U.S. Route 27 (US 27) in
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 ...
is a north–south
United States Highway
The United States Numbered Highway System (often called U.S. Routes or U.S. Highways) is an integrated network of roads and highways numbered within a nationwide grid in the contiguous United States. As the designation and numbering of these hi ...
. It runs from the
South Florida Metropolitan Area
The Miami metropolitan area (also known as Greater Miami, the Tri-County Area, South Florida, or the Gold Coast) is the ninth largest metropolitan statistical area in the United States and the 34th largest metropolitan area in the world with a ...
northwest to the
Tallahassee Metropolitan Statistical Area. Throughout the state, US 27 has been designated the Claude Pepper Memorial Highway by the
Florida Legislature
The Florida Legislature is the legislature of the U.S. State of Florida. It is organized as a bicameral body composed of an upper chamber, the Senate, and a lower chamber, the House of Representatives. Article III, Section 1 of the Florida Cons ...
. It was named after long-time Florida statesman
Claude Pepper
Claude Denson Pepper (September 8, 1900 – May 30, 1989) was an American politician of the Democratic Party, and a spokesman for left-liberalism and the elderly. He represented Florida in the United States Senate from 1936 to 1951, and the Mi ...
, who served in both the
U.S. Senate
The United States Senate is the upper chamber of the United States Congress, with the House of Representatives being the lower chamber. Together they compose the national bicameral legislature of the United States.
The composition and powe ...
and
House of Representatives
House of Representatives is the name of legislative bodies in many countries and sub-national entitles. In many countries, the House of Representatives is the lower house of a bicameral legislature, with the corresponding upper house often c ...
. The stretch running from
Miami
Miami ( ), officially the City of Miami, known as "the 305", "The Magic City", and "Gateway to the Americas", is a East Coast of the United States, coastal metropolis and the County seat, county seat of Miami-Dade County, Florida, Miami-Dade C ...
to
South Bay was originally designated the Thomas E. Will Memorial Highway by the Florida Legislature in 1937 when that portion was known as Florida State Road 26.
Will, the founder of
Okeelanta, Florida
Okeelanta is an unincorporated community in Palm Beach County, Florida, United States, located approximately 4 miles (7 km) south of South Bay on U.S. Route 27 at County Road 827. It was originally developed as a planned community in the ...
, had worked for almost twenty years to get the state to build a road from Miami to the area south of
Lake Okeechobee
Lake Okeechobee (), also known as Florida's Inland Sea, is the largest freshwater lake in the U.S. state of Florida. It is the tenth largest natural freshwater lake among the 50 states of the United States and the second-largest natural freshwat ...
.
For most of its length in the state, US 27 is a divided highway.
Between Miami and Leesburg, US 27 follows
SR 25, between Leesburg and Williston, it follows
SR 500, between Williston and High Springs, it follows
SR 45, between High Springs and Downtown Tallahassee, it follows
SR 20, within Downtown Tallahassee it follows
SR 61, and between Tallahassee and the Georgia border, it follows State Road 63 (SR 63).
Concurrencies include
State Road 80, between South Bay and Clewiston,
SR 78 from Moore Haven to Citrus Center,
US 98 between Sebring and West Frostproof,
US 441 between Leesburg and Ocala, which also includes a concurrency with
US 301 between Belleview and Ocala. Others include
US 41 between Williston and High Springs,
SR 20 between High Springs and Tallahassee,
US 129 in Branford,
US 19 between Perry and Capps, and
SR 61 in Tallahassee.
Route description
Miami through Central Florida
![US Route 27 End (33287604914)](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/0c/US_Route_27_End_%2833287604914%29.jpg)
US 27 begins its northward journey as North 36th Street in
Midtown Miami
Miami ( ), officially the City of Miami, known as "the 305", "The Magic City", and "Gateway to the Americas", is a East Coast of the United States, coastal metropolis and the County seat, county seat of Miami-Dade County, Florida, Miami-Dade C ...
, heading west from US 1 for before turning northwest to pass under the western terminus of the
Airport Expressway (State Road 112, SR 112). It then proceeds northwest for five miles (8 km) as South Okeechobee Road, parallel to the
Miami Canal
The Miami Canal, or C-6 Canal, flows from Lake Okeechobee in the U.S. state of Florida to its terminus at the Miami River, which flows through downtown Miami. The canal
Canals or artificial waterways are waterways or engineered ch ...
, forming the southwest boundary of the city of
Hialeah
Hialeah ( ; ) is a city in Miami-Dade County, Florida, United States. With a population of 223,109 as of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, Hialeah is the sixth-largest city in Florida. It is the second largest city by population in the Mi ...
. After an interchange with the
Palmetto Expressway
Palmetto (meaning "little palm") may refer to:
Palms
Several small palms in the Arecaceae (palm tree) family:
*in the genus ''Sabal'':
**Bermuda palmetto, '' Sabal bermudana''
**Birmingham palmetto, ''Sabal'' 'Birmingham'
**Dwarf, or bush palm ...
(SR 826), it continues northwest as North Okeechobee Road for five miles (8 km) before an interchange with the Homestead Extension of the Florida Turnpike. After another four miles (6 km), the highway curves to the north and, after passing the northern terminus of
Krome Avenue (SR 997), crosses into
Broward County
Broward County ( , ) is a county in the southeastern part of Florida, located in the Miami metropolitan area. It is Florida's second-most populous county after Miami-Dade County and the 17th-most populous in the United States, with over 1.94 m ...
.
![Lake Placid FL tower06](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/26/Lake_Placid_FL_tower06.jpg)
In Broward County, the highway passes protected wetlands and heavy duty power lines on the west and the outer reaches of the suburban communities of
Pembroke Pines
Pembroke Pines is a city in southern Broward County, Florida, United States. The city is located 22 miles (35 km) north of Miami. The population of Pembroke Pines is 171,178 as of the 2020 census. It is a suburb of and the fourth-most populous c ...
and
Weston
Weston may refer to:
Places Australia
* Weston, Australian Capital Territory, a suburb of Canberra
* Weston, New South Wales
* Weston Creek, a residential district of Canberra
* Weston Park, Canberra, a park
Canada
* Weston, Nova Scotia
* ...
on the east where it curves to the northwest. It passes by
West Broward High School
West Broward High School is a secondary school located in Pembroke Pines, Florida serving students in grades 9 through 12. The school is a part of the Broward County Public Schools district.
West Broward High has an FCAT school grade of "''A' ...
in
Pembroke Pines
Pembroke Pines is a city in southern Broward County, Florida, United States. The city is located 22 miles (35 km) north of Miami. The population of Pembroke Pines is 171,178 as of the 2020 census. It is a suburb of and the fourth-most populous c ...
, in which many school buses coming from
Sheridan Street use US 27 to get to Johnson Street to where the high school is. US 27 then reaches an interchange with
I-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 St ...
and
Alligator Alley
Interstate 75 (I-75) is a part of the Interstate Highway System and runs from the Hialeah–Miami Lakes border, a few miles northwest of Miami, to Sault Ste. Marie in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. I-75 begins its national northward jou ...
(exit 23) which is an elaborate partial cloverleaf with flyovers from US 27, loop ramps from I-75 and no re-entry to either road. From here, the road is surrounded by Everglades-related wilderness and recreational areas before curving to the north toward
South Bay, where it intersects
SR 80 and overlaps the road before curving west along the shores of
Lake Okeechobee
Lake Okeechobee (), also known as Florida's Inland Sea, is the largest freshwater lake in the U.S. state of Florida. It is the tenth largest natural freshwater lake among the 50 states of the United States and the second-largest natural freshwat ...
. The highway skirts the southwestern shore of Lake Okeechobee and then heads west through
Lake Harbor and then
Clewiston
Clewiston is a city in Hendry County, Florida, United States. Its location is northwest of Fort Lauderdale on the Atlantic coastal plain. The population was 7,327 at the 2020 census, up from 7,155 at the 2010 census. The estimated population in 2 ...
, before making a sharp turn to the north towards
Moore Haven
Moore Haven is a city in, and the county seat of, Glades County, Florida, United States. The population was 1,680 at the 2010 census. Moore Haven is located on the southwest shoreline of Lake Okeechobee.
History
The community was named after J ...
, where it crosses the Mamie Langdale Memorial Bridge over the Caloosahatchee Canal and makes another sharp turn to the west. The road then intersects with
SR 78, which it overlaps until reaching
Citrus Center, then proceeds in a northerly direction toward the central Florida communities such as
Lake Placid, where it intersects
SR 70.
The southern terminus of the concurrency with
U.S. Route 98 is also the eastern terminus of
SR 66. From here, the hidden routes are
SR 25 and
SR 700. Shortly after this, US 27/US 98 runs through a commercial strip area before curving to the west at a wye intersection along the south shore of Lake Jackson in
Sebring, where
SR 17 begins. The road heads back to the northwest as it runs along and then away from the edge of the lake. North of here, the road runs west of Lake Sebring, but in
Avon Park it runs much closer to the shores of Lake Glenada, where it passes through
South Florida Community College
South Florida State College is a public college in Florida with campuses in Highlands, DeSoto and Hardee counties. It is part of the Florida College System.
South Florida State College was founded in 1965 and serves around 16,000 students a ...
territory. From here it passes by Lake Lelia, and Lake Anoka, and just east of
Avon Park Executive Airport it intersects
SR 64 and the northern terminus of a segment of
SR 17. SR 64 continues east along part of SR 17 as a bi-county extension northeast into Polk County which runs through
Lake Wales Ridge State Forest
The Lake Wales Ridge State Forest is in the U.S. state of Florida. The forest is located on the Lake Wales Ridge in Central Florida, within Polk County near Frostproof.
The state forest consists of two large tracts, separated by 2 miles. The W ...
and terminates at the
Avon Park Air Force Range
Avon may refer to:
*River Avon (disambiguation), several rivers
Organisations
* Avon Buses, a bus operating company in Wirral, England
* Avon Coachworks, a car body builder established in 1919 at Warwick, England, relaunched in 1922, followin ...
. North of here, US 27 carries hidden state routes (SRs 17, 25 and 700) into
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 it reaches Sunray Deli Estates, where SR 17 breaks away again, and runs relatively parallel to US 27 until it reaches
Haines City
Haines City is a city in Polk County, Florida, United States. Its population was 13,174 at the 2000 census and 20,535 at the 2010 census. It is the third most populous city in Polk County. It is part of the Lakeland– Winter Haven Metropolitan S ...
. Meanwhile, after making a reverse curve over a bridge above a CSX Railroad Line that is used by
Amtrak
The National Railroad Passenger Corporation, Trade name, doing business as Amtrak () , is the national Passenger train, passenger railroad company of the United States. It operates inter-city rail service in 46 of the 48 contiguous United Stat ...
's
Silver Star
The Silver Star Medal (SSM) is the United States Armed Forces' third-highest military decoration for valor in combat. The Silver Star Medal is awarded primarily to members of the United States Armed Forces for gallantry in action against an e ...
and
Silver Meteor
The ''Silver Meteor'' is a passenger train operated by Amtrak between New York City and Miami, Florida. Introduced in 1939 as the first diesel-powered streamliner between New York and Florida, it was the flagship train of the Seaboard Air Line ...
lines, US 98 breaks away in West Frostproof, taking SR 700 with it. In the opposite direction of this intersection is a continuation of County Road 630. After passing by
Warner University
Warner University is a private Christian university in Lake Wales, Florida. It is affiliated with the Church of God.
History
Warner Southern College was founded in 1968 by the Southeastern Association of the Church of God in Anderson, Ind ...
,
Crooked Lake Park and County Road 640, US 27 becomes slightly less rural as it approaches an un-numbered partial cloverleaf interchange with
SR 60 in
Lake Wales
Lake Wales is a city in Polk County, Florida. The population was 14,225 at the 2010 census. , the population estimated by the U.S. Census Bureau is 16,759. It is part of the Lakeland– Winter Haven Metropolitan Statistical Area. Lake Wales is ...
. North of this point, US 27 becomes a six-lane highway, and remains that way until reaching
SR 540 in
Waverly, Florida
Waverly is a census-designated place (CDP) in east-central Polk County, Florida, Polk County, Florida, United States. The population was 1,927 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Lakeland, Florida, Lakeland–Winter Haven, Florida, Winter Ha ...
, where the road narrows down to four lanes again. However, the widening of US 27 to a six-lane highway continues in Polk County between here and
SR 542 in
Dundee
Dundee (; sco, Dundee; gd, Dùn Dè or ) is Scotland's fourth-largest city and the 51st-most-populous built-up area in the United Kingdom. The mid-year population estimate for 2016 was , giving Dundee a population density of 2,478/km2 or ...
. North of here, US 27 runs through
Lake Hamilton, and curves around the eastern shores of the lake for which the community was named. After passing by a pair of gated communities and crossing over a bridge between
Middle Lake Hamilton, and the ironically named larger Little Lake Hamilton, it curves north and intersects
SR 544. Taking a turn to the northeast after passing by Lake Henry, US 27 encounters another un-numbered interchange with
U.S. Route 17/92 in Haines City, and immediately passes over another CSX Railroad Line that is used by Amtrak's Silver Star and Silver Meteor lines. With the exception of a segment between Hammock Lake and Tower Lake, most of US 27 remains a commercial strip, especially as it enters
Davenport, and approaches quarter-cloverleaf interchanges on the southeast and northwest corners of the bridge over
Interstate 4 at exit 55.
Citrus Ridge to Santos
![Minneola FL US 27 south01](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/5c/Minneola_FL_US_27_south01.jpg)
North of I-4, US 27 contains more un-numbered interchanges. The first of which is a trumpet interchange with
US 192 (
SR 530) on the Polk-Lake County Line in Citrus Ridge, and shortly afterwards an at-grade intersection with
CR 474 (CR 474), although some maps have indicated another interchange here. Most of the road remains a rural four-lane highway with at-grade intersections. After passing by
Lake Louisa State Park
Lake Louisa State Park is a Florida State Park located south of Clermont, in the northeast corner of the Green Swamp and the southwestern shore of Lake Louisa. It is made up of bald cypress, live oak, and saw palmettos. In addition to Lake ...
and winding around the eastern shores of the lake that the park was named for, US 27 approaches a cloverleaf interchange without exit numbers at
SR 50 in Clermont. After passing the
Florida Citrus Tower and Presidents Hall of Fame, the road enters
Minneola along the east side of Lake Minneola, where it crosses a bridge over the
South Lake-Lake Minneola Scenic Trail, intersects such roads as
CR Old 50, as well as
CR 561, the latter of which it shares a brief concurrency. After this it briefly runs parallel to the southwest side of Florida's Turnpike, until it veers slightly to the west and approaches a quarter-cloverleaf interchange with
SR 19 south of
Howey-in-the-Hills, which also includes a southbound interchange with
Florida's Turnpike. The northbound Turnpike interchange can be found further northwest. At
Okahumpka, US 27 intersects two county roads that are extensions of state roads. The first of which is
CR 48, and the next of which is the northern terminus of
CR 33 before running along the western shore of Lake Harris and eastern shore of Lake Denham, the location of Singletary Park. Here it intersects CR 25A. North of Lake Harris, it enters
Leesburg where US 27 has an intersection with
SR 44.
US 441 later joins US 27, and as a result, the hidden state routes are officially
SR 25/
SR 500. SR 500 becomes more prominent however, because in Lady Lake, SR 25 branches away as County Road 25. This once served as the southern terminus of the US 27/US 441 Alternate Route around Lake Weir into
Belleview Belleview can refer to:
* Belleview (Middletown, Delaware), listed on the National Register of Historic Places listings in southern New Castle County, Delaware
* Belleview (Harrods Creek, Kentucky), listed on the National Register of Historic Pl ...
, but still remains a scenic route.
![Villages FL golf arch03](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/c1/Villages_FL_golf_arch03.jpg)
Around the Lake-Marion county border, US 27-441 enters a retirement community known as
The Villages. Because of the frequent use of street-legal golf cars in the community, bridges and tunnels for these carts can be found throughout the road. US 27/US 441 leaves The Villages as it approaches
CR 42, a bi-county east-west scenic route through Central Florida. North of here, it serves as the newly constructed bypass that leads to
CR 484, in
Summerfield. Within Belleview, the road encounters two somewhat important intersections;
CR 25A, and then
SR 35. SR 35 joins US 27/US 441 in a wrong-way concurrency with SR 500 as the road curves more to the west, until it reaches the intersection with
US 301, where SR 35 turns south, and SR 500 becomes the hidden state road for US 27/US 301/US 441 for a few blocks. However SR 25 reunites with the triplex at the former eastern terminus of CR 484, and shares a concurrency with SR 25, and US 27/US 301/US 441's new secret route becomes SR 25/SR 500. After that the road curves more to the north again. Near the right of way for the formerly proposed
Cross Florida Barge Canal
The Marjorie Harris Carr Cross Florida Greenway is a protected green belt corridor, more than one and a half miles (1.6 km) wide in places, that was the former route of the proposed Cross Florida Barge Canal. It is named for the leader o ...
, the median for the road widens, but narrows back down to normal again. Before it does, however, it intersects
CR 328, where a police station exists between the median. Supports for a bridge that was intended to run over the canal exist behind the police station. To the west of this intersection is the Santos Trailhead of the
Cross Florida Greenway.
Santos through High Springs
![Fellowship FL US27-01](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/4c/Fellowship_FL_US27-01.jpg)
Before US 27/US 301/US 441 enters
Ocala
Ocala ( ) is a city in and the county seat of Marion County within the northern region of Florida, United States. As of the 2020 United States Census, the city's population was 63,591, making it the 54th most populated city in Florida.
Home to ...
, it veers off to the left at an intersection with County Road Old 441 (Southeast Lake Weir Avenue), a former segment of US 441 that eventually leads to
Ocala Union Station
The Ocala Union Station (also known as Union Station Plaza) is a historic site in Ocala, Florida, United States. It is located at 531 Northeast First Avenue, and was built in 1917 by both the Atlantic Coast Line and Seaboard Air Line Railroad. Pr ...
. The first major intersection after this is 31st Street. Then it crosses under a railroad bridge before reaching the City Limits and the intersections with the northern terminus of CR 475 and crossing
SR 464 (17th Street). US 27/US 301/US 441 intersects with
SR 200 (becoming the new hidden state road until US 301 reaches US 1/US 23). The highway reaches the heart of Ocala at the intersection with
SR 40 (West Silver Springs Boulevard). After this, the road crosses a railroad bridge west of Ocala Union Station. Five blocks later, it reaches the intersection of
SR 492(Northwest 10th Street) only to move in the opposite direction, leaving the US 301-441 overlap and taking
SR 500 with it. After retaining its status as an independent US highway, US 27 moves from Northwest Tenth Street to Northwest Blitchton Road and has another interchange with
I-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 St ...
at exit 354, although this one is a mere diamond interchange, as opposed to the elaborate partial cloverleaf with flyovers in Weston. From here it continues northwest through rural Marion County, much of which is surrounded by horse farms. The few truly significant intersection in this region include CR 464B in
Fellowship
A fellow is a concept whose exact meaning depends on context.
In learned or professional societies, it refers to a privileged member who is specially elected in recognition of their work and achievements.
Within the context of higher education ...
and then
CR 326 near
Emathla.
The last intersections at the Marion-Levy county line are with CR 316 and CR 335. Though horse farms are scarce along this segment in Levy County, the surroundings remain rural. CR 316 begins again at an intersection with US 27 in East Williston, and as the road enters the City of Williston, it serves as the western terminus of
CR 318, crosses a set of CSX railroad tracks, and loses its status as an independent US route.
SR 500 continues straight ahead along
US 27 Alt., while US 27 turns north and joins
US 41 (hidden
SR 45), as well as
SR 121, which already ran east for a few blocks along US 27 Alt. The concurrency with SR 121 is short-lived though, as it branches away to the northeast. The US 27/US 41 concurrency is one of the few segments that are only two lanes wide, and it begins to lean to the northwest until briefly shifting straight north before approaching
Archer
Archery is the sport, practice, or skill of using a bow to shoot arrows.Paterson ''Encyclopaedia of Archery'' p. 17 The word comes from the Latin ''arcus'', meaning bow. Historically, archery has been used for hunting and combat. In m ...
, where it intersects CR 346, then a former
Florida Railway and Navigation Company
The Florida Central and Peninsular Railroad was the final name of a system of railroads throughout Florida, becoming part of the Seaboard Air Line Railway in 1900. The system, including some of the first railroads in Florida, stretched from Jacks ...
right-of-way, and finally
SR 24. After SR 24, US 27/US 41 curves back northwest but head straight northward through
SR 26 in
Newberry
Newberry is a surname, a variant of Newbury. Notable people with the surname include:
* Booker Newberry III (born 1956), American singer and keyboardist
* Brennan Newberry (born, 1990), American professional stock car racing driver
* Brian Newb ...
and both remain as such until US 41 reaches
High Springs
High Springs is a city in Alachua County, Florida, United States. It is the fourth-largest city in Alachua County and seventh-largest in North Central Florida. The population was 6,215 at the 2020 census.
History
The present-day area of High S ...
, and joins US 441 towards
Lake City and points north.
High Springs to Tallahassee
![Branford FL Frank Norris Bridge04](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/45/Branford_FL_Frank_Norris_Bridge04.jpg)
US 27 heads west along the
unsigned SR 20. which is named First Avenue until it crosses the
Santa Fe River and enters
Columbia County. From here it continues to run northwest, but briefly turns straight west after entering
Fort White just before intersecting
SR 47. The road shifts to the right again and turns northwest before leaving the city, but gradually turns back west as it gets closer to
Suwannee County. Before the road crosses the
Ichetucknee River
The Ichetucknee River is a spring-fed, pristine river in North Central Florida. The entire of the river average wide, deep and most of the 6 miles lie within the boundaries of the Ichetucknee Springs State Park while the rest is to the south o ...
at the Columbia-Suwannee county line, it intersects with Southwest Riverside Avenue, which serves as the western terminus of the O'Leno to Ichetucknee Trail and the eastern terminus of the Suwannee River Greenway, a former
ACL Railroad line. Both US 27 and the trail run through
Hildreth, the home of the
Ichetucknee Springs State Park
Ichetucknee Springs State Park is a Florida State Park and National Natural Landmark located 4 miles (6 km) northwest of Fort White off State Road 47 and State Road 238. It centers around the 6-mile-long (10 km) Ichetucknee River, ...
, and then encounters the east end of a concurrency with
US 129 (
SR 49) which is also the southern terminus of
CR 49. US 27/US 129 and the trail enter the hamlet of
Wachtokha, but the trail remains straight while the road curves slightly to the northwest. A slight curve to the southwest is where both routes officially enter
Branford where US 129 turns north onto
unsigned SR 249. The Suwannee River Greenway crosses US 27 between the west end of the US 27/US 129 concurrency and Frank R. Norris Bridge across the
Suwannee River, but it was also once the northern terminus of
US 129 Alt., which followed US 27 across the river into
Lafayette County until it reached
SR 349 in Grady.
The road runs through the rural community of
Alton
Alton may refer to:
People
*Alton (given name)
*Alton (surname)
Places Australia
*Alton National Park, Queensland
* Alton, Queensland, a town in the Shire of Balonne
Canada
* Alton, Ontario
*Alton, Nova Scotia
New Zealand
* Alton, New Zealand, ...
, then slows down as it enters
Mayo Mayo often refers to:
* Mayonnaise, often shortened to "mayo"
* Mayo Clinic, a medical center in Rochester, Minnesota, United States
Mayo may also refer to:
Places
Antarctica
* Mayo Peak, Marie Byrd Land
Australia
* Division of Mayo, an Aust ...
where it intersects
SR 51, the northwest corner of which contains the historic
Lafayette County Courthouse. After the intersection of Lafayette Street, the road curves northwest again. Outside the city limits, the road intersects various local roads, the most significant of which is CR 534. The rest of the way, US 27 runs northwest through more of western rural Lafayette County, but it turns straight west again as it approaches
Buckville where it intersects the southern terminus of CR 53 and northern terminus of CR 534, both of which were once part of
SR 53. The last intersection in Lafayette County is with CR 348 in
Townsend Townsend (pronounced tounʹ-zənd) or Townshend may refer to:
Places United States
*Camp Townsend, National Guard training base in Peekskill, New York
*Townsend, Delaware
*Townsend, Georgia
*Townsend, Massachusetts, a New England town
** Townsend ...
before US 27 becomes surrounded by swampland as it enters Taylor County.
![Jefferson-Madison Aucilla River bridge northwest01](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/d7/Jefferson-Madison_Aucilla_River_bridge_northwest01.jpg)
Swampland continues to surround US 27 until it comes close to
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 mad ...
, where a small truck weigh station can be found along the westbound shoulder. The road divides momentarily at the intersection of
SR 30, which has controlled turn lanes in the divider, but then turns back into an undivided two lane road as it curves northwest. At Buckeye Nursery Road, US 27 gets the name East Hampton Springs Avenue. East Hampton Springs curves from northwest to southwest once again, and the straight west at Washington Street. The street name changes from East Hampton Springs Avenue to West Hampton Springs Avenue at
US 221 (hidden
SR 55) and also joins
US 221 Truck. Several blocks later the road intersects Byron Butler Parkway which is the northern terminus of the
US 19/
US 98/US 27 Alt. concurrency. Here, US 27 Alt. terminates, US 98 and SR 30 leave US 19 turning west onto West Hampton Springs Avenue, and US 27 joins US 19 becoming a four-lane highway again. US 19/US 27 also continues to carry US 221 Truck until it reaches CR 359A (Wright Road), but also continues to take SR 20 with it heading straight northwest through the rest of Taylor County, and then very briefly in Madison County, where it intersects
CR 150. US 19 breaks away in
Capps onto
SR 57 on its way through
Monticello
Monticello ( ) was the primary plantation of Founding Father Thomas Jefferson, the third president of the United States, who began designing Monticello after inheriting land from his father at age 26. Located just outside Charlottesville, V ...
, but not before resuming a westward direction at the Madison-Jefferson county line. In
Tallahassee
Tallahassee ( ) is the capital city of the U.S. state of Florida. It is the county seat and only incorporated municipality in Leon County. Tallahassee became the capital of Florida, then the Florida Territory, in 1824. In 2020, the population ...
, the road becomes the 1957-built Apalachee Parkway, a major east–west thoroughfare. The parkway has a short expressway section just east of the capitol, then is a busy four-lane surface boulevard with
service road
A frontage road (also known as an access road, outer road, service road, feeder road, or parallel road) is a local road running parallel to a higher-speed, limited-access road. A frontage road is often used to provide access to private drivew ...
s for the next few miles, passing the
Governor's Square Mall
Governor's Square Mall is an enclosed shopping mall in Clarksville, Tennessee, United States, serving the Clarksville metropolitan area. It is owned by the Cafaro Company. Its anchor stores are Burlington (department store), Burlington, Dick's Spo ...
,
Tallahassee Mall and many state office buildings. US 27 runs west along this stretch of road however, and the Apalachee Parkway ends at
SR 61 (Monroe Street) in front of the
Florida State Capitol
The Florida State Capitol in Tallahassee, Florida, is an architecturally and historically significant building listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The Capitol is at the intersection of Apalachee Parkway and South ...
building. US 27 and SR 20 make a sharp turn north along SR 61, but at the intersection of
US 90, SR 20 turns west while US 27 continues north along SR 61.
North from Tallahassee
![Construction of Apalachee Parkway in Tallahassee, Florida (9618412818)](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/6a/Construction_of_Apalachee_Parkway_in_Tallahassee%2C_Florida_%289618412818%29.jpg)
After the intersection with US 90, hidden SR 63 officially begins at the intersection of North Monroe Street and Thomasville Road, where
SR 61 resumes its status as a separate exposed route. After crossing Seventh Avenue, it begins to curve to the northwest avoiding Lake Ella. The first intersection during this curve is County Road 158 (Tharpe Street), and is the beginning of SR 63's alternate street name of Old Quincy Highway.
SR 63 approaches its only suffixed auxiliary route in the form of CR 63A before encountering a partial cloverleaf interchange with
I-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 ...
(exit 199). North of the interchange, it begins to leave the Tallahassee City Limits. A great deal of this segment of SR 63 consists of RV parks and other facilities serving tourists for the
Lake Jackson Mounds Archaeological State Park
Lake Jackson Mounds Archaeological State Park (8LE1) is one of the most important archaeological sites in Florida, the capital of chiefdom and ceremonial center of the Fort Walton Culture inhabited from 1050–1500. The complex originally includ ...
It also serves as the northeast terminus of CR 0356. After crossing a bridge that runs over a small portion of Lake Jackson, the road simultaneously intersects the northern terminus of
SR 263 and southern terminus of CR 157 and CR 0361.
The road runs along the west side of
Tallahassee Commercial Airport, and makes a reverse curve as it approaches a bridge over the
Ochlockonee River
The Ochlockonee River ( ) is a fast running river, except where it has been dammed to form Lake Talquin in Florida, originating in Georgia and flowing for before terminating in Florida.
Background
The name is from the Hitchiti language words ...
, where it crosses the Leon-Gadsden county line and continues to move northwest. After crossing another bridge, the first major intersection in the county is the eastern terminus of CR 270. Further north, CR 159 secretly joins US 27/SR 63 in a triple concurrency, and all three routes approach a CSX Railroad line until they curve northeast before entering the
Town of Havana. CR 159 branches off on its own to the northwest before US 27/SR 63 curves straight north as it approaches the intersection with
SR 12 and CR 12A. SR 12 joins the road in a brief concurrency before branching off to the east as CR 12, within the Havana Town Limits. The previously mentioned CSX railroad line runs more or less parallel to the road again. The road and the tracks curve back and forth near each other until the tracks take one final turn to the northwest in
Hinson, and SR 63 begins to curve back to the northeast before the intersection with CR 159A. Shortly after this SR 63 curves further to the northeast as it approaches CR 12B. Finally in Darsey, SR 63 serves as the northern terminus of CR 157 and the southern terminus of an extension of
Georgia State Route 111
State Route 111 (SR 111) is a state highway in the southwest part of the U.S. state of Georgia. The highway runs from the Florida state line, southwest of Calvary northeast through Cairo and Meigs, glancing off the northwest corner of ...
, before curving to the northwest again and finally terminating at the Florida-Georgia State Line, where US 27 continues onto
Georgia State Route 1
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 ...
.
History
US 27 first entered Florida in 1934, terminating at
Tallahassee
Tallahassee ( ) is the capital city of the U.S. state of Florida. It is the county seat and only incorporated municipality in Leon County. Tallahassee became the capital of Florida, then the Florida Territory, in 1824. In 2020, the population ...
. In 1949, it was extended to its current terminus in Miami.
From 1956 until 1993, US 27 signs in Florida featured white numbering on a green shield. The "color-coding" of U.S. Routes 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 ...
was stopped when the state could no longer use Federal funds to replace the signs with anything but the standard black-and-white version; a few green US 27 signs remain.
Shortly after its second landfall,
Hurricane Irma
Hurricane Irma was an extremely powerful Cape Verde hurricane that caused widespread destruction across its path in September 2017. Irma was the first Category 5 hurricane to strike the Leeward Islands on record, followed by Maria two ...
's eye traveled roughly along the entire course of US 27 in Florida north of Lake Placid.
In January 2021, State Representative
Anthony Sabatini
Anthony Frank Sabatini (born October 20, 1988) is an American attorney and far-right politician who served as a member of the Florida House of Representatives from the 32nd district from 2018 to 2022. He was a candidate in the 2022 United State ...
announced he will sponsor an amendment to name the section of US 27 in Florida as the President Donald J. Trump Highway after former President
Donald Trump
Donald John Trump (born June 14, 1946) is an American politician, media personality, and businessman who served as the 45th president of the United States from 2017 to 2021.
Trump graduated from the Wharton School of the University of Pe ...
.
Major intersections
Related routes
At least four
special route
In road transportation in the United States, a special route is a road in a numbered highway system that diverts a specific segment of related traffic away from another road. They are featured in many highway systems; most are found in the Int ...
s of US 27 have existed in Florida, however only one exists today.
*
U.S. Route 27 Alternate –
Sebring Southgate to
Avon Park; former route
*
U.S. Route 27 Alternate –
Sunray Deli Estates (north of
Avon Park) to
Haines City
Haines City is a city in Polk County, Florida, United States. Its population was 13,174 at the 2000 census and 20,535 at the 2010 census. It is the third most populous city in Polk County. It is part of the Lakeland– Winter Haven Metropolitan S ...
; former route
*
U.S. Route 27 Alternate –
Lady Lake to
Belleview Belleview can refer to:
* Belleview (Middletown, Delaware), listed on the National Register of Historic Places listings in southern New Castle County, Delaware
* Belleview (Harrods Creek, Kentucky), listed on the National Register of Historic Pl ...
; former route co-signed with Alternate U.S. Route 441.
*
U.S. Route 27 Alternate –
Williston to
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 mad ...
See also
*
*
References
External links
US 27 in Florida (SoutheastRoads.com)
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1934 establishments in Florida