.gif)
State Road 570 (Florida)
Encyclopedia
The Polk Parkway, also known as State Road 570, is a 24.38 miles (39.2 km), limited-access toll road
which runs through Polk County, Florida
. It is operated as part of the Florida's Turnpike Enterprise
system of limited-access expressways. The Polk Parkway mainly serves as a beltway around Lakeland
forming a semicircle, which along with I-4 circumscribes most of the city limits of Lakeland.
As part of the Florida's Turnpike network, SunPass
, E-Pass, and LeeWay electronic toll collection are recognized along with coin collection at toll plazas and interchange ramps. The Polk Parkway does not, however, employ open road tolling
like numerous other toll roads in Florida.
from Polk County cities such as Winter Haven
, Bartow
, and Auburndale
, and the south side of Lakeland. The road is signed east–west, although the section from SR 540 (exit 14) to the eastern terminus near Interstate 4 runs nearly south to north. The Polk Parkway is a four lane divided expressway
for most of its length, although between Old Dixie Highway (Exit 18) and the eastern terminus at I-4
, the highway is a "Super 2" freeway
, with one lane in each direction, using the northbound median.
The Parkway's groundbreaking was on January 25, 1996. The western 7.5 miles (12.1 km) of the Parkway opened to traffic on August 9, 1998. The central section, approximately 10 miles (16.1 km) in length, opened to traffic on 2 August 1999. The easternmost 7.5 miles (12.1 km) of road opened to traffic on 12 December 1999, completing the highway at a cost of $490 million.
The 1998 Florida Legislature designated the western 7 miles (11.3 km) of the Polk Parkway (between Interstate 4 and South Florida Avenue (State Road 37)) as the James Henry Mills
Medal of Honor Parkway. Mills was the only native of Polk County to receive a medal of honor in World War II, in recognition of his heroic actions in Cisterna, Italy.
The project is a public-private partnership between the Florida Department of Transportation—Florida’s Turnpike Enterprise, USF Polytechnic, the Polk County Board of County Commissioners and The Williams Company.
There have been several plans presented to the public since the early 2000s regarding a proposed Heartland Parkway
which would be a roughly 110 miles (177 km) parkway extending from the Polk Parkway to Southwest Florida
near Ft. Myers
.
There has also been a proposal to construct an extension from the Polk Parkway encircling Winter Haven and connecting with I-4 near the Polk-Osceola county line. Another proposed parkway would connect the southeast corner of the Polk Parkway with State Road 60 east of Lake Wales.
.
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...
which runs through Polk County, Florida
Polk County, Florida
Polk County is located in central Florida between the Tampa Bay and Greater Orlando metropolitan areas. The county was established by the state government in 1861 on the eve of the American Civil War and named after former United States president James K. Polk. The county seat is Bartow and its...
. It is operated as part of the Florida's Turnpike Enterprise
Florida's Turnpike Enterprise
Florida's Turnpike Enterprise is a business unit of the Florida Department of Transportation , employing private sector business practices to operate its 460-mile system of limited-access toll highways for the benefit of Florida's traveling public...
system of limited-access expressways. The Polk Parkway mainly serves as a beltway around Lakeland
Lakeland, Florida
Lakeland is a city in Polk County, Florida, United States, located approximately midway between Tampa and Orlando along Interstate 4. According to the 2008 U.S. Census Bureau estimate, the city had a population of 94,406...
forming a semicircle, which along with I-4 circumscribes most of the city limits of Lakeland.
As part of the Florida's Turnpike network, 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...
, E-Pass, and LeeWay electronic toll collection are recognized along with coin collection at toll plazas and interchange ramps. The Polk Parkway does not, however, employ open road tolling
Open road tolling
Open road tolling or free-flow tolling is the collection of tolls on toll roads without the use of toll booths. An electronic toll collection system is usually used instead. The major advantage to ORT is that users are able to drive through the toll plaza at highway speeds without having to slow...
like numerous other toll roads in Florida.
Route description
The Polk Parkway provides easier access to Interstate 4Interstate 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...
from Polk County cities such as Winter Haven
Winter Haven, Florida
Winter Haven is a city in Polk County, Florida, United States. The population was 26,487 at the 2000 census. According to the U.S. Census Bureau's 2007 estimates, the city had a population of 32,577, making it the second most populated city in Polk County...
, Bartow
Bartow, Florida
Bartow is the county seat of Polk County, Florida, United States. Founded in 1851 as Fort Blount, the city was renamed in honor of Francis S. Bartow the first brigade commander to die in combat during the American Civil War. According to the U.S. Census Bureau 2000 Census, the city had a...
, and Auburndale
Auburndale, Florida
Auburndale is a city in Polk County, Florida, United States. The population was 11,032 at the 2000 census. According to the U.S Census estimates of 2005, the city had a population of 12,381...
, and the south side of Lakeland. The road is signed east–west, although the section from SR 540 (exit 14) to the eastern terminus near Interstate 4 runs nearly south to north. The Polk Parkway is a four lane divided expressway
Limited-access road
A limited-access road known by various terms worldwide, including limited-access highway, dual-carriageway and expressway, is a highway or arterial road for high-speed traffic which has many or most characteristics of a controlled-access highway , including limited or no access to adjacent...
for most of its length, although between Old Dixie Highway (Exit 18) and the eastern terminus at I-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...
, the highway is a "Super 2" freeway
Two-lane freeway
A two-lane expressway is an expressway with only one lane in each direction, and usually no median barrier. It may be built that way because of constraints, or may be intended for expansion once traffic volumes rise. The term super two is often used by roadgeeks for this type of road, but traffic...
, with one lane in each direction, using the northbound median.
History
The Polk Parkway was originally conceived in the 1950s as a circumferential route around Lakeland, and after several delays in planning due to funding shortfalls, it was revived as the Imperial Parkway by the Polk County Commission in 1986. Due to the delays, a proposal in the 1970s/1980s that would have connected the parkway with the Lee Roy Selmon Expressway never came to fruition. In the spring of 1990, the Florida Legislature led by Senate leader and Winter Haven resident Bob Crawford, incorporated the Polk Parkway into the Turnpike Expansion Program, a part of Senate Bill 1316.The Parkway's groundbreaking was on January 25, 1996. The western 7.5 miles (12.1 km) of the Parkway opened to traffic on August 9, 1998. The central section, approximately 10 miles (16.1 km) in length, opened to traffic on 2 August 1999. The easternmost 7.5 miles (12.1 km) of road opened to traffic on 12 December 1999, completing the highway at a cost of $490 million.
The 1998 Florida Legislature designated the western 7 miles (11.3 km) of the Polk Parkway (between Interstate 4 and South Florida Avenue (State Road 37)) as the James Henry Mills
James Henry Mills
James Henry Mills was the only Polk County, Florida native to receive the Medal of Honor in World War II. Private Mills earned the Medal of Honor in 1944 for demonstrating "conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty." Mills actions allowed his...
Medal of Honor Parkway. Mills was the only native of Polk County to receive a medal of honor in World War II, in recognition of his heroic actions in Cisterna, Italy.
Future
The Polk Parkway has become an important part of Polk County's transportation infrastructure as traffic has increased in the growing county. In the late summer of 2009, the Turnpike began widening the Polk Parkway from Interstate 4 at Polk City south to Pace Road. This $48 million design-build project includes construction of a SunPass-only interchange at Pace Road (exit 23), featuring a modified cloverleaf design. The toll will be 25 cents for the to-and-from the east (north) movement. The to-and-from the west (south) movement will not be tolled as there is a mainline plaza to the west where the toll will be collected. The project will be complete in late spring 2011 in time to provide access to the new USF Polytechnic campus.The project is a public-private partnership between the Florida Department of Transportation—Florida’s Turnpike Enterprise, USF Polytechnic, the Polk County Board of County Commissioners and The Williams Company.
There have been several plans presented to the public since the early 2000s regarding a proposed Heartland Parkway
Heartland Parkway
The Heartland Parkway is a proposed toll road running from Polk County in central Florida to the Fort Myers–Naples area of southwest Florida, to be operated by Florida's Turnpike Enterprise. The proposed toll road would run approximately through rural portions of Polk, Hardee, Highlands, DeSoto,...
which would be a roughly 110 miles (177 km) parkway extending from the Polk Parkway to Southwest Florida
Southwest Florida
Southwest Florida is a region of Florida , United States located along its gulf coast, south of the Tampa Bay area, west of Lake Okeechobee and mostly north of the Everglades...
near Ft. Myers
Fort Myers, Florida
Fort Myers is the county seat and commercial center of Lee County, Florida, United States. Its population was 62,298 in the 2010 census, a 29.23 percent increase over the 2000 figure....
.
There has also been a proposal to construct an extension from the Polk Parkway encircling Winter Haven and connecting with I-4 near the Polk-Osceola county line. Another proposed parkway would connect the southeast corner of the Polk Parkway with State Road 60 east of Lake Wales.
Exit list
The entire route is located in Polk CountyPolk County, Florida
Polk County is located in central Florida between the Tampa Bay and Greater Orlando metropolitan areas. The county was established by the state government in 1861 on the eve of the American Civil War and named after former United States president James K. Polk. The county seat is Bartow and its...
.
| Location | Mile | # Exit number An exit number is a number assigned to a road junction, usually an exit from a freeway. It is usually marked on the same sign as the destinations of the exit, as well as a sign in the gore.... |
Destinations | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0.030 | 0 | Exit 27 on I-4, northbound exit and southbound entrance | |||
| 0.534 | 1 | Old Tampa Highway | Northbound exit, southbound entrance | ||
| 2.851 | 3 | ||||
| 4.133 | 4 | Waring Road, Drane Field Road | |||
| 5.551 | 5 | ||||
| 6.683 | 7 | ||||
| Western Toll Plaza ($1.00) | |||||
| 8.727 | 9 | Lakeland Highlands Road | |||
| 10.143 | 10 | ||||
| Central Toll Plaza ($1.00) | |||||
| 13.918 | 14 | ||||
| 17.291 | 17 | ||||
| 18.645 | 18 | Old Dixie Highway | |||
| Eastern Toll Plaza ($1.00) | |||||
| 23 | Pace Road | Future interchange | |||
| 24.350 | 24 | Exit 41 on I-4, northbound exit and southbound entrance | |||