State Road 55 (SR 55) is mainly the internal or secret designation of

U.S. Route 19 U.S. Route 19 (US 19) is a north–south U.S. Highway in the Eastern United States. Despite encroaching Interstate Highways, the route has remained a long-haul road, connecting the Gulf of Mexico with Lake Erie. The highway's southern ...

through

Florida Florida is a state located in the Southeastern region of the United States. Florida is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the northwest by Alabama, to the north by Georgia, to the east by the Bahamas and Atlantic Ocean, and to ...

, although it has appeared on maps and atlases on several occasions. State Road 55 originates at the

Georgia Georgia most commonly refers to: * Georgia (country), a country in the Caucasus region of Eurasia * Georgia (U.S. state), a state in the Southeast United States Georgia may also refer to: Places Historical states and entities * Related to the ...

state line north of

Ashville Ashville or Asheville may refer to: Places United States * Ashville, Alabama * Ashville, Louisville, Kentucky * Ashville, New York * Asheville, North Carolina ** Asheville metropolitan area ** Asheville School ** Asheville High School ** Ashe ...

, and ends at SR 684 in

Bradenton Bradenton ( ) is a city in and the county seat of Manatee County, Florida, United States. As of the 2020 census, the city's population is 55,698. History Late 18th and early 19th centuries A settlement established by Maroons or escaped sl ...

. North of

Perry Perry, also known as pear cider, is an alcoholic beverage made from fermented pears, traditionally the perry pear. It has been common for centuries in England, particularly in Gloucestershire, Herefordshire, and Worcestershire. It is also made ...

, it is the secret route for US 221, continuing north into Georgia as

Georgia State Route 76 State Route 76 (SR 76) is a state highway in the southern part of the U.S. state of Georgia. It connects the Florida state line, south-southwest of Quitman, with the Nashville area, via Quitman, Morven, and Adel. Route descriptio ...

. South of

Memphis Memphis most commonly refers to: * Memphis, Egypt, a former capital of ancient Egypt * Memphis, Tennessee, a major American city Memphis may also refer to: Places United States * Memphis, Alabama * Memphis, Florida * Memphis, Indiana * Memp ...

, it is a secret designation for US 41; it is also a secret designation for US 301 in the

- Palmetto area, along a segment co-signed with US 41. Very little evidence of SR 55's existence can be found, except in

Levy Levy, Lévy or Levies may refer to: People * Levy (surname), people with the surname Levy or Lévy * Levy Adcock (born 1988), American football player * Levy Barent Cohen (1747–1808), Dutch-born British financier and community worker * Levy Fi ...

Dixie Dixie, also known as Dixieland or Dixie's Land, is a nickname for all or part of the Southern United States. While there is no official definition of this region (and the included areas shift over the years), or the extent of the area it cover ...

, and

Taylor Taylor, Taylors or Taylor's may refer to: People * Taylor (surname) **List of people with surname Taylor * Taylor (given name), including Tayla and Taylah * Taylor sept, a branch of Scottish clan Cameron * Justice Taylor (disambiguation) Plac ...

counties. In Dixie County, for example, there's a CR 55A in Old Town and Fanning Springs. In Chiefland, US 19's status as SR 55 is exposed in street-name signs, and one shield south of US 27 ALT.

Route description

SR 55 begins at the eastern terminus of unsigned SR 684 in

Bradenton, Florida Bradenton ( ) is a city in and the county seat of Manatee County, Florida, Manatee County, Florida, United States. As of the 2020 United States Census, 2020 census, the city's population is 55,698. History Late 18th and early 19th centuries ...

, which heads west as US 41. The road is the hidden state road for US 41, heading north. SR 55 serves as the northern terminus for hidden State Road 683, but not its exposed route US 301. From this point, it is the hidden route for a concurrency of US 41 and 301. After the intersection with SR 64, US 41-301-SR 55 concludes its journey through Bradenton and crosses the Hernando Desoto Bridge over the

Manatee River The Manatee River is a U.S. Geological Survey. National Hydrography Dataset high-resolution flowline dataThe National Map, accessed April 18, 2011 river in Manatee County, Florida. The river forms in the northeastern corner of Manatee County an ...

and enters Palmetto. The concurrency ends when US 301 makes a sharp right turn onto SR 43 at a diamond interchange, and SR 55 becomes a hidden route only of US 41 again. Right after an interchange with the norther terminus of US 41 BUS, SR 45 shares the hidden concurrency with US 41, but almost instantly, SR 55 meets another interchange with US 19 in

and moves onto that road, only to join

I-275 Interstate 275 (I-275) may refer to: *Interstate 275 (Florida), a loop through Tampa, St. Petersburg, and Bradenton in Florida *Interstate 275 (Michigan), a western bypass of Detroit, Michigan *Interstate 275 (Ohio–Indiana–Kentucky), a full belt ...

( State Road 93) at Exit 5, where they both use the

Sunshine Skyway Bridge The Bob Graham Sunshine Skyway Bridge, often referred to as the Sunshine Skyway Bridge or the Sunshine Skyway, consists of a pair of long beam bridges with a central cable-stayed bridge that spans Lower Tampa Bay to connect St. Petersburg, Fl ...

. At Exit 17, SR 55 leaves I-275 and resumes its role as the hidden route along US 19 once again, as it will do throughout most of the west coast of the state. In Pasco County, despite the fact that US 19 ALT terminates in

Holiday A holiday is a day set aside by custom or by law on which normal activities, especially business or work including school, are suspended or reduced. Generally, holidays are intended to allow individuals to celebrate or commemorate an event or tra ...

, its hidden route State Road 595 secretly joins US 19-SR 55 only to branch off a few blocks later as County Road 595 on Mile Stretch Road. CR 595 is encountered again without any markings from

New Port Richey New Port Richey is a city in Pasco County, Florida, United States. It is a suburban city included in the Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, Florida Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was counted at 16,728 in the 2020 census. History B ...

Aripeka Ar-pi-uck-i, also known as Abiaka or Sam Jones, (c. 1760 – c. 1860) was a powerful spiritual ''alektca'' ( medicine chief) and war chief of the Miccosukee, a Seminole–Muscogee Creek tribe of the Southeast United States. Ar-pi-uck-i succes ...

, where shields can actually be found approaching Aripeka Road. In Hernando County, the road appears again as County Road 595 which terminates at the gateway to

Hernando Beach, Florida Hernando Beach is a census-designated place (CDP) in Hernando County, Florida, United States. The population was 2,299 at the 2010 census. In popular media * Hernando Beach was mentioned in Season 2, Episode 4 of the Starz series "Magic City". ...

. This terminus is across from the intersection of County Road 574, a road that serves as the gateway to

Spring Hill, Florida Spring Hill is a census-designated place (CDP) in Hernando County, Florida, Hernando County, Florida, United States. The population was 113,568 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, up from 98,621 at the 2010 United States Census, 2010 ...

. US 98 joins US 19 in Chassahowitzka, where State Road 700 ends. From here, it becomes the hidden state route of both US 19 and 98. Further northwest in Homosassa Springs, US 19-98-SR 55 takes County Road 490 with it as all four routes pass by the entrance to

Homosassa Springs Wildlife State Park Homosassa Springs Wildlife State Park is located near Homosassa Springs, Florida, in the United States. The park is one of the notable locations in the state to view manatees. Visitors can get close to the animals on a floating observatory. Bl ...

. A block after the eastern terminus of County Road 490A, CR 490 branches off to the east as it heads towards

Lecanto Lecanto is an unincorporated community and census-designated place (CDP) in Citrus County, Florida, United States. As of the 2010 census it had a population of 5,882, up from 5,161 in 2000. It is home to several county government facilities such ...

. After entering Crystal River and passing by the Crystal River Airport, SR 55 encounters the eastern terminus of County Road 44W, which secretly joins the road in order to meet the western terminus of State Road 44. The at-grade interchange with State Road 121 in Lebanon Station also includes County Road 336 and secretly takes the road with it to a local street in Otter Creek. FL 55 Sign on US 19-98(Chiefland)

US 27 ALT joins US 19-98 in

Chiefland Chiefland is a city in Levy County, Florida, United States. The population was 2,316 at the 2020 census. Chiefland calls itself the "Gem of the Suwannee Valley" and was incorporated in 1929. History A village of the Timucua people was once locat ...

, where State Road 500 ends. From here, it becomes the hidden state route of US 19, 98, and ALT 27, and instantly intersects

US 129 U.S. Route 129 (US 129) is an auxiliary route of US 29, which it intersects in Athens, Georgia. US 129 currently runs for from an intersection with US 19/ US 27 ALT/ US 98 in Chiefland, Florida, to an interchange ...

, which at one time shared the intersection with US 27 ALT. Still in Chiefland, US 19-98-Alt. 27-SR 55 encounters the eastern terminus of State Road 320, which joins these roads for several blocks before turning east and becoming County Road 320. In the City of Perry, State Road 30 joins US 19-98-Alt 27, and SR 55 moves onto

US 221 U.S. Route 221 (US 221) is a spur of U.S. Route 21. It travels from Perry, Florida, at US 19/ US 98/ US 27 Alternate to Lynchburg, Virginia, at US 29 Business (Lynchburg Expressway). It travels through the states ...

. The road narrows down to two lanes at the intersection of US 27, although trucks must use a detour. Intersections north of here include CR 14 (an extension of SR 14) in Shady Grove, an interchange with

Interstate 10 Interstate 10 (I-10) is the southernmost cross-country highway in the American Interstate Highway System. I-10 is the fourth-longest Interstate in the United States at , following I-90, I-80, and I-40. This freeway is part of the originally pl ...

, and a brief concurrency with US 90 in Greenville before finally terminating at the Georgia State Line, where US 221 continues onto

History

Major intersections

Related routes

Dixie County

County Road 55A is an east-west county road that runs along the south side of SR 55 between Eugene and

Old Town In a city or town, the old town is its historic or original core. Although the city is usually larger in its present form, many cities have redesignated this part of the city to commemorate its origins after thorough renovations. There are ma ...

, just west of the Suwannee River.

Levy and Gilchrist Counties

East of the Suwannee River, County Road 55A is a north-south bi-county road entirely within the City of Fanning Springs that connects US 19-ALT 27-98 with State Road 26.

References

{{reflist

External links

Florida Route Log (SR 55)
055 055 055 055 055 055 055 055 055 055 055 055 U.S. Route 19 U.S. Route 41 U.S. Route 221