Florida State Road 713

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

State Road 713 is a state highway in the U.S. state of Florida locally known as Kings Highway and Turnpike Feeder Road. Prior to the completion of Interstate 95 in Florida in the early 1980s, it was commonly used to "bridge the gap" between Florida's Turnpike (SR 93) and the Interstate highway. Even after the completion of the expressway, the 10-mile-long, two-lane north-south road remains a popular truck route connecting SR 70 (the southern terminus in Fort Pierce) and U.S. Route 1 (SR 5) between Viking and Florida Ridge. The intersection with US 1 is the northern terminus of SR 713.

While urbanization is encroaching upon SR 713 north of SR 68, most of SR 713 passes through woodland interspersed with orange groves. Near the southern terminus is Fort Pierce Jai-Alai.

As sections of I-95 were completed between SR 60 near Vero Beach and SR 70 in Fort Pierce between 1978 and 1980, the common methodology of using SR 713 to travel between I-95 and the Turnpike evolved:

Until early 1978, northbound motorists turned west onto Indrio Road (SR 614) and north onto Emerson Road (SR 607). After 8.5 miles of Emerson Road, northbound motorists turned west onto SR 60, which connected with I-95 six miles from SR 607.

When a nine-mile-long section of I-95 opened in 1978, northbound motorists stayed on Indrio Road (SR 614) after turning left from SR 713. The then-new I-95 interchange was three miles to the west of SR 713 on Indrio Road.

When an additional six miles of I-95 were opened in late 1978, motorists were directed eastward on SR 68 from SR 713 to connect with I-95. Most stayed with this route after a 0.3-mile-long section (to SR 70) was opened in early 1979, even though Florida Department of Transportation posted signs encouraging them to avoid SR 713 altogether and use SR 70. The final segment of I-95 to be finished in Florida (Stuart to Palm Beach Gardens) was finally opened in 1987.

According to a 1960 map prepared by the State Road Department (forerunner to Florida Department of Transportation), Kings Highway had a State Road 607 designation -- at the same time as Emerson Road (current SR 607) and Indrio Road (part west of Kings Highway is now SR 614), with Angle Road being SR 607A at the time.