State Road 50 (SR 50) runs across the center of the
U.S. state
In the United States, a state is a constituent political entity, of which there are 50. Bound together in a political union, each state holds governmental jurisdiction over a separate and defined geographic territory where it shares its sover ...
of
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 ...
through
Orlando
Orlando () is a city in the U.S. state of Florida and is the county seat of Orange County. In Central Florida, it is the center of the Orlando metropolitan area, which had a population of 2,509,831, according to U.S. Census Bureau figures rele ...
, with its termini at
SR 55 (
US 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 ...
) at
Weeki Wachee
Weeki Wachee is an unincorporated community and former city located in Hernando County, Florida, United States. As of the 2020 census, the community has a total population of 16. The Weeki Wachee Preserve and the Weeki Wachee Springs park are ...
and
SR 5 (
U.S. Route 1
U.S. Route 1 or U.S. Highway 1 (US 1) is a major north–south United States Numbered Highway that serves the East Coast of the United States. It runs from Key West, Florida, north to Fort Kent, Maine, at the Canadian border, making i ...
) in
Titusville.
SR 50 is signed east–west. Within various counties throughout the state, the highway is signed with various names such as Cortez Boulevard in Hernando County and Colonial Drive in Orange County. The former section includes the concurrency with
US 98
U.S. Route 98 (US 98) is an east–west United States Highway in the Southeastern United States that runs from western Mississippi to southern Florida. It was established in 1933 as a route between Pensacola and Apalachicola, Florida, and has sinc ...
between Brooksville and near Ridge Manor. US 98-SR 50 is the only interchange with
Interstate 75
Interstate 75 (I-75) is a major north–south Interstate Highway in the Great Lakes and Southeastern regions of the United States. As with most Interstates that end in 5, it is a major cross-country, north–south route, traveling from S ...
in Hernando County.
Several portions of SR 50 east of
SR 436 follow the original Cheney Highway, which was named for
John Moses Cheney
John Moses Cheney (January 6, 1859 – June 2, 1922) was a Florida attorney and a United States district judge of the United States District Court for the Southern District of Florida. A Republican, Cheney represented African American clients d ...
and was the first road to the coast from Orlando. Full travel from Orlando to Titusville on the Old Cheney Highway, however, is not possible due to the demolition of a bridge over the
Econlockhatchee River
The Econlockhatchee River (Econ River for short) is an U.S. Geological Survey. National Hydrography Dataset high-resolution flowline dataThe National Map , accessed April 21, 2011 north-flowing blackwater tributary of the St. Johns River. The E ...
. At the eastern terminus of SR 50,
NASA
The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA ) is an independent agency of the US federal government responsible for the civil space program, aeronautics research, and space research.
NASA was established in 1958, succeeding t ...
's
Vehicle Assembly Building
The Vehicle Assembly Building (originally the Vertical Assembly Building), or VAB, is a large building at NASA's Kennedy Space Center (KSC), designed to assemble large pre-manufactured space vehicle components, such as the massive Saturn V and th ...
is visible.
State Road 408, also known as the East-West Expressway or Toll Road 408, from its western starting point near
Ocoee to its eastern terminus near the
University of Central Florida
The University of Central Florida (UCF) is a public research university whose main campus is in unincorporated Orange County, Florida. UCF also has nine smaller regional campuses throughout central Florida. It is part of the State University ...
near
Bithlo
Bithlo is a census-designated place and an unincorporated community in Orange County, Florida, United States. The population was 8,268 at the 2010 census, up from 4,626 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Orlando– Kissimmee Metropolitan St ...
, runs almost directly parallel to SR 50, with most exits on the 408 being within a mile to 2 miles away from SR 50. The East-West Expressway was originally designed to, and still does, relieve traffic congestion on SR 50 during rush hour.
Route description
Hernando and Sumter counties
State Road 50 begins at
US 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 ...
and
County Road 550 in the former
City of Weeki Wachee. The first intersection around the east side of the city limits is with Deltona Boulevard(
CR 589), which can be found on the opposite side of the West Hernando County Public Library. From here the road is mostly lined with residential properties to the south and sparse commercial offices ranging from a Hernando County Firehouse, to an office for the
Withlacoochee River Electric Cooperative Withlacoochee may refer to:
*Wildwood, Lady Lake, Withlacoochee and Gulf Railway, incorporated under Florida state law chapter 3656, approved February 16, 1885
*Withlacoochee, Plant City and Boca Grande Railroad, created with the approval of Florid ...
, to random medical offices. East of Nightwalker Road and July Avenue, SR 50 enters land owned by the
Southwest Florida Water Management District
The Southwest Florida Water Management District (or SWFWMD, pronounced as "swiftmud" based on the word acronym), is one of five regional agencies directed by Florida State law (United States), state law to protect and preserve water resources. Es ...
, and the right-of-way for a set of power lines. From there, the road becomes the official northern border between Spring Hill and unincorporated Brooksville as it approaches the Sand Hill Scout Reservation. Immediately after the entrance to the aforementioned Boy Scout Camp, the road intersects Oak Hill Hospital on the opposite side. Shortly after the hospital, SR 50 climbs a hill and intersects with the gateway to
High Point.
![FL 50 & Hernando CR 587](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/c2/FL_50_%26_Hernando_CR_587.jpg)
From this point on, SR 50 is a symbol of the suburban sprawl that defines Hernando County. It also contains a series of disconnected frontage roads similar to those on US 19. Though most of the stores along these frontage roads consist of mini-malls, medical offices, and the occasional automotive repair shop, three major shopping centers can be found at the intersection with Mariner Boulevard, which is designated as
CR 587 south of SR 50. East of those three major shopping centers is a
Wal-Mart Supercenter
Walmart Inc. (; formerly Wal-Mart Stores, Inc.) is an American multinational retail corporation that operates a chain of hypermarkets (also called supercenters), discount department stores, and grocery stores from the United States, headquarter ...
and a
Sam's Club
Sam's West, Inc. (doing business as Sam's Club) is an American chain of membership-only retail warehouse clubs owned and operated by Walmart Inc., founded in 1983 and named after Walmart founder Sam Walton as Sam’s Wholesale Club. , Sam's Cl ...
Warehouse on the same side of the street. The Sam's Club is just west of the intersection of Sunshine Grove Road(CR 493) and Twin Dolphin Road, where SR 50 crosses the right-of-way for another set of power lines. While SR 50 climbs a hill and then descends, Twin Dolphin runs parallel to the eastbound lane as it climbs its own hill but then terminates at the same eastbound lane before SR 50 intersects CR 585(Barclay Avenue) and the entrance to
Brookridge. From here the road runs along the southern edge of Brookridge until it intersects Oak Avenue, just before it passes under a pedestrian/bicycle bridge west of the interchange
Suncoast Parkway Suncoast may refer to:
* Florida Suncoast, a 1980s marketing term for peninsular (non-panhandle) Florida's Gulf of Mexico coastal counties
** Florida Suncoast Dome, the original name of Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg, Florida
** Suncoast Center, ...
, and instantly intersects
CR 570(Wiscon Road), where the road curves to the northeast. Curving back to direct east, SR 50 intersects another former section at
CR 484 and then serves as the northern terminus for CR 583(California Street). The right-of-way for the frontage road on the south side terminates in just east of Colorady Street, then the road descends towards Lykes Dublin Road and passes by Brooksville Regional Hospital, which moved out of the City of Brooksville in the first decade of the 21st century. The road then curves northeast towards the City of Brooksville. A right-of way for another frontage road was built on the north side of SR 50 in front of the hospital, and was assumed to be for nurses quarters for the hospital. This roadway was intended to stretch as far east as Mobley Road. Neither the road nor the nurses quarters have been built as of this writing.
At the southern end of CR 485 and the west end of
State Road 50A, SR 50 takes a sharp right turn and joins
US Truck Route 98 around downtown Brooksville, but never truly leaves the city limits. Curving to the southeast near the Hernando County Sheriff's Department headquarters, the remainder of the former rural characteristics of Brooksville can still be found, until it approaches
US 41
U.S. Route 41, also U.S. Highway 41 (US 41), is a major north–south United States Numbered Highway that runs from Miami, Florida, to the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. Until 1949, the part in southern Florida, from Naples to Miami, ...
where hidden
State Road 700 secretly joins the road. Climbing another hill, the road turns direct east again where it passes in front of a pair of churches before the intersection of County Road 445(Main Street) and Mitchell Road, and then an at-grade crossing with
CSX
CSX Transportation , known colloquially as simply CSX, is a Class I freight railroad operating in the Eastern United States and the Canadian provinces of Ontario and Quebec. The railroad operates approximately 21,000 route miles () of track. ...
's
Brooksville Subdivision
CSX Transportation's Brooksville Subdivision is a railroad line in the Tampa Bay region of Florida. Today, the line runs from the Clearwater Subdivision in Sulphur Springs, Florida north to a point just north of Brooksville, a distance of 49.1 mi ...
. After the intersection with
CR 581, the road turns northeast as it approaches the intersection of Jasmine Boulevard, but more importantly
US 98
U.S. Route 98 (US 98) is an east–west United States Highway in the Southeastern United States that runs from western Mississippi to southern Florida. It was established in 1933 as a route between Pensacola and Apalachicola, Florida, and has sinc ...
and the eastern terminus of SR 50A, as well as the eastern terminus of US Truck Route 98. From here the speed limit increases to 60 miles per hour. It moves primarily southeast through farmland and wooded swampland. US 98/SR 50 finally turns straight east again when it runs between a pair of lakebeds before the intersection with CRs 484 and
541
__NOTOC__
Year 541 (Roman numerals, DXLI) was a common year starting on Tuesday of the Julian calendar. In the Roman Empire, it was known as the Year of the Consulship of Anicius Faustus Albinus Basilius, Basilius without colleague (or, less ...
. At this point, the road moves up and down a series of hills but first passes by communities such as
Rolling Acres
Rolling Acres is a former shopping district in Akron, Ohio, surrounding the now-demolished Rolling Acres Mall. Planning for the area began in 1960s with Forest City Enterprises, a Cleveland real estate company and the powerful Buchholzer family, ...
and
Hill 'n Dale, where a residential frontage road can be found on the north side. The hills continue along the road, but along more farms and sparsely populated areas, among them
Wildlife Lane. One trailer park can be found just west of Lockhart Road, which is the site of numerous dog shows. Entering the unincorporated community of
Ridge Manor West, the road approaches some hotels, gas stations and restaurants serving motorist and tourists on
Interstate 75
Interstate 75 (I-75) is a major north–south Interstate Highway in the Great Lakes and Southeastern regions of the United States. As with most Interstates that end in 5, it is a major cross-country, north–south route, traveling from S ...
. US 98-SR 50 is the only interchange along I-75 in Hernando County, and until the completion of the reconstruction of the interchange in September 2019, the left-turn lanes leading to the on-ramps were notoriously short. Directly east of I-75 is a development that shares the community's namesake as well as one shopping center.
![US 98-FL 50 @ Withlacoochee River](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/8a/US_98-FL_50_%40_Withlacoochee_River.jpg)
The road takes one last drop, only to rise again and officially enter
Ridge Manor at the intersection of Kettering Road and Croom-Rital Road which leads to a trailhead for the
Withlacoochee State Trail
Withlacoochee State Trail is a long paved, multi-use, non-motorized rail trail in Florida located in Citrus County, Florida, Citrus, Hernando County, Florida, Hernando and Pasco County, Florida, Pasco counties. It follows along the Withlacooch ...
US 98-SR 50 pass under a bridge for this trail. At the crossing over the
Withlacoochee River, two former sections of the road exist on the east side of the river; Paul N. Steckle Lane, and Ridge Manor Boulevard. The shorter Paul N. Steckle Lane exists on the north side and contains a Hernando County Firehouse, local residences, and one entrance to the
Cypress Lake Preserve
Cypress Lake Preserve is a nature preserve in Ridge Manor, Florida. The preserve is located in the vicinity of US 98/ SR 50 and Ridge Manor Boulevard in Ridge Manor, Florida
Ridge Manor is a census-designated place (CDP) in Hernando County, Fl ...
. Ridge Manor Boulevard begins on the south side, and crosses over to the north side east of the firehouse and west of the Hernando County Eastside Solid Waste Convenience Station. When US 98 turns southeast toward
Trilby
A trilby is a narrow-brimmed type of hat. The trilby was once viewed as the rich man's favored hat; it is sometimes called the "brown trilby" in Britain Roetzel, Bernhard (1999). ''Gentleman's Guide to Grooming and Style''. Barnes & Noble. and ...
,
Dade City
Dade City is a city in and the county seat of Pasco County, Florida, United States. It is located in the Tampa Bay Area. The population was 6,437 at the 2010 census.
Dade City is popular with tourists for its antique stores, restaurants, and h ...
, and
West Palm Beach
West or Occident is one of the four cardinal directions or points of the compass. It is the opposite direction from east and is the direction in which the Sunset, Sun sets on the Earth.
Etymology
The word "west" is a Germanic languages, German ...
, SR 50 continues east and narrows down to two lanes. The final major intersection in Hernando County is with
US 301
U.S. Route 301 (US 301) is a spur of U.S. Route 1 running through the South Atlantic States. It runs from Biddles Corner, Delaware at Delaware Route 1 to Sarasota, Florida at U.S. Route 41. It passes through the states of Delaware, Mar ...
. After this, the road passes by a sand mine, and the right-of way for an abandoned segment of Ridge Manor Boulevard, before it crosses the CSX's
Wildwood Subdivision
The Wildwood Subdivision is a railroad line owned by CSX Transportation in Florida. It runs along CSX's S Line from Baldwin south to Zephyrhills via Ocala and Wildwood for a total of 155.7 miles. The S Line is CSX's designation for the line tha ...
(part of the S-Line), and then serves as the northern terminus of
CR 575 which becomes a State Road once it enters Pasco County. SR 50 turns northeast and enters
Withlacoochee State Forest
The Withlacoochee State Forest is in the western central part in the U.S. state of Florida, near Lecanto, Inverness, Floral City, Brooksville, Ridge Manor, and Dade City. The forest was named for the Withlacoochee River, which passes throug ...
. Within the forest, the road crosses the Little Withlacoochee River, a tributary of the Withlacoochee River, where it crosses the Hernando-Sumter County Line.
As SR 50 enters Sumter County, it continues to move further north, however at the intersection of
CR 478A, it turns back east before it enters
Tarrytown
Tarrytown is a administrative divisions of New York#Village, village in the administrative divisions of New York#Town, town of Greenburgh, New York, Greenburgh in Westchester County, New York. It is located on the eastern bank of the Hudson Rive ...
and eventually intersects
State Road 471 where one can find a clear view of a lumber mill. East of here, SR 50 runs along the north side of the former
Orange Belt Railway
The Orange Belt Railway (later known as the Sanford & St. Petersburg Railroad) was a narrow gauge railroad established in 1885 by Russian exile Peter Demens in Florida. It was one of the longest narrow gauge railroads in the United States at th ...
right-of-way. Both SR 50 and the railroad bed pass through the rural unincorporated communities of
Linden and then
Mabel
Mabel is an English female given name derived from the Latin ''amabilis'', "lovable, dear".Reclams Namensbuch, 1987,
History
Amabilis of Riom (died 475) was a French male saint who logically would have assumed the name Amabilis upon entering th ...
, which serves as the northern terminus for the
General James A. Van Fleet State Trail
General James A. Van Fleet State Trail is a rail trail in Florida, named after General James A. Van Fleet, who was a distinguished combat commander in both World Wars and the Korean War.
It is protected as a Florida State Park and occupies a a ...
. Access to the trail can be found at the intersection of Southeast 121st Avenue which is east of a former railroad bridge that went over the right-of-way for a former railroad line once used by
Seaboard Air Line Railroad
The Seaboard Air Line Railroad , which styled itself "The Route of Courteous Service," was an American railroad which existed from April 14, 1900, until July 1, 1967, when it merged with the Atlantic Coast Line Railroad, its longtime rival, t ...
spanning from
Coleman to
Auburndale in
Polk County Polk County is the name of twelve counties in the United States, all except two named after president of the United States James Knox Polk:
* Polk County, Arkansas
* Polk County, Florida
* Polk County, Georgia
* Polk County, Iowa
* Polk Count ...
until the 1980s. This bridge was removed by the
Florida Department of Transportation
The Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) 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 t ...
in the early-2010s. The last intersection in Sumter County is CR 469, which takes motorists to
Center Hill. SR 50 crosses the Sumter-Lake County Line in the vicinity of a series of power lines.
Lake County and western Orange County
![EB FL 50 @ US 27 Interchange](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/df/EB_FL_50_%40_US_27_Interchange.JPG)
Upon entering Lake County, SR 50 maintains its rural surroundings as it runs through unincorporated communities such as
Sloans Ridge, but even after running through
Stuckey those characteristics diminish as the road moves further east. Within the City of
Mascotte, the name of SR 50 changes to West Myers Boulevard. After the former Orange Belt Railway right-of-way crosses the road, a multiplex with
State Road 33 begins at CR 33(Bluff Lake Road), where SR 50 suddenly becomes a four-lane divided highway named East Myers Boulevard. After the intersection with Atlantic Avenue, SR 33-50 also acquires the name Broad Street. These two names are shared until the road enters the city limits of
Groveland, and Myers Boulevard terminates. The divider is widened further at a BP gas station in a former fork in the road when SR 50 becomes a pair of one-way streets in Downtown Groveland. Eastbound SR 33-50 becomes Orange Street, while westbound SR 33-50 remains Broad Street. After passing by Lake David the road intersects
State Road 19. The two streets that carry two directions of SR 50 merge again at the east end of the multiplex with
State Road 33. Broad Street continues to take SR 50 further east as a four-lane divided highway. Roughly two blocks east of
CR 565A, the road crosses into the City of
Clermont, where it passes two developments before dipping down slightly and to the southeast to run over the
Palatlakaha River between Lakes Hiawatha and Palatlakaha, the latter of which has a trailer park on the eastbound line. Motorists can see the
Florida Citrus Tower well before the intersection with
CR 561(12th Street), where the tower itself can be found on the north side. Three intersections later at West Avenue the road turns directly east again in front of Center Lake to the north side and two blocks north of Lake Winona on the south side. After passing by Crystal Lake to the north SR 50 runs along the north edge of Lake Sunnyside, where it then runs southeast before reaching an unnumbered interchange with
US 27
U.S. Route 27 (US 27) is a north–south United States Highway in the southern and midwestern United States. The southern terminus is at US 1 in Miami, Florida. The northern terminus is at Interstate 69 (I-69) in Fort Wayne, Indiana. F ...
.
![EB FL 50 @ Florida's Turnpike Interchange; June 18, 2011](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/68/EB_FL_50_%40_Florida%27s_Turnpike_Interchange%3B_June_18%2C_2011.jpg)
As the road crosses the Lake-
Orange
Orange most often refers to:
*Orange (fruit), the fruit of the tree species '' Citrus'' × ''sinensis''
** Orange blossom, its fragrant flower
*Orange (colour), from the color of an orange, occurs between red and yellow in the visible spectrum
* ...
County Line, it instantly enters the census-designated place of
Killarney
Killarney ( ; ga, Cill Airne , meaning 'church of sloes') is a town in County Kerry, southwestern Ireland. The town is on the northeastern shore of Lough Leane, part of Killarney National Park, and is home to St Mary's Cathedral, Ross Castl ...
. Here, SR 50 is officially named "West Colonial Drive." On both sides of the border are connecting roads to Old State Road 50, as well as trailheads for the
Lake Minneola Scenic Trail and
West Orange Trail
The West Orange Trail is a long multi-use rail trail owned by Orange County Parks and Recreation in Orange County, Florida, in the United States. The paved trail passes through downtown Oakland, Winter Garden, and Apopka with most of its length b ...
. The road's time in Killarney is short-lived though as it enters
Oakland
Oakland is the largest city and the county seat of Alameda County, California, United States. A major West Coast port, Oakland is the largest city in the East Bay region of the San Francisco Bay Area, the third largest city overall in the Bay A ...
where it curves briefly to the northeast to encounter
Florida's Turnpike
Florida's Turnpike, designated as unsigned State Road 91 (SR 91), is a toll road in the U.S. state of Florida, maintained by Florida's Turnpike Enterprise (FTE). Spanning approximately along a northwest–southeast axis, the turnpike is in two s ...
, and the recently rebuilt Exit 272. The road evolves into a total commercial strip in
Winter Garden
A winter garden is a kind of garden maintained in wintertime.
History
The origin of the winter garden dates back to the 17th to 19th centuries where European nobility would construct large conservatories that would house tropical and subtro ...
, and serves as the terminus of County Road 545 north of
Tildenville. It also intersects such roads as County Road 535 as well as
State Road 537. The one and only interchange in Winter Garden is with
State Road 429's(Western Expressway's) Exit 23, but immediately after this interchange SR 50 enters
Ocoee where it intersects with Exit 267B on Florida's Turnpike, at another connector ramp without a crossing. The next major intersection in Ocoee is
State Road 439(Bluford Avenue) in
Minorville, which also doubles as the western terminus of
State Road 526 and leads to Old Winter Garden Road. Right after the intersection of Blackwood Avenue and the grounds of the Health Central Hospital, the road intersects both Clarke Road and the connecting ramps to and from
State Road 408, which is considered Exit 1. Past this, the road heads south of the
West Oaks Mall. The final segment in Ocoee runs along more strip malls and cluster developments, then runs along a causeway over Lake Lotta before it enters
Orlando
Orlando () is a city in the U.S. state of Florida and is the county seat of Orange County. In Central Florida, it is the center of the Orlando metropolitan area, which had a population of 2,509,831, according to U.S. Census Bureau figures rele ...
proper. The first intersection in Orlando is Good Homes Road, but then SR 50 goes over another causeway over Lake Sherwood. After this, the road intersects the still incomplete County Road 435(
Apopka-Vineland Road
Apopka-Vineland Road is the name of several roads in Orange County, Florida, roughly forming a line from Apopka, Florida, Apopka south to Vineland, Florida, Vineland. As of now, there is one gap, from Old Winter Garden Road to Florida State Road ...
). Currently CR 435 is detoured at Hiawassee Road. Other major intersections in western Orlando include the northern terminus of
State Road 435 (Kirkman Road). Briefly, SR 50 runs through
Orlando Chinatown
The Orlando metropolitan area, commonly referred to as Greater Orlando, Metro Orlando, Central Florida as well as for United States census, U.S. Census purposes as the Orlando–Kissimmee–Sanford, Florida Metropolitan Statistical Area, is a Unite ...
and then resumes the previous commercial strip. Important intersections include
State Road 423 (John Young Parkway). East of that intersection as SR 50 meets North Tampa Avenue the road narrows down to four lanes.
Downtown Orlando and vicinity
US 17
U.S. Route 17 or U.S. Highway 17 (US 17), also known as the Coastal Highway, is a north–south United States Highway that spans in the southeastern United States. It runs close to the Atlantic Coast for much of its length, with ...
-
US 92
U.S. Route 92 or U.S. Highway 92 (US 92) is a 181-mile (291 km.) U.S. Route entirely in the U.S. state of Florida. The western terminus is at US 19 Alt. and SR 687 in downtown St. Petersburg. The eastern terminus is at SR A1A in Daytona B ...
-
US 441
U.S. Route 441 (US 441) is a auxiliary route of U.S. Route 41. It extends from US 41 in Miami, Florida to US 25W in Rocky Top, Tennessee. Between its termini, US 441 travels through the states of Florida, Georgia, North ...
(
Orange Blossom Trail
U.S. Route 441 (US 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.
Like all AASHTO designated highways in Florida, US 441 always ...
) serves as the western end of the
U.S. Route 17/92 (
SR 500/
SR 600) concurrency. Here, US 17-92 (and SR 600) end their concurrency with US 441, and join SR 50, while US 441 and the Orange Blossom Trail move further northwest in Florida and beyond. A railroad line runs along the right side of this intersection, and the first feature along the US 17/92-SR 50 multiplex is a grade crossing. US 17/92 with SR 50 (and SR 600), meets the south end of Edgewater Drive and passes by Lake Dot Park and then Don Dudley Park before it crosses
Interstate 4
Interstate 4 (I-4) is an Interstate Highway located entirely within the U.S. state of Florida, maintained by the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT). Spanning along a generally southwest–northeast axis, I-4 is entirely concurrent wi ...
(
SR 400; Exits 83B & 84) then crosses the
SunRail
SunRail is a commuter rail system in the Greater Orlando, Florida, area. Services began on May 1, 2014. The system comprises 16 stations along a former CSX Transportation line connecting Volusia County and Osceola County through Downtown Orland ...
tracks (former CSX A-Line) and
State Road 527 (Orange Avenue southbound and Magnolia Avenue northbound) before meeting
State Road 15(Mills Avenue), where US 17/92 turns north thereby marking the eastern end of US 17/92(SR 600) concurrency. Between Maguire Boulevard and Lake Barton, SR 50 runs along the northern border of
Orlando Executive Airport
Orlando Executive Airport is a public airport three miles (6 km) east of downtown Orlando, in Orange County, Florida. It is owned and operated by the Greater Orlando Aviation Authority (GOAA) and serves general aviation.
Overview
Orlando ...
, however the view of the airport is obstructed by numerous stores and shopping malls. Along this stretch, the road passes north of
Colonial Plaza and south of
Orlando Fashion Square
Orlando Fashion Square is a split one-story, two-story indoor shopping mall located in Orlando, Florida. Opened in 1973, it features 79 stores in over one million square feet of shop space. The mall's anchor stores are Macy's, Floor & Decor, and Di ...
. Across from Lake Barton is the western terminus of Old Cheney Highway, a former section of SR 50. East of this intersection is Little Lake Barton, and SR 50 begins to curve to the northeast, but not as sharply as the former segment. Lake Barton stretches from the vicinity of this intersection to the southwest corner of
State Road 436 (Semoran Boulevard), which has had an interchange since 2010. The road continues its northeast curve into
Azalea Park as it passes by the nearby
Colonial High School
Colonial High School is a public high school located in Orlando, Florida, United States.
Colonial serves grades 9–12 within the neighborhoods of Azalea Park, Engelwood Park, Rio Pinar, Lake Fredrica, Ventura, Pershing, Vista East, Vista Par ...
named in honor of SR 50, it then intersects Old Cheney Highway a second time but then moves directly east again before the intersection with
State Road 551(Goldenrod Road)
East of Orlando and the Space Coast
Though leaving Orlando, SR 50 remains in Orange County as it enters
Union Park, Here the road has one interchange with
State Road 417(Central Florida GreeneWay) at Exit 34, but signs also point towards State Toll Road 408. Entering
University Park, SR 50 intersects such major highways as
State Road 434 (Alafaya Trail), and then the eastern terminus of
State Road 408 at Exit 23, which is also the southern terminus of the Challenger Parkway at the
University of Central Florida
The University of Central Florida (UCF) is a public research university whose main campus is in unincorporated Orange County, Florida. UCF also has nine smaller regional campuses throughout central Florida. It is part of the State University ...
. After crossing a bridge over the
Econlockhatchee River
The Econlockhatchee River (Econ River for short) is an U.S. Geological Survey. National Hydrography Dataset high-resolution flowline dataThe National Map , accessed April 21, 2011 north-flowing blackwater tributary of the St. Johns River. The E ...
, the road curves to the southeast and passes through
Lockwood and then
Bithlo
Bithlo is a census-designated place and an unincorporated community in Orange County, Florida, United States. The population was 8,268 at the 2010 census, up from 4,626 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Orlando– Kissimmee Metropolitan St ...
which is near the
Orange County Raceway complex, which includes the
Orlando Speed World Dragstrip and the
Orange Speed World Speedway
Orange most often refers to:
*Orange (fruit), the fruit of the tree species '' Citrus'' × ''sinensis''
** Orange blossom, its fragrant flower
*Orange (colour), from the color of an orange, occurs between red and yellow in the visible spectrum
* ...
. Further east within Bithlo, SR 50 serves as the western terminus of
State Road 520 at an interchange with no exit numbers. East of this interchange the road turns direct east again and passes through
Christmas
Christmas is an annual festival commemorating Nativity of Jesus, the birth of Jesus, Jesus Christ, observed primarily on December 25 as a religious and cultural celebration among billions of people Observance of Christmas by country, around t ...
, a rural community containing various Christmas shops, trailer parks and the Jungle Adventures Nature Animal Park which boasts of having "Swampy" the world's largest alligator.
![Eastbound FL 50 St Johns River Bridge Sign(Close-Up)](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/2a/Eastbound_FL_50_St_Johns_River_Bridge_Sign%28Close-Up%29.jpg)
Before crossing the
St. Johns River
The St. Johns River ( es, Río San Juan) is the longest river in the U.S. state of Florida and its most significant one for commercial and recreational use. At long, it flows north and winds through or borders twelve counties. The drop in eleva ...
, SR 50 runs along the northern border of the
Tosohatchee State Reserve. The westbound bridge over the river was built in 1967, while the eastbound bridge was built in 1971. After crossing the third bridge along the river, it enters
Brevard County
Brevard County ( ) is a county located in the east central portion of the U.S. state of Florida. As of the 2020 census, the population was 606,612, making it the 10th-most populated county in Florida. The official county seat is located in T ...
and the name changes from East Colonial Drive to Cheney Highway. From here it runs along the southern border of the
Saint Johns National Wildlife Refuge, which terminates at the interchange with
Interstate 95
Interstate 95 (I-95) is the main north–south Interstate Highway on the East Coast of the United States, running from U.S. Route 1, US Route 1 (US 1) in Miami, Miami, Florida, to the Houlton–Woodstock Border Crossing between M ...
at Exit 215. SR 50 officially enters
Titusville after passing by the entrance to The Great Outdoors Golf and Recreational Vehicle Resort, west of the I-95 interchange. Immediately the road is lined with hotels gas stations and restaurants as it curves to the northeast to intersect
State Road 405, which serves as a half-loop around Titusville to
Kennedy Space Center
The John F. Kennedy Space Center (KSC, originally known as the NASA Launch Operations Center), located on Merritt Island, Florida, is one of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration's (NASA) ten field centers. Since December 1968 ...
. From here the road curves east again, and stays straight throughout most of the rest of the segment, with the exception of an area known as The Meadows between Hood Avenue and Moon Road. After the
Florida East Coast Railroad
The Florida East Coast Railway is a Class II railroad operating in the U.S. state of Florida, currently owned by Grupo México.
Built primarily in the last quarter of the 19th century and the first decade of the 20th century, the FEC was a pro ...
crossing,
NASA
The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA ) is an independent agency of the US federal government responsible for the civil space program, aeronautics research, and space research.
NASA was established in 1958, succeeding t ...
's
Vehicle Assembly Building
The Vehicle Assembly Building (originally the Vertical Assembly Building), or VAB, is a large building at NASA's Kennedy Space Center (KSC), designed to assemble large pre-manufactured space vehicle components, such as the massive Saturn V and th ...
is visible just before the east end of SR 50 at
US Route 1
U.S. Route 1 or U.S. Highway 1 (US 1) is a major north–south United States Numbered Highway that serves the East Coast of the United States. It runs from Key West, Florida, north to Fort Kent, Maine, at the Canadian border, making i ...
.
History
Before the
1945 renumbering, the route that became SR 50 had the following numbers:
*
SR 15
Route 15, or Highway 15, can refer to:
For roads named A15, see A15 roads.
International
* Asian Highway 15
* European route E15
* European route E015
Australia New South Wales
* Hunter Expressway
* New England Highway and other local Ne ...
from
Weeki Wachee
Weeki Wachee is an unincorporated community and former city located in Hernando County, Florida, United States. As of the 2020 census, the community has a total population of 16. The Weeki Wachee Preserve and the Weeki Wachee Springs park are ...
to
Brooksville
*
SR 34 from Brooksville to
Rolling Acres
Rolling Acres is a former shopping district in Akron, Ohio, surrounding the now-demolished Rolling Acres Mall. Planning for the area began in 1960s with Forest City Enterprises, a Cleveland real estate company and the powerful Buchholzer family, ...
*
SR 51 from Brooksville to
Tildenville
*
SR 210 from east of
Ridge Manor to east of
Mabel
Mabel is an English female given name derived from the Latin ''amabilis'', "lovable, dear".Reclams Namensbuch, 1987,
History
Amabilis of Riom (died 475) was a French male saint who logically would have assumed the name Amabilis upon entering th ...
*
SR 22 from east of Mabel to Tildenville
*
SR 2 from
Mascotte to
Groveland
*
SR 208 from Tildenville south 1/4 mile
*
SR 434
The following highways are numbered 434:
Canada
*Manitoba Provincial Road 434
*Newfoundland and Labrador Route 434
Route 434, also known as Conche Road, is a east–west highway on the Great Northern Peninsula of Newfoundland (Island), Newfoun ...
from south of Tildenville to
Minorville
*
SR 22 from Minorville to
Indian River City
*
SR 51 from Minorville to
Orlando
Orlando () is a city in the U.S. state of Florida and is the county seat of Orange County. In Central Florida, it is the center of the Orlando metropolitan area, which had a population of 2,509,831, according to U.S. Census Bureau figures rele ...
*
SR 322 from near
Gotha
Gotha () is the fifth-largest city in Thuringia, Germany, west of Erfurt and east of Eisenach with a population of 44,000. The city is the capital of the district of Gotha and was also a residence of the Ernestine Wettins from 1640 until the ...
to Orlando
SR 50 was defined in the
1945 renumbering as:
* From
Weekiwachee Springs on
SR 55 Northeasterly via
Wiscon
WisCon or Wiscon, a Wisconsin science fiction convention, is the oldest, and often called the world's leading, feminist science fiction convention and conference. It was first held in Madison, Wisconsin in February 1977, after a group of fans att ...
and
Spring Hill to a junction with
SR 45 in
Brooksville and East along
SR 45 to intersection with Main St. then South on Main St. to a point near the South City Limits of Brooksville. Then East and Southeasterly via
Rital to
Richloam thence Northeasterly via
Riverland
The Riverland is a region of South Australia. It covers an area of along the Murray River, River Murray from where it flows into South Australia from New South Wales and Victoria (Australia), Victoria downstream to Blanchetown, South Australia ...
-
Tarrytown
Tarrytown is a administrative divisions of New York#Village, village in the administrative divisions of New York#Town, town of Greenburgh, New York, Greenburgh in Westchester County, New York. It is located on the eastern bank of the Hudson Rive ...
and
Mable icto a junction with
SR 33 in
Mascotte and along
SR 33 to intersection with
SR 459 at
Groveland. Thence in an Easterly direction via
Minneola -
Oakland
Oakland is the largest city and the county seat of Alameda County, California, United States. A major West Coast port, Oakland is the largest city in the East Bay region of the San Francisco Bay Area, the third largest city overall in the Bay A ...
-
Minorville and
Orlovista icto a junction with
SR 500 in
Orlando
Orlando () is a city in the U.S. state of Florida and is the county seat of Orange County. In Central Florida, it is the center of the Orlando metropolitan area, which had a population of 2,509,831, according to U.S. Census Bureau figures rele ...
and North along
SR 500 to Colonial Drive then East along Colonial Drive and Easterly via
Bithlo
Bithlo is a census-designated place and an unincorporated community in Orange County, Florida, United States. The population was 8,268 at the 2010 census, up from 4,626 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Orlando– Kissimmee Metropolitan St ...
-
Ft. Christmas to junction with
SR 5 at
Indian River City in
Brevard County
Brevard County ( ) is a county located in the east central portion of the U.S. state of Florida. As of the 2020 census, the population was 606,612, making it the 10th-most populated county in Florida. The official county seat is located in T ...
.
* Also from intersection of
SR 50 and Massachusetts St. in
Mascotte North along Massachusetts St. to intersection with
SR 33.
Since then, the following changes have been made:
* SR 50 was extended west from its west end to
Bayport, on the
Gulf of Mexico
The Gulf of Mexico ( es, Golfo de México) is an oceanic basin, ocean basin and a marginal sea of the Atlantic Ocean, largely surrounded by the North American continent. It is bounded on the northeast, north and northwest by the Gulf Coast of ...
. Later it was given back to
Hernando County
Hernando County is a county located on the west central coast of the U.S. state of Florida. As of the 2020 census, the population was 194,515. Its county seat is Brooksville, and its largest community is Spring Hill.
Hernando County is incl ...
(now
CR 550).
* A new alignment for SR 50 was built east of
Brooksville, removing the section on Main Street (which may have become
SR 581) and a part east of Main Street.
* Later, SR 50 was realigned around Brooksville, and the old road through downtown became
SR 50A.
* Near the
Withlacoochee River a higher four-lane bridge was built on a short realigned section. The old road, which only exists on the east side of the river is now called Paul N. Steckle Lane, and can be found behind a Hernando County Firehouse.
* Three dirt roads inside Withlacoochee State Forest were once part of SR 50. They include Richloam-Clay Sink Road, Riverland Road, and Ham Road.
* The spur in
Mascotte is no longer state-maintained.
* A whole new alignment was built from east of
Groveland to south of
Tildenville, via
Clermont. The old road became, in order from west to east,
SR 565A (now
CR 565A),
SR 561A (now
CR 561),
SR 561 (now partly abandoned and partly maintained by Clermont), an unknown number (now
CR Old 50), and
SR 438 (now
CR 438). The short north–south connector at Tildenville became an extension of
SR 545 (now
CR 545).
* A whole new alignment was built from
Minorville to west of downtown
Orlando
Orlando () is a city in the U.S. state of Florida and is the county seat of Orange County. In Central Florida, it is the center of the Orlando metropolitan area, which had a population of 2,509,831, according to U.S. Census Bureau figures rele ...
. The old road became an extension of
SR 526 (now
CR 526), and the concurrency with
SR 500/
SR 600 was removed.
* Several minor realignments were built in 1948 (at least the eastern two) at
SR 436 and west of and at
Bithlo
Bithlo is a census-designated place and an unincorporated community in Orange County, Florida, United States. The population was 8,268 at the 2010 census, up from 4,626 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Orlando– Kissimmee Metropolitan St ...
. The old roads are now
Old Cheney Highway.
Plans
State Road 50 from U.S. 27 in Clermont through the turnpike to Pine Hills Road is being widened from four lanes to six-lanes, a divided highway with improvements to the on and off ramps of the Florida Turnpike. The construction project for six-laning from SR 436 to Dean Road has been completed, and next phase from Dean Road to Avalon Park Blvd was started in early 2014. Improvements include the new overpass at the State Road 436 Semoran Blvd intersection which has access ramps to Semoran Blvd either southbound to the Orlando International Airport or northbound. This overpass was completed in 2010.
SR 50 (Colonial Drive) Widening Project from Dean Road to Avalon Park Boulevard (Central Florida Roads; FDOT)
/ref>
Major intersections
Related routes
State Road 50A
State Road 50A (SR 50A) is a former segment of SR 50 that runs primarily along West and East Jefferson Street, entirely in the city of Brooksville in the State of 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 ...
. Like its parent route, it is signed east–west.
The road begins at the intersection of SR 50 (Cortez Boulevard, including the realigned section) and CR 485 (Cobb Road). The realigned section of SR 50 serves as Truck Route 50 as well as part of Truck US 98, while CR 485 also serves as Truck US 98. At Ponce de Leon Boulevard (US 98
U.S. Route 98 (US 98) is an east–west United States Highway in the Southeastern United States that runs from western Mississippi to southern Florida. It was established in 1933 as a route between Pensacola and Apalachicola, Florida, and has sinc ...
/ SR 700), it becomes concurrent with US 98
U.S. Route 98 (US 98) is an east–west United States Highway in the Southeastern United States that runs from western Mississippi to southern Florida. It was established in 1933 as a route between Pensacola and Apalachicola, Florida, and has sinc ...
, until its eastern terminus with SR 50 and Jasmine Drive. Shortly after this new concurrence, it makes a right along North Mildred Avenue, for eastbound traffic only, and both merge with US 41
U.S. Route 41, also U.S. Highway 41 (US 41), is a major north–south United States Numbered Highway that runs from Miami, Florida, to the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. Until 1949, the part in southern Florida, from Naples to Miami, ...
. Between North Mildred Avenue and May Avenue, eastbound SR 50A, US 41, and US 98 are concurrent along Broad Street, while westbound SR 50A, US 41, and US 98 are concurrent along East Jefferson Avenue, then West Jefferson Avenue. US 41 reunites with Broad Street at North Mildred Avenue. This one-way configuration for Broad Street and Jefferson Street has been in effect since November 1993, according to the Florida Department of Transportation
The Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) 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 t ...
. While both segments go up and down steep hills in the heart of the city, the Broad Street (eastbound) section runs over an old railroad bridge built in 1936.
Turning south along East Jefferson Street near Roger's Christmas House, SR 50A & US 98 go down an easier hill where it curves to the left before the intersection with Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard (formerly Summit Street/CR 581A), then zips past the northern terminus of CR 581 (Emerson Road), finally reuniting with SR 50, which US 98 becomes concurrent with until breaking away in Ridge Manor more than east.
County Road 550
County Road 550 is a former segment and coastal spur of SR 50. It runs from the Gulf of Mexico
The Gulf of Mexico ( es, Golfo de México) is an oceanic basin, ocean basin and a marginal sea of the Atlantic Ocean, largely surrounded by the North American continent. It is bounded on the northeast, north and northwest by the Gulf Coast of ...
in Bayport to US 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 ...
in Weeki Wachee, where it becomes SR 50. Like its parent route, it is signed east–west, and is named Cortez Boulevard.
County Road 550 begins at Bayport Park heading east, then later curves to the northeast until it approaches a seafood restaurant on the southwest corner of an intersection with CR 495, only to turn back east again over the tidal swamps of the coast, which are owned by the Chassahowitzka National Wildlife Refuge
The Chassahowitzka National Wildlife Refuge is part of the United States National Wildlife Refuge System, located on the west coast of Florida, about north of St. Petersburg. It is famous as the southern wintering site for the re-introduced eas ...
. Curving southeast, the road passes by a fishing encampment and another restaurant before intersecting with CR 597 north of Weeki Wachee Gardens. From there, a sparse residential area can be found, but after more woods, a semi-commercial area turns up. The road finally curves to the east before approaching preserved land near Weeki Wachee Springs
Weeki Wachee Springs is a natural tourist attraction located in Weeki Wachee, Florida, where underwater performances by "mermaids," women wearing fish tails as well as other fanciful outfits, can be viewed in an aquarium-like setting in the spring ...
and terminates at the intersection of US 19 and SR 50.
County Road Old 50
County Road Old 50 is another former segment of SR 50. Like its parent route, it is signed east–west. Though other county roads were also part of State Road 50, the only portion signed as CR Old 50 is between Minneola and the Lake-Orange County Line. The segment east of CR 455 is part of the Green Mountain Scenic Byway
Green is the color between cyan and yellow on the visible spectrum. It is evoked by light which has a dominant wavelength of roughly 495570 nm. In subtractive color systems, used in painting and color printing, it is created by a combin ...
.
References
External links
{{Attached KML, display=title,inline
Florida 50 (AARoads.com)
050
050
050
050
050
050
050
Econlockhatchee River