006.  It is briefly cosigned with US 98 during its route. It is mainly known as Van Fleet Drive.

State Road 60 Business

State Road 60 Business served as a business route for Bartow, Florida, until SR 60 was realigned to follow the bypass in 2006. It was briefly cosigned with SR  700 between Broadway and Holland Parkway (US 17/98). It was mainly known as Main Street and Flamingo Drive.

See also
Conners Highway

References

External links

Florida 60 (SouthEastRoads.com)

State highways in Florida
State Roads in Pinellas County, Florida
State Roads in Hillsborough County, Florida
State Roads in Tampa, Florida
State Roads in Polk County, Florida
State Roads in Osceola County, Florida
State Roads in Indian River County, Florida
State Roads in Vero Beach, Florida
1945 establishments in Florida