State Road 78 (Florida)
Encyclopedia
State Road 78 is the Florida Department of Transportation
designation for three separate east–west sections of a road that was once a single stretch of road extending from the Gulf Coast
of Florida
to the northern tip of Lake Okeechobee
. In the 1980s, two segments of the route were removed from state maintenance to county maintenance (and the road designations were changed to reflect the action); more recently, SR 78 signs disappeared from the four-mile-long stretch of US 27/SR 25
that doubled as the State Road. All three sections are signed east–west, even though the easternmost section is actually a north–south route.
. State Road 78 lies along Pine Island Road (in Cape Coral) and Bayshore Road (in North Fort Myers, Florida
and River Road in Alva, Florida with a short merge at SR 31 near Lee County Arena and the northern shore of the Caloosahatchee River
near Owl Creek. SR 78 picks back up from CR 31 and continues to the next county (Hendry County, Labelle, FL) The westernmost section of the present-day SR 78 is 39 miles (62.8 km) long from Pine Island through Alva, entirely within Lee County
.
four miles (6 km) northeast of North La Belle to an intersection with US 27/SR 25
midway between Citrus Center
and Moore Haven
. In between is the town of Ortona. The central section of SR 78 is entirely within a part of Glades County
dedicated to the growth of foliage house plants.
wetlands. The southern (“western”) terminus of this segment is an intersection with US 27/SR 25 near Moore Haven. Motorists driving “east” (actually north) on SR 78, travel through Sportman Village before visiting the Brighton Seminole Indian Reservation
and Buckhead Ridge
before reaching the northern (“eastern”) terminus, an intersection with US 98 (SR 700
)-US 441 (SR 15
) near Eagle Bay in the northern tip of Lake Okeechobee, roughly three miles to the south of Okeechobee
.
In the 1970s, State Road 78 extended from Pine Island Center
, near Pine Island Sound
on the Gulf Coast to the northernmost part of Lake Okeechobee. In the 1980s, two sections were transitioned to county maintenance:
• The westernmost six miles (from Pine Island Center to Cape Coral), also known as Northwest Pine Island Road, became Lee County Road 78 (Stringfellow Road, the former State Road 767 running the length of Pine Island and Sanibel Island, became Lee County Road 767).
• North River Road (22 miles of zigzag
ging road between SR 31 and SR 29) was converted from SR 78 to Lee County Road 78 and Hendry County Road 78, and State Road 78 signs were removed from stretches of SR 29 and 31 that used to overlap SR 78.
Florida Department of Transportation
The Florida Department of Transportation is a decentralized agency charged with the establishment, maintenance, and regulation of public transportation in the state of Florida. The department was formed in 1969. It absorbed the powers of the Florida State Road Department...
designation for three separate east–west sections of a road that was once a single stretch of road extending from the Gulf Coast
Gulf of Mexico
The Gulf of Mexico is a partially landlocked ocean basin largely surrounded by the North American continent and the island of Cuba. It is bounded on the northeast, north and northwest by the Gulf Coast of the United States, on the southwest and south by Mexico, and on the southeast by Cuba. In...
of Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
to the northern tip of Lake Okeechobee
Lake Okeechobee
Lake Okeechobee , locally referred to as The Lake or The Big O, is the largest freshwater lake in the state of Florida. It is the seventh largest freshwater lake in the United States and the second largest freshwater lake contained entirely within the lower 48 states...
. In the 1980s, two segments of the route were removed from state maintenance to county maintenance (and the road designations were changed to reflect the action); more recently, SR 78 signs disappeared from the four-mile-long stretch of US 27/SR 25
State Road 25 (Florida)
State Road 25 is a state highway in the U.S. state of Florida.It is mainly signed as U.S. Highways:*U.S. Highway 27 from Miami to Lady Lake and Belleview to Ocala*U.S. Highway 301 from Belleview to near Sparr...
that doubled as the State Road. All three sections are signed east–west, even though the easternmost section is actually a north–south route.
Western section
The current western terminus of the westernmost piece of SR 78 is an intersection of Stringfellow Road (CR 767) and Pine Island Road in Cape CoralPine Island, Florida
Pine Island is a census-designated place in Hernando County, Florida, United States. The population was 64 at the 2000 census. Pine Island Park , is a area on the Gulf of Mexico at 10800 Pine Island Drive that includes a swimming beach and swimming area, picnic tables, shelters, barbecue...
. State Road 78 lies along Pine Island Road (in Cape Coral) and Bayshore Road (in North Fort Myers, Florida
North Fort Myers, Florida
North Fort Myers is a census-designated place in Lee County, Florida, United States. The population was 40,214 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Cape Coral–Fort Myers Metropolitan Statistical Area.-Geography:...
and River Road in Alva, Florida with a short merge at SR 31 near Lee County Arena and the northern shore of the Caloosahatchee River
Caloosahatchee River
The Caloosahatchee River is a river on the southwest Gulf Coast of Florida in the United States, approximately long. It drains rural areas on the northern edge of the Everglades northwest of Miami...
near Owl Creek. SR 78 picks back up from CR 31 and continues to the next county (Hendry County, Labelle, FL) The westernmost section of the present-day SR 78 is 39 miles (62.8 km) long from Pine Island through Alva, entirely within Lee County
Lee County, Florida
Lee County is a county located in the U.S. state of Florida. Located in southwest Florida, the principal cities in the county are Fort Myers and Cape Coral...
.
Central section
The 14-mile-long central east–west section of the present-day State Road 78 extends from SR 29State Road 29 (Florida)
State Road 29 is a roadway that runs north–south through Southwest Florida. A rural road, it runs mostly through uninhabited farmland in its northern half, and along wetlands in its southern half.-Route description:...
four miles (6 km) northeast of North La Belle to an intersection with US 27/SR 25
State Road 25 (Florida)
State Road 25 is a state highway in the U.S. state of Florida.It is mainly signed as U.S. Highways:*U.S. Highway 27 from Miami to Lady Lake and Belleview to Ocala*U.S. Highway 301 from Belleview to near Sparr...
midway between Citrus Center
Citrus Center, Florida
Citrus Center is a small unincorporated community in Glades County, Florida, United States. It is located on Florida State Road 78 about west of the junction of SR 78 and U.S. Route 27 west of Moore Haven.-References:...
and Moore Haven
Moore Haven, Florida
Moore Haven is a city in Glades County, Florida, United States. The population was 1,635 at the 2000 census. As of 2004, the population recorded by the U.S. Census Bureau is 1,726. It is the county seat of Glades County...
. In between is the town of Ortona. The central section of SR 78 is entirely within a part of Glades County
Glades County, Florida
Glades County is a county located in the U.S. state of Florida. As of 2000, the population was 10,576. The U.S. Census Bureau 2005 estimate for the county is 11,252 . Its county seat is Moore Haven, Florida.- History :...
dedicated to the growth of foliage house plants.
Okeechobee (eastern) section
The 34-mile-long easternmost section of State Road 78 is signed east–west, even though the bulk of the road is north–south. This stretch follows the western and northern edge of the Lake OkeechobeeLake Okeechobee
Lake Okeechobee , locally referred to as The Lake or The Big O, is the largest freshwater lake in the state of Florida. It is the seventh largest freshwater lake in the United States and the second largest freshwater lake contained entirely within the lower 48 states...
wetlands. The southern (“western”) terminus of this segment is an intersection with US 27/SR 25 near Moore Haven. Motorists driving “east” (actually north) on SR 78, travel through Sportman Village before visiting the Brighton Seminole Indian Reservation
Seminole
The Seminole are a Native American people originally of Florida, who now reside primarily in that state and Oklahoma. The Seminole nation emerged in a process of ethnogenesis out of groups of Native Americans, most significantly Creeks from what is now Georgia and Alabama, who settled in Florida in...
and Buckhead Ridge
Buckhead Ridge, Florida
Buckhead Ridge is a census-designated place in Glades County, Florida, United States. The population was 1,390 at the 2000 census. The community consists of a few small commercial developments and a large mobile home park...
before reaching the northern (“eastern”) terminus, an intersection with US 98 (SR 700
State Road 700 (Florida)
State Road 700 is the mostly unsigned Florida Department of Transportation State Road designation of US 98 between Chassahowitzka and Twentymile Bend...
)-US 441 (SR 15
State Road 15 (Florida)
State Road 15 is part of the Florida State Road System. It runs from SR 80/SR 880 at Belle Glade north along the east shore of Lake Okeechobee to Okeechobee. Then it runs north to SR 500 at Holopaw, and northwest along SR 500 to Ashton State Road 15 (commonly SR 15) is part of the Florida State...
) near Eagle Bay in the northern tip of Lake Okeechobee, roughly three miles to the south of Okeechobee
Okeechobee, Florida
Okeechobee is a city in Okeechobee County, Florida, United States. The population was 5,376 at the 2000 census. As of 2004, the population recorded by the U.S. Census Bureau is 5,784. It is the county seat of Okeechobee County. The Speckled Perch Festival is held annually in honor of the most...
.
History
In the late 1970s, FDOT started to put into motion a sequence of events that ultimately resulted in the removal of dozens of miles of roadway from the State maintenance list to county maintenance. Entire State Roads disappeared as their FDOT designations were replaced by County Road signage, while other State Roads had only parts become County Roads (usually with no change in the numbering).In the 1970s, State Road 78 extended from Pine Island Center
Pine Island Center, Florida
Pine Island Center is a census-designated place located on Pine Island in Lee County, Florida, United States. The population was 1,721 at the 2000 census...
, near Pine Island Sound
Pine Island (Lee County, Florida)
Pine Island is an island located in Lee County, Florida, on the Gulf coast of southwest Florida. It is the largest island in the state of Florida, and the 118th largest island in the United States. The Intracoastal Waterway passes through Pine Island Sound, to the west of the island. Matlacha Pass...
on the Gulf Coast to the northernmost part of Lake Okeechobee. In the 1980s, two sections were transitioned to county maintenance:
• The westernmost six miles (from Pine Island Center to Cape Coral), also known as Northwest Pine Island Road, became Lee County Road 78 (Stringfellow Road, the former State Road 767 running the length of Pine Island and Sanibel Island, became Lee County Road 767).
• North River Road (22 miles of zigzag
Zigzag
A zigzag is a pattern made up of small corners at variable angles, though constant within the zigzag, tracing a path between two parallel lines; it can be described as both jagged and fairly regular....
ging road between SR 31 and SR 29) was converted from SR 78 to Lee County Road 78 and Hendry County Road 78, and State Road 78 signs were removed from stretches of SR 29 and 31 that used to overlap SR 78.