Florida's Turnpike
Encyclopedia
Florida's Turnpike designated as the Ronald Reagan
Turnpike, and originally known as the Sunshine State Parkway is a north–south toll road
that runs 312.522 miles (503 km) through 11 counties in the Florida
peninsula
, from U.S. Route 1
in Florida City
, running through Miami
, Fort Lauderdale
, West Palm Beach
where it parallels
Interstate 95
, and Orlando
where it crosses Interstate 4
, to its northern terminus at Interstate 75 near Wildwood
.
The Turnpike itself is in two sections. The first is the Mainline, a 265 miles (426.5 km) route from the Golden Glades Interchange
(north of Miami) to Wildwood that carries the hidden designation of State Road 91 (SR 91), opened in stages between 1957 and 1964. The second is the 48 miles (77.2 km) long Homestead Extension of Florida's Turnpike
(HEFT) completed in 1974, that carries the hidden designation of State Road 821 (SR 821) from Florida City (near Homestead
) through the suburbs to the west and north of Miami, connecting to the Mainline four miles (6 km) north of the Golden Glades Interchange. Florida's Turnpike is considered one of the busiest highways in the country (according to the IBBTA, the highway is the nation's 3rd most heavily traveled toll road).
.
The Turnpike begins at the Golden Glades Toll Plaza as a six lane highway, just north of the Golden Glades Interchange
in Miami Gardens
. Two miles north of the toll plaza, it passes by Sun Life Stadium to the west before intersecting with the northern end of the HEFT at the Dade/Broward County line four miles from Golden Glades, continuing the HEFT's mile marker. The highway then quickly goes through the inland suburbs of Miramar
, Hollywood
, and Davie
, with an exit at Hollywood Boulevard (SR 820) at mile 50, and passing west of the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel and Casino Hollywood
just south the Griffin Road (SR 818) interchange (exit 53). In Davie, about eight miles north of the Homestead Extension interchange, it intersects with I-595
, providing direct access to Alligator Alley
and Ft. Lauderdale International Airport. After two more interchanges, one with Sunrise Boulevard (SR 838) in Plantation
and Commercial Boulevard (SR 870) in Tamarac
, it crosses the Cypress Creek Toll Plaza in North Lauderdale
, the second on the mainline. Just a mile north of the toll plaza, it intersects with the Pompano Beach Service Plaza, the first of seven full service plazas on the mainline, and where the Turnpike's Operations center is located. Still in Pompano Beach, it has a northbound only exit with Atlantic Boulevard (SR 814), followed by full interchanges with Coconut Creek Parkway/Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Boulevard (Broward County Road 912) (exit 67) and Sample Road (SR 834) (exit 69). It then enters Deerfield Beach
with an interchange with the Sawgrass Expressway
in Coconut Creek (exit 71), the final interchange in Broward County. The Turnpike then enters Palm Beach County
, with an interchange in each Boca Raton
(Glades Road, exit 75), Delray Beach
(Atlantic Boulevard, exit 81) and Boynton Beach
(Boynton Beach Boulevard, exit 86).
In central Palm Beach County at mile marker 88, the Ticket system
of the turnpike begins at the Lantana
Toll Plaza. The turnpike narrows to a four lane highway as it goes through a less developed portion of Palm Beach County, crossing with interchanges with Lake Worth Road, followed by the Lake Worth/West Palm Beach Service Plaza at mile marker 94. In West Palm Beach
, the highway has interchanges with US 98
/SR 80
(Southern Boulevard), a SunPass
only interchange at Jog Road, followed by an interchange at Okeechobee Boulevard (exit 99) that heads directly into downtown West Palm Beach. North of the interchange, the highway enters stretch of sparse development between this point and Port St. Lucie
, intersecting with the Beeline Highway, another SunPass only interchange before leaving West Palm Beach. Just north of the SR 786 interchange in Palm Beach Gardens (exit 109), I-95 parallels the Turnpike to the east for about 20 miles with I-95 visible from the turnpike as it has an interchange with SR 706 (exit 116) in Jupiter and into Martin County
. It breaks off as it crosses the Thomas B. Manuel Bridge over the St. Lucie Canal, crossing I-95 without an interchange just south of the SR 714 interchange, the only exit in Martin County. I-95 heads west towards the western fringes of St. Lucie County
development, while the turnpike takes a path along the central areas of the county. The Turnpike has two interchanges in Port St. Lucie, one at Becker Road (exit 138), the third SunPass only exit, and SR 716 (exit 142), followed by the Port St. Lucie-Fort Pierce service plaza at mile marker 144. The turnpike intersects I-95 one last time just south of SR 70 (exit 152) in Fort Pierce
, as I-95 continues to head up the east coast of Florida and the turnpike curves inland towards Orlando.
, with only one interchange with SR 60 in Yeehaw Junction
(exit 193), although there are two service plazas in this area, one at Fort Drum at mile marker 184 and the other, Canoe Creek, at mile marker 229. Between Fort Pierce and Yeehaw Junction, the turnpike travels in a nearly east-west direction heading inland. Between Yeehaw Junction and Kissimmee
, the turnpike, returning to a north-northwest direction towards Orlando, has a 49 mile (47 miles southbound) stretch without an exit. At mile marker 236, the ticket system ends at the Three Lakes toll plaza, as the turnpike enters the Orlando Area and development starts to reappear on the turnpike. The SunPass only interchange located at Kissimmee Park Road, a partial interchange featuring a northbound on- and southbound off-ramp only, is named for Senator N. Ray Carroll, longtime Osceola County banker, citrus grower and cattle rancher. After interchanges with US 192
/US 441
(exit 242 northbound, exit 244 southbound) and the Osceola Parkway
(exit 249), it enters Orange County
, and Orlando
. Exit 254 is a massive interchange with both Orange Blossom Trail and the Beachline Expressway, where the Turnpike expands to eight lanes north of the interchange, and then it intersects with Consulate Drive (exit 255), a southbound only, SunPass only interchange.
After passing the I-4 interchange (exit 259) near many of Orlando's theme parks, the Turnpike reduces to four lanes and moves in a northwest direction first passing by the Turkey Lake Service Plaza at mile marker 263, where the FDOT district headquarters of the Turnpike are located. The Turnpike has the next two interchanges with Orlando area tollways, the east-west Expressway (exit 265) and the Western Expressway (exit 267A), afterwards becoming a four lane highway for the rest of its journey. It then has two separate interchanges with SR 50 five miles apart at exit 267B and 272 before exiting Orange County. The Turnpike then enters Lake County
, heading in a northwestern direction, where hilly countryside become a part of the terrain for the remainder of the expressway. At mile 285, it has a northbound exit/southbound entrance with US 27
, followed by the Leesburg toll plaza at mile 288, and a southbound exit/northbound entrance with US 27
at mile 289. The last interchange in Lake County is with County Road 470 (exit 296), which does not provide cash.
At mile marker 299, the turnpike, it passes through the final service plaza, the Okahumpka service plaza. Between US 301
(exit 304) and the northern terminus (mile 309) is considered to be a free movement as there is no toll for anyone traveling within this section. The tollway ends with an interchange with I-75 in Wildwood
, about 20 miles south of Ocala
.
s on the turnpike
are an average of 7.5 cents per mile for cars and other two-axle
vehicle
s. A trip on the entire turnpike (not including the Homestead Extension) would cost $18.20 with cash, and $14.40 with SunPass. The ticket system
is operated between the Lantana and Three Lakes Barrier tolls and on a coin system south of Lantana and north of Kissimmee. The turnpike was originally entirely on the ticket system, but due to congestion in the Miami and Orlando metro areas, a coin system was implemented in those sections of the turnpike in the 1990s. The SunPass
electronic toll collection
system, in use since 1999, has become the primary method of paying tolls on the turnpike, with 80% of customers using the electronic tolling as of October 2009. SunPass can be used on most Florida toll roads, and with conjunction with other electronic toll collection systems in Florida (E-Pass and LeeWay). SunPass users benefit from an average of a 25% discount on tolls and access to SunPass-only exit ramps. SunPass
transponder
s are available at the gift shop and gas stations at all service plazas, as well as Publix
and CVS/pharmacy stores statewide.
As the Turnpike and its system of roads are primary routes for emergency evacuation
s, tolls may be suspended, in cooperation with the state's emergency operations center and county governments, when a state or national emergency, most common being a hurricane watch, warrant rapid movement of the population.
, Florida was experiencing unprecedented growth in population and tourism, along with a revitalized citrus industry recovering from a harsh freeze early in the decade; the increased traffic load quickly burdened the state's highway system. South Florida businessman and accountant firm owner Charles B. Costar was concerned that a trip down the east coast of Florida would take days on the available road network, passing through every small beachside town, siphoning off the traffic before visitors reached South Florida. After driving on the Pennsylvania Turnpike
during a vacation there, he envisioned a similar high-speed turnpike in Florida. In 1953, Costar led a lobby group that resulted in state legislature creating the "Florida Turnpike Act," which Governor Dan McCarty signed into law on July 11, 1953, as well as the Florida State Turnpike Authority, which had the ability to plan, design, and construct bond-financed toll roads, in which Costar was instrumental to create, to be repaid through the collection of tolls from Turnpike customers.
Thomas B. Manuel, known as the "Father of the Turnpike," served as chairman of the Florida State Turnpike Authority from January 1955 to January 1961. Manuel debated with state legislature members opposed to tollways, emphasizing the need for a good highway system in a tourism-driven state. During the 1955 legislative session, many small-county legislators and others opposed to the Parkway, formed a "kill the 'Pike'" coalition; Manuel won over the legislators at his headquarters in the Floridan Hotel near the capitol. Only four votes against the turnpike were entered at the end of the session's roll call, and the Legislature granted permission to build with a $70 million bond issue in June 1955. A Turnpike bridge in Stuart bears his name to honor his contributions.
, which was slated to connect Jacksonville
with the rest of the state in a similar alignment to the planned Sunshine State Parkway Coastal Route. This resulted in completion of a truncated 110 miles (177 km) highway that ran from Miami to Fort Pierce, opening on January 25, 1957.
In January 1959, Governor LeRoy Collins
, favoring a Parkway extension from Fort Pierce
to Orlando, stated that building the Parkway north of Orlando would be unnecessary due to the interstate highway system. In late May 1959, the Board authorized a study for the Parkway Extension to Orlando, and connecting the Interstate routes in Florida. In 1961, Governor Collins approved the sale of $80 million in bonds to finance the parkway extension from Fort Pierce to Wildwood, adding another 156 miles (251.1 km) of roadway and shifting Interstate 75's route six miles (10 km) eastward from its original alignment. The extension was opened in three stages; a 61 mile section between Yeehaw Junction and Orlando opened on July 17, 1963, a section linking Fort Pierce and Yeehaw Junction opened on November 22, 1963, and the section between Orlando and the northern terminus of I-75 opened on July 24, 1964, completing the mainline.
north to SR 70 in Ft. Pierce in the 1950s. In the mid-1960s, the State Road Department authorized traffic counts be conducted to determine if the separation of Interstate 95 from the Turnpike was feasible, with arguments that using a concurrent alignment was costing Florida money for Federal Highway funding, but not without the concern of losing toll revenue. Over time, the interstate adopted a route closer to U.S. Route 1, including parallel between Stuart and Palm Beach Gardens, with the turnpike being removed from the I-95 alignment in 1973, and I-95 being completed in 1987.
in 1963, a team led by Martin Waldron
wrote a total of 150,000 words as part of the newspaper's coverage of unchecked spending by the Florida Turnpike Authority that led to estimated costs quadrupling from initial estimates of $100 million. Waldron received a tip about excessive spending by John Hammer, chairman of the Florida Turnpike Authority, which included expensive hotels and meals, corsages for his secretary and overcharging for a chartered plane. His coverage earned the newspaper the Pulitzer Prize for Public Service
in 1964, the first for the newspaper, and led to changes in the way the state of Florida
managed highway construction projects.
The Florida Department of Transportation
was created in July 1969, with the Florida State Turnpike Authority becoming a part of the new FDOT. Soon after, FDOT and Orange and Dade County officials agreed the Bee Line Connector and Homestead Extension of Florida's Turnpike would be financed by revenue bond issues as extensions of Florida's Turnpike. The Beeline Expressway opened in 1973 and the Homestead Extension opened in 1974 as a part of the Turnpike mainline.
. The Sunshine State Parkway moniker was commonly used for the next decade and remnants of the name can be seen on several Turnpike maintenance buildings.
On September 1, 1971, the Turnpike switched from a sequential exit numbering system to a hybrid numbering system, where adjacent exit numbers differed by 4 south of SR 60 (exit 60 at the time) and 5 north of SR 60.
Between 1974 and 1986, the turnpike experienced little changes outside of maintenance as the original bonds on the road were being paid off. During this period, the turnpike experienced the first of five toll hikes on February 15, 1979, when the cost of a trip from Golden Glades to Wildwood increased to $5.90 from $4.80, the road's original toll.
In 1988, the Office of Florida's Turnpike was formed, with $220 million worth of revenue bonds being sold in April 1989 to renovate the toll plazas, service centers and improve the road with the reduction of urban congestion. Fifteen new interchanges were planned in the early 1990s with four of them opened by July 1991. Also during this time, sections of the turnpike were converted from a ticket system to a coin system due to urban congestion, with several mainline toll plazas being built. The section between the Golden Glades Plaza and Lantana was converted in 1990, with the opening of the Cypress Creek and Lantana Toll Plazas. Coin baskets were installed in 1994 after years of delays. The portion north of Kissimmee was converted in on August 20, 1995, with the addition of the Three Lakes Toll Plaza and the Wildwood toll plaza at mile 304 being replaced by the Leesburg toll barrier on July 7, 1995.
The improvements also came with a series of toll hikes between 1989 and 1993 to make the toll rates more uniform six cents per mile throughout the turnpike's length. The first one was enacted on April 1, 1989, which raised the rate to $9.95. The second one, on July 1, 1991, only effected the section north of Lantana, raising the trip's cost to $12.35. The last one took effect on July 11, 1993, increasing the trip's cost to $14.40.
In 1989, the Turnpike switched its exit numbering system to the mile-log system, starting from the south end of the Homestead Extension, 13 years before Florida's interstates integrated it into their system.
In 1998, Florida's Turnpike was designated by Florida legislature as the Ronald Reagan
Turnpike, with 20 signs throughout the turnpike showing the designation.
In April 1999, SunPass was introduced to the public, with SunPass only interchanges and lanes being introduced throughout the 2000s. The latest toll hike took effect on March 7, 2004, increasing the toll rate for non SunPass users to $18.20, with SunPass users still using the 1993 toll rates.
The HEFT ceased cash toll collections in February 2011, becoming an exclusive electronic toll road
, similar to Ontario
's 407 ETR toll road. The manned toll plazas currently on the expressway have been removed, and the only ways to pay will be either by SunPass
transponders or a new toll-by-plate program.
gas, internet access
, travel
and tourism
info and tickets
, picnic
areas, TV news
, gift shops offering Florida Lottery
, family-friendly restrooms, and public phones. A convenience store/gas station is located at the Snapper Creek plaza on the Homestead Extension of the Turnpike, while the remaining seven are full-service plazas. The seven full-service plazas feature Dunkin' Donuts
, as well as a selection of other fast food restaurants, including KFC
, Nature's Table Cafe, Nathan's Famous
, Earl of Sandwich
, Edy's Ice Cream
, Cheeburger Cheeburger
and Checkers
. Three of the service plazas (Pompano, Port St. Lucie/Fort Pierce, Turkey Lake) also provide E85
ethanol
.
The operation of Sunshine State Parkway gas stations and service centers were originally bid out under separate contracts, and as a result, such brands as Amoco
, Texaco
and Union Oil operated concurrently along the Parkway, with varying levels of service and pricing. This practice was discontinued in 1995 when all service center operations were combined to improve supply and continuity of service; with Martin Petroleum, a Florida Corporation, operating the stations with Citgo
brand fuel at its stations. Since then, the Venezuelan government, under President Hugo Chavez, nationalized Citgo, and in 2006, political controversy resulted in a movement to remove the brand from the turnpike.
In 2009, Areas U.S.A. signed a 30-year contract for operation of food and retail concessions, taking over operations from Martin Petroleum and HMSHost. Florida Turnpike Services, L.L.C., Areas' partner, replaced the Citgo brand with Shell gas, and Areas replaced restaurant brands including Starbucks
, Burger King
, Popeye's and Miami Subs Grill
with the current lineup. The reconstruction and renovation of six of the service plazas began on November 1, 2010, to be completed in 2012. The Okahumpka and Ft. Pierce plazas will begin reconstruction when the other plaza projects are complete. Total renovation costs are estimated at $160 million.
s (ITS), used to detect and manage incidents on the Enterprise's roadways. The ITS are managed by two traffic management centers (TMC), one located in Pompano Beach, and the other located in Ocoee
, operated by Florida's Turnpike Enterprise 24 hours a day, seven days a week. The system, consisting of closed-circuit television
(CCTV) traffic camera
s, dynamic message signs (DMS), highway advisory radio
(HAR), and radar
vehicle detection system (RVDS), allow the TMC to see anything from congestion to crashes, to disabled vehicles that may pose a threat to the Turnpike's motorists. When necessary, the TMC will activate the dynamic message signs (DMS) and highway advisory radio station
s (HAR) to alert motorists of the potential situation, as well as AMBER Alert
s.
) offers free roadside assistance on Florida's Turnpike mainline and Homestead Extension. Utility trucks patrol one of 12 designated zones looking for stranded motorists to provide services such as fuel, tire changes, use of a cellular phone; and also watching out for crashes and road debris
. The Traffic Management Center dispatches them to accidents, debris removal, disabled vehicles, or anything that may potentially affect the traveling public; they also assist the Florida Highway Patrol (FHP) with traffic maintenance with incidents involving blockage of lanes.
s of the road every mile (1.6 km), and send a signal
indicating the need for gasoline
, repair (tire
or engine
), or emergency services (police
, ambulance
, or firefighter
s).
line from four to eight lanes.
The $197.4 million project to add two lanes in each direction between Interstate 4 and Beulah Road was complete in November 2010. Phase 2 widening, from Beulah Road to just north of SR 429, includes auxiliary lanes between SR 408 and SR 429. This section of roadway will be 13 lanes wide upon completion of construction, including an interchange with SR 50. This project is scheduled for completion at the end of 2010. Further widening, from north of SR 429 to the Turnpike's northernmost interchange with SR 50 west of Winter Garden
, began in January 2009 and will be complete in 2012.
In November 2009, it was announced that the HEFT will cease cash toll collections in February 2011, becoming an exclusive electronic toll road
, similar to Ontario
's 407 ETR toll road. The manned toll plazas currently on the expressway will be removed, and the only ways to pay will be either by SunPass
transponders or a new toll-by-plate program. The section of the Turnpike mainline between the Golden Glades Interchange and I-595 is planned to be converted in 2012, with the expectation that the Turnpike will eventually be toll-booth free.
A study is currently under way to eventually reconstruct the northern end of the Turnpike at its junction with Interstate 75
to improve the traffic merge pattern between I-75 and State Road 44, with congestion and some drivers suddenly changing lanes on I-75 between the Turnpike junction and SR 44 a major issue in the area. The project is not scheduled for construction funding until 2015.
The Turnpike Enterprise is also studying possible developer-funded future interchanges near mile marker 279 (servicing Minneola
and Clermont
) and at Sumter County Road 468 (mile marker 300, servicing The Villages
and Lady Lake
). Neither project is funded or scheduled for construction at this time.
Ronald Reagan
Ronald Wilson Reagan was the 40th President of the United States , the 33rd Governor of California and, prior to that, a radio, film and television actor....
Turnpike, and originally known as the Sunshine State Parkway is a north–south toll road
Toll road
A toll road is a privately or publicly built road for which a driver pays a toll for use. Structures for which tolls are charged include toll bridges and toll tunnels. Non-toll roads are financed using other sources of revenue, most typically fuel tax or general tax funds...
that runs 312.522 miles (503 km) through 11 counties in the Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
peninsula
Peninsula
A peninsula is a piece of land that is bordered by water on three sides but connected to mainland. In many Germanic and Celtic languages and also in Baltic, Slavic and Hungarian, peninsulas are called "half-islands"....
, from U.S. Route 1
U.S. Route 1 in Florida
U.S. Route 1 in Florida runs along the state's east coast from Key West to its crossing of the St. Marys River into Georgia north of Boulogne, and south of Folkston. US 1 was designated through Florida when the U.S. Highway System was established in 1926.US 1 runs in the state of Florida, and...
in Florida City
Florida City, Florida
Florida City is a city in Miami-Dade County, Florida, United States and is the southernmost municipality in the South Florida metropolitan area, which had an estimated population of 5,413,212 in 2007. The population was 7,843 at the 2000 census. As of 2004, the population estimated by the U.S....
, running through Miami
Miami, Florida
Miami is a city located on the Atlantic coast in southeastern Florida and the county seat of Miami-Dade County, the most populous county in Florida and the eighth-most populous county in the United States with a population of 2,500,625...
, Fort Lauderdale
Fort Lauderdale, Florida
Fort Lauderdale is a city in the U.S. state of Florida, on the Atlantic coast. It is the county seat of Broward County. As of the 2010 census, the city had a population of 165,521. It is a principal city of the South Florida metropolitan area, which was home to 5,564,635 people at the 2010...
, West Palm Beach
West Palm Beach, Florida
West Palm Beach, is a city located on the Atlantic coast in southeastern Florida and is the most populous city in and county seat of Palm Beach County, the third most populous county in Florida with a 2010 population of 1,320,134. The city is also the oldest incorporated municipality in South Florida...
where it parallels
Parallel (geometry)
Parallelism is a term in geometry and in everyday life that refers to a property in Euclidean space of two or more lines or planes, or a combination of these. The assumed existence and properties of parallel lines are the basis of Euclid's parallel postulate. Two lines in a plane that do not...
Interstate 95
Interstate 95 in Florida
Interstate 95 is the main Interstate Highway on the east coast of the United States; it serves the Atlantic coast of Florida. It begins at a partial interchange with U.S. Highway 1 just south of downtown Miami, and heads north past Daytona Beach and Jacksonville to the Georgia state line at the St...
, and Orlando
Orlando, Florida
Orlando is a city in the central region of the U.S. state of Florida. It is the county seat of Orange County, and the center of the Greater Orlando metropolitan area. According to the 2010 US Census, the city had a population of 238,300, making Orlando the 79th largest city in the United States...
where it crosses Interstate 4
Interstate 4
Interstate 4 is a intrastate Highway located entirely within the state of Florida, United States. It goes from Interstate 275 in Tampa, Florida to Interstate 95 at Daytona Beach, Florida . It also has the Florida Department of Transportation designation of State Road 400, but only a small...
, to its northern terminus at Interstate 75 near Wildwood
Wildwood, Florida
Wildwood is a city in Sumter County, Florida, United States. The population was 3,924 at the 2000 census. According to the U.S. Census Bureau's 2004 estimates, the city had a population of 3,598.-Geography:Wildwood is located at ....
.
The Turnpike itself is in two sections. The first is the Mainline, a 265 miles (426.5 km) route from the Golden Glades Interchange
Golden Glades Interchange
The Golden Glades Interchange, located in Miami Gardens and North Miami Beach, Florida, United States, is the confluence of five major roads serving eastern and southern Florida.-Description:The five highways the come together at the interchange are U.S...
(north of Miami) to Wildwood that carries the hidden designation of State Road 91 (SR 91), opened in stages between 1957 and 1964. The second is the 48 miles (77.2 km) long Homestead Extension of Florida's Turnpike
Homestead Extension of Florida's Turnpike
Homestead Extension of Florida's Turnpike , designated as the Ronald Reagan Turnpike, and originally known as the West Dade Expressway is a north–south free-flow toll road southern extension of the tolled Florida's Turnpike...
(HEFT) completed in 1974, that carries the hidden designation of State Road 821 (SR 821) from Florida City (near Homestead
Homestead, Florida
Homestead is a city in Miami-Dade County, Florida, United States nestled between Biscayne National Park to the east and Everglades National Park to the west. Homestead is primarily a Miami suburb and a major agricultural area....
) through the suburbs to the west and north of Miami, connecting to the Mainline four miles (6 km) north of the Golden Glades Interchange. Florida's Turnpike is considered one of the busiest highways in the country (according to the IBBTA, the highway is the nation's 3rd most heavily traveled toll road).
Miami to Ft. Pierce
For route info regarding exits 1-47 of Florida's Turnpike, please see Homestead Extension of Florida's TurnpikeHomestead Extension of Florida's Turnpike
Homestead Extension of Florida's Turnpike , designated as the Ronald Reagan Turnpike, and originally known as the West Dade Expressway is a north–south free-flow toll road southern extension of the tolled Florida's Turnpike...
.
The Turnpike begins at the Golden Glades Toll Plaza as a six lane highway, just north of the Golden Glades Interchange
Golden Glades Interchange
The Golden Glades Interchange, located in Miami Gardens and North Miami Beach, Florida, United States, is the confluence of five major roads serving eastern and southern Florida.-Description:The five highways the come together at the interchange are U.S...
in Miami Gardens
Miami Gardens, Florida
Miami Gardens is a Miami suburban city located in Miami-Dade County, Florida. The city name comes from one of the major roadways through the area, Miami Gardens Drive. According to the 2010 U.S...
. Two miles north of the toll plaza, it passes by Sun Life Stadium to the west before intersecting with the northern end of the HEFT at the Dade/Broward County line four miles from Golden Glades, continuing the HEFT's mile marker. The highway then quickly goes through the inland suburbs of Miramar
Miramar, Florida
Miramar is a city in Broward County, Florida, United States. The city was named after the Miramar district of Havana, Cuba. As of the 2010 census, the population was 122,041...
, Hollywood
Hollywood, Florida
-Demographics:As of 2000, there were 59,673 households out of which 24.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 41.5% were married couples living together, 11.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 42.2% were non-families. 34.4% of all households were made up of...
, and Davie
Davie, Florida
Davie is a town in Broward County, Florida, United States. The town's population was 91,992 at the 2010 census.- History :Davie was founded by Jake Tannebaum and Tamara Toussaint. The original name of the town was Zona. In 1909 R.P. Davie assisted then Governor Broward by draining the swamplands...
, with an exit at Hollywood Boulevard (SR 820) at mile 50, and passing west of the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel and Casino Hollywood
Seminole Hard Rock Hotel and Casino Hollywood
Hard Rock Hotel and Casino is a resort near Hollywood, Florida, located on of the Hollywood Reservation of the Seminole Tribe of Florida. The hotel has a tower, a casino, a lagoon-style pool area, fifteen restaurants, sixteen shops, the poker room, a spa, improv comedy club, over ten bars and...
just south the Griffin Road (SR 818) interchange (exit 53). In Davie, about eight miles north of the Homestead Extension interchange, it intersects with I-595
Interstate 595 (Florida)
Interstate 595 , also known as the Port Everglades Expressway and as the unsigned State Road 862, is a Interstate highway that connects Interstate 75 and Alligator Alley in the west with Florida's Turnpike, Interstate 95, Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport, US 1, and SR A1A before...
, providing direct access to Alligator Alley
Alligator Alley
Alligator Alley is a section of Interstate 75 and State Road 84 extending from Naples on the west coast of Florida to Weston on the east...
and Ft. Lauderdale International Airport. After two more interchanges, one with Sunrise Boulevard (SR 838) in Plantation
Plantation, Florida
Plantation is the name of the following places in the U.S. state of Florida:*Plantation, Florida, a city in Broward County; the largest of the places named "Plantation" in Florida*Plantation, Sarasota County, Florida, a census-designated place...
and Commercial Boulevard (SR 870) in Tamarac
Tamarac, Florida
Tamarac is a city in Broward County, Florida, United States. As of the 2010 census, the city had a population of 60,427. It is part of the Miami–Fort Lauderdale–Pompano Beach Metropolitan Statistical Area, which was home to 5,564,635 people at the 2010 census....
, it crosses the Cypress Creek Toll Plaza in North Lauderdale
North Lauderdale, Florida
North Lauderdale is a city in Broward County, Florida, United States. As of the 2010 census, the city's population was 41,023. It is part of the Miami–Fort Lauderdale–Pompano Beach Metropolitan Statistical Area, which was home to 5,564,635 people at the 2010 census.-History:North Lauderdale was...
, the second on the mainline. Just a mile north of the toll plaza, it intersects with the Pompano Beach Service Plaza, the first of seven full service plazas on the mainline, and where the Turnpike's Operations center is located. Still in Pompano Beach, it has a northbound only exit with Atlantic Boulevard (SR 814), followed by full interchanges with Coconut Creek Parkway/Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Boulevard (Broward County Road 912) (exit 67) and Sample Road (SR 834) (exit 69). It then enters Deerfield Beach
Deerfield Beach, Florida
Deerfield Beach is a city in Broward County, Florida, USA. The city is named for the numerous deer that once roamed the area. As of the 2010 United States Census, the population was 75,018...
with an interchange with the Sawgrass Expressway
Sawgrass Expressway
State Road 869 is a long state road located in Broward County, Florida. The road acts as a de-facto bypass of Fort Lauderdale and northern coastal Broward County, Florida, extending north from a junction of Interstate 75 , Interstate 595 , and SR 84 in Sunrise, to Coral Springs before heading...
in Coconut Creek (exit 71), the final interchange in Broward County. The Turnpike then enters Palm Beach County
Palm Beach County, Florida
Palm Beach County is the largest county in the state of Florida in total area, and third in population. As of 2010, the county's estimated population was 1,320,134, making it the twenty-eighth most populous in the United States...
, with an interchange in each Boca Raton
Boca Raton, Florida
Boca Raton is a city in Palm Beach County, Florida, USA, incorporated in May 1925. In the 2000 census, the city had a total population of 74,764; the 2006 population recorded by the U.S. Census Bureau was 86,396. However, the majority of the people under the postal address of Boca Raton, about...
(Glades Road, exit 75), Delray Beach
Delray Beach, Florida
Delray Beach is a city in Palm Beach County, Florida, USA. As of the 2000 census, the city had a total population of 60,020. As of 2004, the population estimated by the U.S...
(Atlantic Boulevard, exit 81) and Boynton Beach
Boynton Beach, Florida
Boynton Beach is a city in Palm Beach County, Florida, United States. The population was 60,389 at the 2000 census. As of 2006, the city had a population of 66,714 according to the University of Florida, Bureau of Economic and Business Research...
(Boynton Beach Boulevard, exit 86).
In central Palm Beach County at mile marker 88, the Ticket system
Ticket system
A ticket system toll road A ticket system toll road A ticket system toll road (also known as closed toll collection system, as opposed to a flat-rate toll road, is utilized by some state toll road or highway agencies that allows a motorist to pay a toll rate based on the number of miles traveled...
of the turnpike begins at the Lantana
Lantana, Florida
Lantana is a town in Palm Beach County, Florida, United States. The population was 9,437 at the 2000 census. As of 2004, the population recorded by the U.S. Census Bureau is 10,389.-History:...
Toll Plaza. The turnpike narrows to a four lane highway as it goes through a less developed portion of Palm Beach County, crossing with interchanges with Lake Worth Road, followed by the Lake Worth/West Palm Beach Service Plaza at mile marker 94. In West Palm Beach
West Palm Beach, Florida
West Palm Beach, is a city located on the Atlantic coast in southeastern Florida and is the most populous city in and county seat of Palm Beach County, the third most populous county in Florida with a 2010 population of 1,320,134. The city is also the oldest incorporated municipality in South Florida...
, the highway has interchanges with US 98
U.S. Route 98 in Florida
U.S. Route 98 is an east-west United States highway that runs from western Mississippi to southern Florida. It was established in 1933 as a route between Pensacola, Florida and Apalachicola, Florida, and has since been extended eastward across the Florida Peninsula and westward into Mississippi...
/SR 80
Florida State Road 80
Florida State Road 80 is a route linking US 41 in Fort Myers and Florida State Road A1A in Palm Beach. The road is the northernmost of three linking Southwest Florida to South Florida via the Everglades...
(Southern Boulevard), a SunPass
SunPass
SunPass is an electronic toll collection system in use by the State of Florida and was originally created by the Florida Department of Transportation's Florida's Turnpike...
only interchange at Jog Road, followed by an interchange at Okeechobee Boulevard (exit 99) that heads directly into downtown West Palm Beach. North of the interchange, the highway enters stretch of sparse development between this point and Port St. Lucie
Port St. Lucie, Florida
Port St. Lucie is a city in St. Lucie County, Florida, United States. The population of Port St. Lucie was 88,769 at the 2000 census but grew rapidly during the 2000s. In 2009 the State of Florida estimated the City's population at 155,251. Port St. Lucie forms part of a metropolitan area called...
, intersecting with the Beeline Highway, another SunPass only interchange before leaving West Palm Beach. Just north of the SR 786 interchange in Palm Beach Gardens (exit 109), I-95 parallels the Turnpike to the east for about 20 miles with I-95 visible from the turnpike as it has an interchange with SR 706 (exit 116) in Jupiter and into Martin County
Martin County, Florida
Martin County is a county in the U.S. state of Florida. As of 2000, the population was 126,731. The U.S. Census Bureau 2008 estimate for the county is 138,660. Its county seat is Stuart, Florida.- History :...
. It breaks off as it crosses the Thomas B. Manuel Bridge over the St. Lucie Canal, crossing I-95 without an interchange just south of the SR 714 interchange, the only exit in Martin County. I-95 heads west towards the western fringes of St. Lucie County
St. Lucie County, Florida
St. Lucie County is a county located in the state of Florida. The county seat is the city of Fort Pierce. In the year 2000, the population was 192,695. As of the year 2010, the United States Census Bureau sets the population at 277,789.- History :...
development, while the turnpike takes a path along the central areas of the county. The Turnpike has two interchanges in Port St. Lucie, one at Becker Road (exit 138), the third SunPass only exit, and SR 716 (exit 142), followed by the Port St. Lucie-Fort Pierce service plaza at mile marker 144. The turnpike intersects I-95 one last time just south of SR 70 (exit 152) in Fort Pierce
Fort Pierce, Florida
Fort Pierce, also spelled Ft. Pierce, is a city in St. Lucie County, Florida, USA. It is known as The Sunrise City. The population was 37,959 at the 2004 census. As of 2008, the population recorded by the U.S. Census Bureau is 41,000. It is the county seat of St. Lucie County.Fort Pierce is part...
, as I-95 continues to head up the east coast of Florida and the turnpike curves inland towards Orlando.
Ft. Pierce to Wildwood
North of the SR 70 interchange, the Turnpike enters a rural area, with cattle farms and orange groves lining the road for most of the section between Fort Pierce and KissimmeeKissimmee, Florida
Kissimmee is a city in Osceola County, Florida, United States. As of the 2010 census, the population was 59,682. It is the county seat of Osceola County...
, with only one interchange with SR 60 in Yeehaw Junction
Yeehaw Junction, Florida
Yeehaw Junction is a census-designated place in Osceola County, Florida, United States. As of the 2010 census, it had a population of 240...
(exit 193), although there are two service plazas in this area, one at Fort Drum at mile marker 184 and the other, Canoe Creek, at mile marker 229. Between Fort Pierce and Yeehaw Junction, the turnpike travels in a nearly east-west direction heading inland. Between Yeehaw Junction and Kissimmee
Kissimmee, Florida
Kissimmee is a city in Osceola County, Florida, United States. As of the 2010 census, the population was 59,682. It is the county seat of Osceola County...
, the turnpike, returning to a north-northwest direction towards Orlando, has a 49 mile (47 miles southbound) stretch without an exit. At mile marker 236, the ticket system ends at the Three Lakes toll plaza, as the turnpike enters the Orlando Area and development starts to reappear on the turnpike. The SunPass only interchange located at Kissimmee Park Road, a partial interchange featuring a northbound on- and southbound off-ramp only, is named for Senator N. Ray Carroll, longtime Osceola County banker, citrus grower and cattle rancher. After interchanges with US 192
U.S. Route 192
U.S. Route 192 is an east–west route of the United States Numbered Highway system in central Florida. It runs 75.04 miles from U.S. Route 27 in Citrus Ridge, Lake County, east past Walt Disney World and through Kissimmee, St. Cloud and Melbourne, to end at State Road A1A in Indialantic, one...
/US 441
U.S. Route 441 in Florida
U.S. Route 441 in Florida is a north–south United States Highway. It runs from Miami in South Florida northwest to the Georgia border north of the Lake City area....
(exit 242 northbound, exit 244 southbound) and the Osceola Parkway
Osceola Parkway
The Osceola Parkway, signed as County Road 522 since around 2003 , is a long, partially-tolled arterial road extending east-west across the northern boundary of Osceola County, Florida, USA roughly paralleling the border with Orange County...
(exit 249), it enters Orange County
Orange County, Florida
Orange County is a county located in the U.S. state of Florida and is part of the Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford Metropolitan Statistical Area . As of 2010 U.S. Census, the county had a population of 1,145,956....
, and Orlando
Orlando, Florida
Orlando is a city in the central region of the U.S. state of Florida. It is the county seat of Orange County, and the center of the Greater Orlando metropolitan area. According to the 2010 US Census, the city had a population of 238,300, making Orlando the 79th largest city in the United States...
. Exit 254 is a massive interchange with both Orange Blossom Trail and the Beachline Expressway, where the Turnpike expands to eight lanes north of the interchange, and then it intersects with Consulate Drive (exit 255), a southbound only, SunPass only interchange.
Lake County, Florida
Lake County is a county located in the state of Florida, United States. As of the 2000 Census, the population was 210,528. The Census Bureau estimated the population in 2008 to be 307,243. Its county seat is Tavares...
, heading in a northwestern direction, where hilly countryside become a part of the terrain for the remainder of the expressway. At mile 285, it has a northbound exit/southbound entrance with US 27
U.S. Route 27 in Florida
U.S. Route 27 in Florida is a north–south United States Highway. It runs from the South Florida Metropolitan Area northwest to the Tallahassee Metropolitan Statistical Area. Throughout the state, US 27 has been designated the Claude Pepper Memorial Highway by the Florida State Legislature...
, followed by the Leesburg toll plaza at mile 288, and a southbound exit/northbound entrance with US 27
U.S. Route 27 in Florida
U.S. Route 27 in Florida is a north–south United States Highway. It runs from the South Florida Metropolitan Area northwest to the Tallahassee Metropolitan Statistical Area. Throughout the state, US 27 has been designated the Claude Pepper Memorial Highway by the Florida State Legislature...
at mile 289. The last interchange in Lake County is with County Road 470 (exit 296), which does not provide cash.
At mile marker 299, the turnpike, it passes through the final service plaza, the Okahumpka service plaza. Between US 301
U.S. Route 301 in Florida
U.S. Route 301 in Florida runs from the Sarasota-Bradenton-Venice, Florida Metropolitan Statistical Area northeast to the Greater Jacksonville Metropolitan Area. The road is a spur of U.S...
(exit 304) and the northern terminus (mile 309) is considered to be a free movement as there is no toll for anyone traveling within this section. The tollway ends with an interchange with I-75 in Wildwood
Wildwood, Florida
Wildwood is a city in Sumter County, Florida, United States. The population was 3,924 at the 2000 census. According to the U.S. Census Bureau's 2004 estimates, the city had a population of 3,598.-Geography:Wildwood is located at ....
, about 20 miles south of Ocala
Ocala, Florida
Ocala is a city in Marion County, Florida. As of 2007, the population recorded by the U.S. Census Bureau was 53,491. It is the county seat of Marion County, and the principal city of the Ocala, Florida Metropolitan Statistical Area, which had an estimated 2007 population of 324,857.-History:Ocala...
.
Tolls
TollToll road
A toll road is a privately or publicly built road for which a driver pays a toll for use. Structures for which tolls are charged include toll bridges and toll tunnels. Non-toll roads are financed using other sources of revenue, most typically fuel tax or general tax funds...
s on the turnpike
Toll road
A toll road is a privately or publicly built road for which a driver pays a toll for use. Structures for which tolls are charged include toll bridges and toll tunnels. Non-toll roads are financed using other sources of revenue, most typically fuel tax or general tax funds...
are an average of 7.5 cents per mile for cars and other two-axle
Axle
An axle is a central shaft for a rotating wheel or gear. On wheeled vehicles, the axle may be fixed to the wheels, rotating with them, or fixed to its surroundings, with the wheels rotating around the axle. In the former case, bearings or bushings are provided at the mounting points where the axle...
vehicle
Vehicle
A vehicle is a device that is designed or used to transport people or cargo. Most often vehicles are manufactured, such as bicycles, cars, motorcycles, trains, ships, boats, and aircraft....
s. A trip on the entire turnpike (not including the Homestead Extension) would cost $18.20 with cash, and $14.40 with SunPass. The ticket system
Ticket system
A ticket system toll road A ticket system toll road A ticket system toll road (also known as closed toll collection system, as opposed to a flat-rate toll road, is utilized by some state toll road or highway agencies that allows a motorist to pay a toll rate based on the number of miles traveled...
is operated between the Lantana and Three Lakes Barrier tolls and on a coin system south of Lantana and north of Kissimmee. The turnpike was originally entirely on the ticket system, but due to congestion in the Miami and Orlando metro areas, a coin system was implemented in those sections of the turnpike in the 1990s. The SunPass
SunPass
SunPass is an electronic toll collection system in use by the State of Florida and was originally created by the Florida Department of Transportation's Florida's Turnpike...
electronic toll collection
Electronic toll collection
Electronic toll collection , an adaptation of military "identification friend or foe" technology, aims to eliminate the delay on toll roads by collecting tolls electronically. It is thus a technological implementation of a road pricing concept...
system, in use since 1999, has become the primary method of paying tolls on the turnpike, with 80% of customers using the electronic tolling as of October 2009. SunPass can be used on most Florida toll roads, and with conjunction with other electronic toll collection systems in Florida (E-Pass and LeeWay). SunPass users benefit from an average of a 25% discount on tolls and access to SunPass-only exit ramps. SunPass
SunPass
SunPass is an electronic toll collection system in use by the State of Florida and was originally created by the Florida Department of Transportation's Florida's Turnpike...
transponder
Transponder
In telecommunication, the term transponder has the following meanings:...
s are available at the gift shop and gas stations at all service plazas, as well as Publix
Publix
Publix Super Markets, Inc. is an American supermarket chain based in Lakeland, Florida.Founded in 1930 by George W. Jenkins, it is an employee-owned, privately held corporation. Publix is currently ranked No. 86 on Fortune magazine's list of 100 Best Companies to Work For 2010 and was ranked No...
and CVS/pharmacy stores statewide.
As the Turnpike and its system of roads are primary routes for emergency evacuation
Emergency evacuation
Emergency evacuation is the immediate and rapid movement of people away from the threat or actual occurrence of a hazard. Examples range from the small scale evacuation of a building due to a bomb threat or fire to the large scale evacuation of a district because of a flood, bombardment or...
s, tolls may be suspended, in cooperation with the state's emergency operations center and county governments, when a state or national emergency, most common being a hurricane watch, warrant rapid movement of the population.
Planning
In the years following World War IIWorld War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, Florida was experiencing unprecedented growth in population and tourism, along with a revitalized citrus industry recovering from a harsh freeze early in the decade; the increased traffic load quickly burdened the state's highway system. South Florida businessman and accountant firm owner Charles B. Costar was concerned that a trip down the east coast of Florida would take days on the available road network, passing through every small beachside town, siphoning off the traffic before visitors reached South Florida. After driving on the Pennsylvania Turnpike
Pennsylvania Turnpike
The Pennsylvania Turnpike is a toll highway system operated by the Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, United States. The three sections of the turnpike system total . The main section extends from Ohio to New Jersey and is long...
during a vacation there, he envisioned a similar high-speed turnpike in Florida. In 1953, Costar led a lobby group that resulted in state legislature creating the "Florida Turnpike Act," which Governor Dan McCarty signed into law on July 11, 1953, as well as the Florida State Turnpike Authority, which had the ability to plan, design, and construct bond-financed toll roads, in which Costar was instrumental to create, to be repaid through the collection of tolls from Turnpike customers.
Thomas B. Manuel, known as the "Father of the Turnpike," served as chairman of the Florida State Turnpike Authority from January 1955 to January 1961. Manuel debated with state legislature members opposed to tollways, emphasizing the need for a good highway system in a tourism-driven state. During the 1955 legislative session, many small-county legislators and others opposed to the Parkway, formed a "kill the 'Pike'" coalition; Manuel won over the legislators at his headquarters in the Floridan Hotel near the capitol. Only four votes against the turnpike were entered at the end of the session's roll call, and the Legislature granted permission to build with a $70 million bond issue in June 1955. A Turnpike bridge in Stuart bears his name to honor his contributions.
Construction
Construction on the Parkway began on July 4, 1955, starting at what is now the Golden Glades Interchange. In October 1956, all work on the Sunshine State Parkway north of Ft. Pierce was abandoned and plans for a state-long turnpike were shelved due to passage of the National Interstate and Defense Highways Act, which provided for construction of limited-access highways in the corridors that had been under study for the Parkway Extension. One was Interstate 95Interstate 95 in Florida
Interstate 95 is the main Interstate Highway on the east coast of the United States; it serves the Atlantic coast of Florida. It begins at a partial interchange with U.S. Highway 1 just south of downtown Miami, and heads north past Daytona Beach and Jacksonville to the Georgia state line at the St...
, which was slated to connect Jacksonville
Jacksonville, Florida
Jacksonville is the largest city in the U.S. state of Florida in terms of both population and land area, and the largest city by area in the contiguous United States. It is the county seat of Duval County, with which the city government consolidated in 1968...
with the rest of the state in a similar alignment to the planned Sunshine State Parkway Coastal Route. This resulted in completion of a truncated 110 miles (177 km) highway that ran from Miami to Fort Pierce, opening on January 25, 1957.
In January 1959, Governor LeRoy Collins
LeRoy Collins
Thomas LeRoy Collins was the 33rd Governor of Florida.-Early life:Collins was born and raised in Tallahassee, Florida, where he attended Leon High School. He went on to attend the Eastman Business College in New York and then went on to the Cumberland School of Law in Birmingham, Alabama to...
, favoring a Parkway extension from Fort Pierce
Fort Pierce, Florida
Fort Pierce, also spelled Ft. Pierce, is a city in St. Lucie County, Florida, USA. It is known as The Sunrise City. The population was 37,959 at the 2004 census. As of 2008, the population recorded by the U.S. Census Bureau is 41,000. It is the county seat of St. Lucie County.Fort Pierce is part...
to Orlando, stated that building the Parkway north of Orlando would be unnecessary due to the interstate highway system. In late May 1959, the Board authorized a study for the Parkway Extension to Orlando, and connecting the Interstate routes in Florida. In 1961, Governor Collins approved the sale of $80 million in bonds to finance the parkway extension from Fort Pierce to Wildwood, adding another 156 miles (251.1 km) of roadway and shifting Interstate 75's route six miles (10 km) eastward from its original alignment. The extension was opened in three stages; a 61 mile section between Yeehaw Junction and Orlando opened on July 17, 1963, a section linking Fort Pierce and Yeehaw Junction opened on November 22, 1963, and the section between Orlando and the northern terminus of I-75 opened on July 24, 1964, completing the mainline.
I-95 realignment
The Bureau of Public Roads approved an Interstate 95 alignment that used 41 miles (66 km) of the Turnpike from PGA Boulevard (SR 786) in Palm Beach GardensPalm Beach Gardens, Florida
Palm Beach Gardens is a city in Palm Beach County in the U.S. state of Florida. The city is in the center of a rapidly-developing area north of West Palm Beach in the northern part of the county and the South Florida metropolitan area. , the population was 48,452...
north to SR 70 in Ft. Pierce in the 1950s. In the mid-1960s, the State Road Department authorized traffic counts be conducted to determine if the separation of Interstate 95 from the Turnpike was feasible, with arguments that using a concurrent alignment was costing Florida money for Federal Highway funding, but not without the concern of losing toll revenue. Over time, the interstate adopted a route closer to U.S. Route 1, including parallel between Stuart and Palm Beach Gardens, with the turnpike being removed from the I-95 alignment in 1973, and I-95 being completed in 1987.
Reckless spending
With the St. Petersburg TimesSt. Petersburg Times
The St. Petersburg Times is a United States newspaper. It is one of two major publications serving the Tampa Bay Area, the other being The Tampa Tribune, which the Times tops in both circulation and readership. Based in St...
in 1963, a team led by Martin Waldron
Martin Waldron
Martin Oliver "Mo" Waldron was an American newspaper reporter, whose investigative reporting on "reckless, unchecked spending" on the construction of the Sunshine State Parkway won the 1964 Pulitzer Prize for Meritorious Public Service for the St...
wrote a total of 150,000 words as part of the newspaper's coverage of unchecked spending by the Florida Turnpike Authority that led to estimated costs quadrupling from initial estimates of $100 million. Waldron received a tip about excessive spending by John Hammer, chairman of the Florida Turnpike Authority, which included expensive hotels and meals, corsages for his secretary and overcharging for a chartered plane. His coverage earned the newspaper the Pulitzer Prize for Public Service
Pulitzer Prize for Public Service
The Pulitzer Prize for Public Service has been awarded since 1918 for a distinguished example of meritorious public service by a newspaper or news site through the use of its journalistic resources. Those resources, as well as reporting, may include editorials, cartoons, photographs, graphics,...
in 1964, the first for the newspaper, and led to changes in the way the state of Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
managed highway construction projects.
System expansion
With Florida still growing in population in the 1960s, preliminary studies began for expanding portions of the Turnpike to six lanes in South Florida and additional north–south highways in that area. Dade County and the State Road Department developed a plan for the West Dade Expressway (now known as the Homestead Extension of Florida's Turnpike), beginning at the Turnpike near the Dade County/Broward County line, turning westward and southward, terminating at Florida City in southern Dade County. In 1967, the Florida State Turnpike Authority was authorized to perform engineering and feasibility studies on the West Dade Expressway, and the Bee Line Connector extension, now known as the Martin Andersen Beachline Expressway. The results of the studies came in December 1968, but due to an uncertain bond market and an unknown future for the toll authority, decisions on the roads were delayed.The Florida Department of Transportation
Florida Department of Transportation
The Florida Department of Transportation is a decentralized agency charged with the establishment, maintenance, and regulation of public transportation in the state of Florida. The department was formed in 1969. It absorbed the powers of the Florida State Road Department...
was created in July 1969, with the Florida State Turnpike Authority becoming a part of the new FDOT. Soon after, FDOT and Orange and Dade County officials agreed the Bee Line Connector and Homestead Extension of Florida's Turnpike would be financed by revenue bond issues as extensions of Florida's Turnpike. The Beeline Expressway opened in 1973 and the Homestead Extension opened in 1974 as a part of the Turnpike mainline.
Later changes
From its opening in January 1957 to April 12, 1968, the road was known as the Sunshine State Parkway (SSP). On April 12, 1968, the road was renamed to its current name of Florida's Turnpike, to identify that the toll road was located in Florida and to avoid confusion from other Florida landmarks such as the Sunshine Skyway BridgeSunshine Skyway Bridge
The Bob Graham Sunshine Skyway Bridge is a bridge spanning Tampa Bay, Florida, with a cable-stayed main span, and a total length of 21,877 feet . It is part of I-275 and US 19 , connecting St. Petersburg in Pinellas County and Terra Ceia in Manatee County, Florida, passing through Hillsborough...
. The Sunshine State Parkway moniker was commonly used for the next decade and remnants of the name can be seen on several Turnpike maintenance buildings.
On September 1, 1971, the Turnpike switched from a sequential exit numbering system to a hybrid numbering system, where adjacent exit numbers differed by 4 south of SR 60 (exit 60 at the time) and 5 north of SR 60.
Between 1974 and 1986, the turnpike experienced little changes outside of maintenance as the original bonds on the road were being paid off. During this period, the turnpike experienced the first of five toll hikes on February 15, 1979, when the cost of a trip from Golden Glades to Wildwood increased to $5.90 from $4.80, the road's original toll.
In 1988, the Office of Florida's Turnpike was formed, with $220 million worth of revenue bonds being sold in April 1989 to renovate the toll plazas, service centers and improve the road with the reduction of urban congestion. Fifteen new interchanges were planned in the early 1990s with four of them opened by July 1991. Also during this time, sections of the turnpike were converted from a ticket system to a coin system due to urban congestion, with several mainline toll plazas being built. The section between the Golden Glades Plaza and Lantana was converted in 1990, with the opening of the Cypress Creek and Lantana Toll Plazas. Coin baskets were installed in 1994 after years of delays. The portion north of Kissimmee was converted in on August 20, 1995, with the addition of the Three Lakes Toll Plaza and the Wildwood toll plaza at mile 304 being replaced by the Leesburg toll barrier on July 7, 1995.
The improvements also came with a series of toll hikes between 1989 and 1993 to make the toll rates more uniform six cents per mile throughout the turnpike's length. The first one was enacted on April 1, 1989, which raised the rate to $9.95. The second one, on July 1, 1991, only effected the section north of Lantana, raising the trip's cost to $12.35. The last one took effect on July 11, 1993, increasing the trip's cost to $14.40.
In 1989, the Turnpike switched its exit numbering system to the mile-log system, starting from the south end of the Homestead Extension, 13 years before Florida's interstates integrated it into their system.
In 1998, Florida's Turnpike was designated by Florida legislature as the Ronald Reagan
Ronald Reagan
Ronald Wilson Reagan was the 40th President of the United States , the 33rd Governor of California and, prior to that, a radio, film and television actor....
Turnpike, with 20 signs throughout the turnpike showing the designation.
In April 1999, SunPass was introduced to the public, with SunPass only interchanges and lanes being introduced throughout the 2000s. The latest toll hike took effect on March 7, 2004, increasing the toll rate for non SunPass users to $18.20, with SunPass users still using the 1993 toll rates.
The HEFT ceased cash toll collections in February 2011, becoming an exclusive electronic toll road
Electronic toll collection
Electronic toll collection , an adaptation of military "identification friend or foe" technology, aims to eliminate the delay on toll roads by collecting tolls electronically. It is thus a technological implementation of a road pricing concept...
, similar to Ontario
Ontario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
's 407 ETR toll road. The manned toll plazas currently on the expressway have been removed, and the only ways to pay will be either by SunPass
SunPass
SunPass is an electronic toll collection system in use by the State of Florida and was originally created by the Florida Department of Transportation's Florida's Turnpike...
transponders or a new toll-by-plate program.
Service plazas
Eight service plazas are located along the Turnpike, spaced about 45 miles (72.4 km) apart. All eight plazas are open 24 hours a day and located on the center median of the turnpike for access from both directions and offer ShellRoyal Dutch Shell
Royal Dutch Shell plc , commonly known as Shell, is a global oil and gas company headquartered in The Hague, Netherlands and with its registered office in London, United Kingdom. It is the fifth-largest company in the world according to a composite measure by Forbes magazine and one of the six...
gas, internet access
Internet access
Many technologies and service plans for Internet access allow customers to connect to the Internet.Consumer use first became popular through dial-up connections in the 20th century....
, travel
Travel
Travel is the movement of people or objects between relatively distant geographical locations. 'Travel' can also include relatively short stays between successive movements.-Etymology:...
and tourism
Tourism
Tourism is travel for recreational, leisure or business purposes. The World Tourism Organization defines tourists as people "traveling to and staying in places outside their usual environment for not more than one consecutive year for leisure, business and other purposes".Tourism has become a...
info and tickets
Ticket (admission)
A ticket is a voucher that indicates that one has paid for admission to an event or establishment such as a theatre, movie theater, amusement park, zoo, museum, concert, or other attraction, or permission to travel on a vehicle such as an airliner, train, bus, or boat, typically because one has...
, picnic
Picnic
In contemporary usage, a picnic can be defined simply as a pleasure excursion at which a meal is eaten outdoors , ideally taking place in a beautiful landscape such as a park, beside a lake or with an interesting view and possibly at a public event such as before an open air theatre performance,...
areas, TV news
News
News is the communication of selected information on current events which is presented by print, broadcast, Internet, or word of mouth to a third party or mass audience.- Etymology :...
, gift shops offering Florida Lottery
Florida Lottery
The Florida Lottery is a government-run organization in Florida, USA. With numerous on-line and scratch-off games available, players have a wide variety of prize levels to choose from. Since it began, the Florida Lottery has continued to add variety to its portfolio of games...
, family-friendly restrooms, and public phones. A convenience store/gas station is located at the Snapper Creek plaza on the Homestead Extension of the Turnpike, while the remaining seven are full-service plazas. The seven full-service plazas feature Dunkin' Donuts
Dunkin' Donuts
Dunkin' Donuts is an international doughnut and coffee retailer founded in 1950 by William Rosenberg in Quincy, Massachusetts; it is now headquartered in Canton...
, as well as a selection of other fast food restaurants, including KFC
KFC
KFC, founded and also known as Kentucky Fried Chicken, is a chain of fast food restaurants based in Louisville, Kentucky, in the United States. KFC has been a brand and operating segment, termed a concept of Yum! Brands since 1997 when that company was spun off from PepsiCo as Tricon Global...
, Nature's Table Cafe, Nathan's Famous
Nathan's Famous
Nathan's Famous is a company that operates a chain of U.S.-based fast food restaurants specializing in hot dogs. The original Nathan's restaurant stands at the corner of Surf and Stillwell Avenues in the Coney Island neighborhood of the New York City borough of Brooklyn.-History:Nathan's began as...
, Earl of Sandwich
Earl of Sandwich (restaurant)
Earl of Sandwich is a restaurant franchise based in Orlando, Florida, United States. It was founded by the current Earl of Sandwich, his younger son Orlando Montagu, and businessman Robert Earl, founder of Planet Hollywood....
, Edy's Ice Cream
Dreyer's
Dreyer's Grand Ice Cream Holdings, Inc., a subsidiary of Nestlé, is a United States-based producer of ice cream and frozen yogurt had originated in 1928 as Edy's Grand Ice Cream, a Northern California business under a partnership of Joseph Edy and William Dreyer. In 1947 the partnership dissolved....
, Cheeburger Cheeburger
Cheeburger Cheeburger
Cheeburger Cheeburger is a 1950s-style burger restaurant chain that started on Sanibel Island, Florida, United States, in 1986. They specialize in cheeseburgers, french fries, onion rings, and milkshakes....
and Checkers
Checkers (fast food)
Checkers Drive-In Restaurants, Inc. is the largest chain of double drive-thru restaurants in the United States. In June 2006, the Company went private through a merger with Taxi Holdings Corp., an affiliate of Wellspring Capital Management, a private equity firm.The company operates more than 815...
. Three of the service plazas (Pompano, Port St. Lucie/Fort Pierce, Turkey Lake) also provide E85
E85
E85 is an abbreviation for an ethanol fuel blend of up to 85% denatured ethanol fuel and gasoline or other hydrocarbon by volume. E85 is commonly used by flex-fuel vehicles in the US, Canada, and Europe. Some of the benefits of E85 over conventional gasoline powered vehicles include the potential...
ethanol
Alcohol fuel
Although fossil fuels have become the dominant energy resource for the modern world, alcohol has been used as a fuel throughout history. The first four aliphatic alcohols are of interest as fuels because they can be synthesized chemically or biologically, and they have characteristics which allow...
.
The operation of Sunshine State Parkway gas stations and service centers were originally bid out under separate contracts, and as a result, such brands as Amoco
Amoco
Amoco Corporation, originally Standard Oil Company , was a global chemical and oil company, founded in 1889 around a refinery located in Whiting, Indiana, United States....
, Texaco
Texaco
Texaco is the name of an American oil retail brand. Its flagship product is its fuel "Texaco with Techron". It also owns the Havoline motor oil brand....
and Union Oil operated concurrently along the Parkway, with varying levels of service and pricing. This practice was discontinued in 1995 when all service center operations were combined to improve supply and continuity of service; with Martin Petroleum, a Florida Corporation, operating the stations with Citgo
Citgo
CITGO Petroleum Corporation is a United States-incorporated, Venezuela-owned refiner, transporter and marketer of transportation fuels, lubricants, petrochemicals and other industrial products. The company is owned by PDV America, Inc., an indirect wholly owned subsidiary of Petróleos de...
brand fuel at its stations. Since then, the Venezuelan government, under President Hugo Chavez, nationalized Citgo, and in 2006, political controversy resulted in a movement to remove the brand from the turnpike.
In 2009, Areas U.S.A. signed a 30-year contract for operation of food and retail concessions, taking over operations from Martin Petroleum and HMSHost. Florida Turnpike Services, L.L.C., Areas' partner, replaced the Citgo brand with Shell gas, and Areas replaced restaurant brands including Starbucks
Starbucks
Starbucks Corporation is an international coffee and coffeehouse chain based in Seattle, Washington. Starbucks is the largest coffeehouse company in the world, with 17,009 stores in 55 countries, including over 11,000 in the United States, over 1,000 in Canada, over 700 in the United Kingdom, and...
, Burger King
Burger King
Burger King, often abbreviated as BK, is a global chain of hamburger fast food restaurants headquartered in unincorporated Miami-Dade County, Florida, United States. The company began in 1953 as Insta-Burger King, a Jacksonville, Florida-based restaurant chain...
, Popeye's and Miami Subs Grill
Miami Subs Grill
Miami Subs Pizza and Grill is a privately held restaurant chain, based in the U. S. state of Florida. The chain has over 70 stores, the majority of which are in Florida, and the remainder elsewhere on the East Coast...
with the current lineup. The reconstruction and renovation of six of the service plazas began on November 1, 2010, to be completed in 2012. The Okahumpka and Ft. Pierce plazas will begin reconstruction when the other plaza projects are complete. Total renovation costs are estimated at $160 million.
Intelligent transportation systems
Florida's Turnpike Enterprise is operating with an intelligent transportation systemIntelligent transportation system
The term intelligent transportation systems refers to information and communication technology that improve transport outcomes such as transport safety, transport productivity, travel reliability, informed travel choices, social equity, environmental performance and network operation...
s (ITS), used to detect and manage incidents on the Enterprise's roadways. The ITS are managed by two traffic management centers (TMC), one located in Pompano Beach, and the other located in Ocoee
Ocoee, Florida
Ocoee is a city in Orange County, Florida, United States. According to the 2000 census, the city proper had a population of 24,391. As of 2006, the population recorded by the U.S. Census Bureau is 30,654. It is part of the Orlando–Kissimmee Metropolitan Statistical Area.-Geography:Ocoee is...
, operated by Florida's Turnpike Enterprise 24 hours a day, seven days a week. The system, consisting of closed-circuit television
Closed-circuit television
Closed-circuit television is the use of video cameras to transmit a signal to a specific place, on a limited set of monitors....
(CCTV) traffic camera
Traffic camera
A traffic camera is a video camera which observes vehicular traffic on a road. Typically, these are put along major roads such as highways, freeways, motorways, autoroutes and expressways, as well as arterial roads, and are connected with optical fibers buried alongside or even under the road,...
s, dynamic message signs (DMS), highway advisory radio
Highway advisory radio
Travelers Information Radio Stations , are sometimes also called Highway Advisory Radio Stations by Departments of Transportation in the United States. These radio stations are licensed low-power AM radio stations set up by local transport departments to provide bulletins to motorists and other...
(HAR), and radar
Radar
Radar is an object-detection system which uses radio waves to determine the range, altitude, direction, or speed of objects. It can be used to detect aircraft, ships, spacecraft, guided missiles, motor vehicles, weather formations, and terrain. The radar dish or antenna transmits pulses of radio...
vehicle detection system (RVDS), allow the TMC to see anything from congestion to crashes, to disabled vehicles that may pose a threat to the Turnpike's motorists. When necessary, the TMC will activate the dynamic message signs (DMS) and highway advisory radio station
Radio station
Radio broadcasting is a one-way wireless transmission over radio waves intended to reach a wide audience. Stations can be linked in radio networks to broadcast a common radio format, either in broadcast syndication or simulcast or both...
s (HAR) to alert motorists of the potential situation, as well as AMBER Alert
AMBER Alert
An AMBER Alert or a Child Abduction Emergency is a child abduction alert bulletin in several countries throughout the world, issued upon the suspected abduction of a child, since 1996...
s.
Road Rangers
The Safety Patrol (also known as Road Rangers, and currently sponsored by State FarmState farm
State farm can refer to:*Sovkhoz, a type of state-owned farm in the Soviet Union*Volkseigenes Gut, a type of state-owned farm in East Germany*Państwowe Gospodarstwo Rolne, a type of state-owned farm in People's Republic of Poland...
) offers free roadside assistance on Florida's Turnpike mainline and Homestead Extension. Utility trucks patrol one of 12 designated zones looking for stranded motorists to provide services such as fuel, tire changes, use of a cellular phone; and also watching out for crashes and road debris
Road debris
Road debris, a form of road hazard, is debris on or off a road. Road debris includes substances, materials, and objects that are foreign to the normal roadway environment...
. The Traffic Management Center dispatches them to accidents, debris removal, disabled vehicles, or anything that may potentially affect the traveling public; they also assist the Florida Highway Patrol (FHP) with traffic maintenance with incidents involving blockage of lanes.
Call boxes
Motorist-aid call boxes are located on both outside shoulderShoulder
The human shoulder is made up of three bones: the clavicle , the scapula , and the humerus as well as associated muscles, ligaments and tendons. The articulations between the bones of the shoulder make up the shoulder joints. The major joint of the shoulder is the glenohumeral joint, which...
s of the road every mile (1.6 km), and send a signal
Radio
Radio is the transmission of signals through free space by modulation of electromagnetic waves with frequencies below those of visible light. Electromagnetic radiation travels by means of oscillating electromagnetic fields that pass through the air and the vacuum of space...
indicating the need for gasoline
Gasoline
Gasoline , or petrol , is a toxic, translucent, petroleum-derived liquid that is primarily used as a fuel in internal combustion engines. It consists mostly of organic compounds obtained by the fractional distillation of petroleum, enhanced with a variety of additives. Some gasolines also contain...
, repair (tire
Tire
A tire or tyre is a ring-shaped covering that fits around a wheel rim to protect it and enable better vehicle performance by providing a flexible cushion that absorbs shock while keeping the wheel in close contact with the ground...
or engine
Engine
An engine or motor is a machine designed to convert energy into useful mechanical motion. Heat engines, including internal combustion engines and external combustion engines burn a fuel to create heat which is then used to create motion...
), or emergency services (police
Police
The police is a personification of the state designated to put in practice the enforced law, protect property and reduce civil disorder in civilian matters. Their powers include the legitimized use of force...
, ambulance
Ambulance
An ambulance is a vehicle for transportation of sick or injured people to, from or between places of treatment for an illness or injury, and in some instances will also provide out of hospital medical care to the patient...
, or firefighter
Firefighter
Firefighters are rescuers extensively trained primarily to put out hazardous fires that threaten civilian populations and property, to rescue people from car incidents, collapsed and burning buildings and other such situations...
s).
Future
Work began in 2006, and is ongoing as of July 2009, along the Turnpike in Broward County to widen the section from Griffin Road (exit 53) to Atlantic Boulevard (exit 66) from six to eight lanes. Plans are in the works to widen the road from the Lake Worth Road interchange (exit 93) to the Martin CountyMartin County, Florida
Martin County is a county in the U.S. state of Florida. As of 2000, the population was 126,731. The U.S. Census Bureau 2008 estimate for the county is 138,660. Its county seat is Stuart, Florida.- History :...
line from four to eight lanes.
The $197.4 million project to add two lanes in each direction between Interstate 4 and Beulah Road was complete in November 2010. Phase 2 widening, from Beulah Road to just north of SR 429, includes auxiliary lanes between SR 408 and SR 429. This section of roadway will be 13 lanes wide upon completion of construction, including an interchange with SR 50. This project is scheduled for completion at the end of 2010. Further widening, from north of SR 429 to the Turnpike's northernmost interchange with SR 50 west of Winter Garden
Winter Garden, Florida
Winter Garden is a city located west of downtown Orlando in western Orange County, Florida. It is part of the Orlando–Kissimmee Metropolitan Statistical Area. Winter Garden's population is currently over 30,000.-Geography:...
, began in January 2009 and will be complete in 2012.
In November 2009, it was announced that the HEFT will cease cash toll collections in February 2011, becoming an exclusive electronic toll road
Electronic toll collection
Electronic toll collection , an adaptation of military "identification friend or foe" technology, aims to eliminate the delay on toll roads by collecting tolls electronically. It is thus a technological implementation of a road pricing concept...
, similar to Ontario
Ontario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
's 407 ETR toll road. The manned toll plazas currently on the expressway will be removed, and the only ways to pay will be either by SunPass
SunPass
SunPass is an electronic toll collection system in use by the State of Florida and was originally created by the Florida Department of Transportation's Florida's Turnpike...
transponders or a new toll-by-plate program. The section of the Turnpike mainline between the Golden Glades Interchange and I-595 is planned to be converted in 2012, with the expectation that the Turnpike will eventually be toll-booth free.
A study is currently under way to eventually reconstruct the northern end of the Turnpike at its junction with Interstate 75
Interstate 75 in Florida
Interstate 75 is a part of the Interstate Highway System and runs from Hialeah, Florida, a few miles northwest of Miami to Sault Ste. Marie in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan...
to improve the traffic merge pattern between I-75 and State Road 44, with congestion and some drivers suddenly changing lanes on I-75 between the Turnpike junction and SR 44 a major issue in the area. The project is not scheduled for construction funding until 2015.
The Turnpike Enterprise is also studying possible developer-funded future interchanges near mile marker 279 (servicing Minneola
Minneola, Florida
Minneola is a city in Lake County, Florida, United States. The population was 5,435 at the 2000 census. As of 2004, the population recorded by the U.S. Census Bureau is 7,253. It is part of the Orlando–Kissimmee Metropolitan Statistical Area...
and Clermont
Clermont, Florida
Clermont is a city in Lake County, Florida, United States, west of Orlando. The population was 13,100 in 2008. The city is essentially residential in character and its economy is centered in retail trade, lodging, and food and beverage establishments, which are tourism oriented. The historic...
) and at Sumter County Road 468 (mile marker 300, servicing The Villages
The Villages, Florida
The Villages is a master-planned age-restricted retirement community located mainly in Sumter County, Florida, United States, but also includes portions of Lake and Marion counties. The community is controlled by several Community Development Districts , most of which are controlled by H. Gary...
and Lady Lake
Lady Lake, Florida
Lady Lake is a town in Lake County, Florida, United States. The population was 11,828 at the 2000 census. As of 2005, the population recorded by the U.S. Census Bureau is 13,244...
). Neither project is funded or scheduled for construction at this time.
Exit list
North of the HEFT/mainline intersection, the mainline continues the mileage from mile 47 from the HEFT. The spur of the mainline south of the HEFT to the Golden Glades Interchange assumes an alternate numbering system that suffixes an X to each exit number. All tolls described assume the toll is paid in cash.| County | Location | Mile | Exit | Destinations | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Miami-Dade Miami-Dade County, Florida Miami-Dade County is a county located in the southeastern part of the state of Florida. As of 2010 U.S. Census, the county had a population of 2,496,435, making it the most populous county in Florida and the eighth-most populous county in the United States... |
Miami Gardens Miami Gardens, Florida Miami Gardens is a Miami suburban city located in Miami-Dade County, Florida. The city name comes from one of the major roadways through the area, Miami Gardens Drive. According to the 2010 U.S... |
0.000 | 0X | – Beaches | Golden Glades Interchange Golden Glades Interchange The Golden Glades Interchange, located in Miami Gardens and North Miami Beach, Florida, United States, is the confluence of five major roads serving eastern and southern Florida.-Description:The five highways the come together at the interchange are U.S... ; Southern terminus |
|
| 0.000 | Golden Glades Golden Glades, Florida Golden Glades is a census-designated place in Miami-Dade County, Florida, United States. The population was 32,623 at the 2000 census.It is the location for a major highway interchange of the same name which connects the Florida Turnpike, Interstate 95, US 441, State Road 9, and the Palmetto... barrier toll ($1.00, $.75 with SunPass) |
|||||
| 2.458 | 2X | – Stadium | Eastbound to southbound Florida's Turnpike only | |||
| Broward Broward County, Florida -2000 Census:As of the census of 2000, there were 1,623,018 people, 654,445 households, and 411,645 families residing in the county. The population density was 1,346 people per square mile . There were 741,043 housing units at an average density of 615 per square mile... |
Miramar Miramar, Florida Miramar is a city in Broward County, Florida, United States. The city was named after the Miramar district of Havana, Cuba. As of the 2010 census, the population was 122,041... |
3.334 | 4X | Southbound SR 91 takes exit 47A from the Turnpike mainline | ||
| 3.695 | Entrance only | |||||
| Hollywood Hollywood, Florida -Demographics:As of 2000, there were 59,673 households out of which 24.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 41.5% were married couples living together, 11.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 42.2% were non-families. 34.4% of all households were made up of... |
3.762– 47.856 |
Mileage from Homestead Extension of Florida's Turnpike Homestead Extension of Florida's Turnpike Homestead Extension of Florida's Turnpike , designated as the Ronald Reagan Turnpike, and originally known as the West Dade Expressway is a north–south free-flow toll road southern extension of the tolled Florida's Turnpike... begins, ends |
||||
| 50.339 | 49 | Toll $.50 | ||||
| Davie Davie, Florida Davie is a town in Broward County, Florida, United States. The town's population was 91,992 at the 2010 census.- History :Davie was founded by Jake Tannebaum and Tamara Toussaint. The original name of the town was Zona. In 1909 R.P. Davie assisted then Governor Broward by draining the swamplands... |
54.189 | 53 | Toll $.25 (No SunPass discount) | |||
| 55.914 | 54 | |||||
| Lauderhill Lauderhill, Florida Lauderhill is a city in Broward County, Florida, United States. As of the 2010 census, the population was 66,887. It is part of the Miami–Fort Lauderdale–Pompano Beach Metropolitan Statistical Area, which was home to 5,564,635 people at the 2010 census.... |
59.302 | 58 | Toll $.50 | |||
| Tamarac Tamarac, Florida Tamarac is a city in Broward County, Florida, United States. As of the 2010 census, the city had a population of 60,427. It is part of the Miami–Fort Lauderdale–Pompano Beach Metropolitan Statistical Area, which was home to 5,564,635 people at the 2010 census.... |
63.024 | 62 | Toll $.75 | |||
| Pompano Beach Pompano Beach, Florida Pompano Beach ) is a city in Broward County, Florida, along the coast of the Atlantic Ocean just to the north of Fort Lauderdale. The nearby Hillsboro Inlet forms part of the Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway. As of the 2010 census, the city's population was 99,845... |
64.524 | Cypress Creek barrier toll ($1.00, $.75 with SunPass) | ||||
| 66.024 | Pompano Beach Pompano Beach, Florida Pompano Beach ) is a city in Broward County, Florida, along the coast of the Atlantic Ocean just to the north of Fort Lauderdale. The nearby Hillsboro Inlet forms part of the Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway. As of the 2010 census, the city's population was 99,845... service plaza |
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| 66.478 | 66 | Northbound exit and southbound entrance; drivers who wish to enter northbound are directed to nearby NW 31st Ave (SR 849). | ||||
| 67.612 | 67 | Toll $.50 | ||||
| 69.626 | 69 | Toll $.25 (No SunPass discount) | ||||
| Deerfield Beach Deerfield Beach, Florida Deerfield Beach is a city in Broward County, Florida, USA. The city is named for the numerous deer that once roamed the area. As of the 2010 United States Census, the population was 75,018... |
71.780 | 71 | ||||
| Palm Beach Palm Beach County, Florida Palm Beach County is the largest county in the state of Florida in total area, and third in population. As of 2010, the county's estimated population was 1,320,134, making it the twenty-eighth most populous in the United States... |
Boca Raton Boca Raton, Florida Boca Raton is a city in Palm Beach County, Florida, USA, incorporated in May 1925. In the 2000 census, the city had a total population of 74,764; the 2006 population recorded by the U.S. Census Bureau was 86,396. However, the majority of the people under the postal address of Boca Raton, about... |
76.086 | 75 | Toll $.25 (No SunPass discount) | ||
| Delray Beach Delray Beach, Florida Delray Beach is a city in Palm Beach County, Florida, USA. As of the 2000 census, the city had a total population of 60,020. As of 2004, the population estimated by the U.S... |
82.000 | 81 | Toll $.50 (No SunPass discount) | |||
| Boynton Beach Boynton Beach, Florida Boynton Beach is a city in Palm Beach County, Florida, United States. The population was 60,389 at the 2000 census. As of 2006, the city had a population of 66,714 according to the University of Florida, Bureau of Economic and Business Research... |
87.136 | 86 | Toll $.75 | |||
| 89.536 | Lantana Lantana, Florida Lantana is a town in Palm Beach County, Florida, United States. The population was 9,437 at the 2000 census. As of 2004, the population recorded by the U.S. Census Bureau is 10,389.-History:... barrier toll (Southern end of ticket system) |
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| Greenacres Greenacres, Florida Greenacres is a city in Palm Beach County, Florida, United States. The population was 27,569 at the 2000 census. As of 2004, the estimated population recorded by the U.S. Census Bureau is 32,019.-Geography:Greenacres is located at .... |
93.563 | 93 | ||||
| 94.763 | Lake Worth Lake Worth, Florida Lake Worth is a city in Palm Beach County, Florida, which takes its name from the body of water along its eastern border, originally called "Lake Worth", and now generally known as the Lake Worth Lagoon. The lake itself was named for General William J. Worth, who led U.S. forces during the last... – West Palm Beach West Palm Beach, Florida West Palm Beach, is a city located on the Atlantic coast in southeastern Florida and is the most populous city in and county seat of Palm Beach County, the third most populous county in Florida with a 2010 population of 1,320,134. The city is also the oldest incorporated municipality in South Florida... service plaza |
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| West Palm Beach West Palm Beach, Florida West Palm Beach, is a city located on the Atlantic coast in southeastern Florida and is the most populous city in and county seat of Palm Beach County, the third most populous county in Florida with a 2010 population of 1,320,134. The city is also the oldest incorporated municipality in South Florida... |
97.664 | 97 | ||||
| 99.576 | 98 | Jog Road – West Palm Beach West Palm Beach, Florida West Palm Beach, is a city located on the Atlantic coast in southeastern Florida and is the most populous city in and county seat of Palm Beach County, the third most populous county in Florida with a 2010 population of 1,320,134. The city is also the oldest incorporated municipality in South Florida... |
SunPass-only interchange, northbound exit and southbound entrance, opened on September 14, 2007 | |||
| 100.446 | 99 | |||||
| 106.842 | 107 | SunPass-only interchange opened July 27, 2006 | ||||
| Palm Beach Gardens Palm Beach Gardens, Florida Palm Beach Gardens is a city in Palm Beach County in the U.S. state of Florida. The city is in the center of a rapidly-developing area north of West Palm Beach in the northern part of the county and the South Florida metropolitan area. , the population was 48,452... |
109.634 | 109 | ||||
| Jupiter Jupiter, Florida Jupiter is a town located in Palm Beach County, Florida. As of the 2000 census, the town had a total population of 39,328. The estimate population for 2009 is 50,606. As of 2006, the population had grown to 50,028, according to the University of Florida, Bureau of Economic and Business Research.... |
116.507 | 116 | ||||
| Martin Martin County, Florida Martin County is a county in the U.S. state of Florida. As of 2000, the population was 126,731. The U.S. Census Bureau 2008 estimate for the county is 138,660. Its county seat is Stuart, Florida.- History :... |
Palm City Palm City, Florida Palm City is a census-designated place in Martin County, Florida, United States. The population was 20,097 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Port St... |
134.662 | 133 | |||
| St. Lucie St. Lucie County, Florida St. Lucie County is a county located in the state of Florida. The county seat is the city of Fort Pierce. In the year 2000, the population was 192,695. As of the year 2010, the United States Census Bureau sets the population at 277,789.- History :... |
Port St. Lucie Port St. Lucie, Florida Port St. Lucie is a city in St. Lucie County, Florida, United States. The population of Port St. Lucie was 88,769 at the 2000 census but grew rapidly during the 2000s. In 2009 the State of Florida estimated the City's population at 155,251. Port St. Lucie forms part of a metropolitan area called... |
138.408 | 138 | Becker Road | SunPass-only interchange, opened on May 11, 2007 | |
| 143.073 | 142 | |||||
| 145.273 | Port St. Lucie Port St. Lucie, Florida Port St. Lucie is a city in St. Lucie County, Florida, United States. The population of Port St. Lucie was 88,769 at the 2000 census but grew rapidly during the 2000s. In 2009 the State of Florida estimated the City's population at 155,251. Port St. Lucie forms part of a metropolitan area called... – Fort Pierce Fort Pierce, Florida Fort Pierce, also spelled Ft. Pierce, is a city in St. Lucie County, Florida, USA. It is known as The Sunrise City. The population was 37,959 at the 2004 census. As of 2008, the population recorded by the U.S. Census Bureau is 41,000. It is the county seat of St. Lucie County.Fort Pierce is part... service plaza |
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| Fort Pierce Fort Pierce, Florida Fort Pierce, also spelled Ft. Pierce, is a city in St. Lucie County, Florida, USA. It is known as The Sunrise City. The population was 37,959 at the 2004 census. As of 2008, the population recorded by the U.S. Census Bureau is 41,000. It is the county seat of St. Lucie County.Fort Pierce is part... |
152.903 | 152 | ||||
| Okeechobee Okeechobee County, Florida Okeechobee County is a county located in the state of Florida. As of 2000, the population was 35,910. According to 2005 U.S. Census estimates, its population had grown to 39,836. The county seat is Okeechobee, Florida. The county comprises the Okeechobee, Florida Micropolitan Statistical Area.-... |
184.703 | Fort Drum Fort Drum, Florida Fort Drum is a town in Okeechobee County, Florida, United States. It is located on US 441, between Yeehaw Junction and Okeechobee. A service plaza on Florida's Turnpike is named after the town. The Fort Drum Wildlife Management Area was named for its proximity to the town and is known as the... service plaza |
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| Osceola Osceola County, Florida Osceola County is a county located in the U.S. state of Florida. As of 2000, the population was 172,493. The U.S. Census Bureau 2006 estimate for the county is 244,045, making it the 17th fastest-growing county in the United States. Its county seat is Kissimmee.- History :Osceola County was... |
Yeehaw Junction Yeehaw Junction, Florida Yeehaw Junction is a census-designated place in Osceola County, Florida, United States. As of the 2010 census, it had a population of 240... |
193.183 | 193 | |||
| 230.283 | Canoe Creek service plaza | |||||
| 236.583 | Three Lakes barrier toll (Northern end of ticket system) | |||||
| Kissimmee Kissimmee, Florida Kissimmee is a city in Osceola County, Florida, United States. As of the 2010 census, the population was 59,682. It is the county seat of Osceola County... |
239.454 | 240 | Kissimmee Park Road | Southbound exit and northbound entrance; SunPass-only; Toll $1.00. Opened January 6, 2007; Designated Senator N. Ray Carroll interchange by Florida Legislature in 2006. |
||
| 242.694 | 242 | Northbound exit only | ||||
| 244.624 | 244 | No exit northbound, toll $1.25 southbound exit | ||||
| 248.801 | 249 | Osceola Parkway Osceola Parkway The Osceola Parkway, signed as County Road 522 since around 2003 , is a long, partially-tolled arterial road extending east-west across the northern boundary of Osceola County, Florida, USA roughly paralleling the border with Orange County... , Dart Boulevard |
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| Orange Orange County, Florida Orange County is a county located in the U.S. state of Florida and is part of the Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford Metropolitan Statistical Area . As of 2010 U.S. Census, the county had a population of 1,145,956.... |
Orlando Orlando, Florida Orlando is a city in the central region of the U.S. state of Florida. It is the county seat of Orange County, and the center of the Greater Orlando metropolitan area. According to the 2010 US Census, the city had a population of 238,300, making Orlando the 79th largest city in the United States... |
255.367 | 254 | |||
| 255.689 | 255 | Consulate Drive | Southbound exit; SunPass-only, opened July 27, 2004 | |||
| 259.705 | 259 | |||||
| 263.805 | Turkey Lake service plaza | |||||
| Gotha Gotha, Florida Gotha is a census-designated place in Orange County, Florida, United States. Gotha is located between Ocoee, Florida and Windermere, Florida, and had a population of 731 as recorded by the 2000 census. It is part of the Orlando–Kissimmee Metropolitan Statistical Area.-History:The town of... |
265.967 | 265 | ||||
| Ocoee Ocoee, Florida Ocoee is a city in Orange County, Florida, United States. According to the 2000 census, the city proper had a population of 24,391. As of 2006, the population recorded by the U.S. Census Bureau is 30,654. It is part of the Orlando–Kissimmee Metropolitan Statistical Area.-Geography:Ocoee is... |
268.075 | 267A | ||||
| 267.881 | 267B | |||||
| Oakland Oakland, Florida Oakland is a town in Orange County, Florida, United States. The population was 936 at the 2000 census. As of 2006, the population recorded by the U.S. Census Bureau is 1,101... |
273.016 | 272 | Designated the Senator Richard Langley Interchange by the 2007 Florida Legislature. | |||
| Lake Lake County, Florida Lake County is a county located in the state of Florida, United States. As of the 2000 Census, the population was 210,528. The Census Bureau estimated the population in 2008 to be 307,243. Its county seat is Tavares... |
Little Everglades | 285.867 | 285 | Northbound exit and southbound entrance | ||
| 288.325 | Leesburg Leesburg, Florida Leesburg is a city in Lake County, Florida, United States. The population was 15,956 at the 2000 census. As of 2005, the population recorded by the U.S. Census Bureau is 19,086.. Leesburg is located in central Florida, between Lake Harris and Lake Griffin, at the head of the Oklawaha River system.... barrier toll ($2.50, $2.00 with SunPass) |
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| 289.125 | 289 | Southbound exit and northbound entrance | ||||
| 296.689 | 296 | Exact change or SunPass only (Opened January 22, 2005) | ||||
| Sumter Sumter County, Florida Sumter County is a county located in the state of Florida, United States. As of the 2000 Census, the population was 53,345. The 2006 Census estimate puts its population at 68,768 . Its county seat is Bushnell, Florida and the largest incorporated municipality is Wildwood, Florida. The Villages,... |
300.189 | Okahumpka Okahumpka, Florida Okahumpka is a census-designated place in Lake County, Florida, United States. The population was 251 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Orlando–Kissimmee Metropolitan Statistical Area... service plaza |
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| Wildwood Wildwood, Florida Wildwood is a city in Sumter County, Florida, United States. The population was 3,924 at the 2000 census. According to the U.S. Census Bureau's 2004 estimates, the city had a population of 3,598.-Geography:Wildwood is located at .... |
305.401 | 304 | Southern end of free movement section | |||
| 308.760 | 309 | Southbound exit and northbound entrance, northern end of free movement section; northern terminus | ||||