Florida Roads - US 41



The above photo is courtesy Michael Summa and was taken in 1978 near Sweetwater.


Biscayne Blvd. SB and Brickell Ave. NB in Miami, respectively, taken in 1973 and 1983 by Michael Summa. The 1973 photo predates when Michael had color film, and they both predate when US 41 was truncated to the end of the Tamiami Trail instead of US 41 East continuing with US 1 North to the aforementioned MacArthur Causeway into Miami Beach.


From Naples to Miami, US 41 travels east-west with secret FL 90 instead of north-south. This sign was perched on the I-95 overpass in 1979, and was taken in June of that year by Averill Hecht.


US 41 enters Miami as 8th St., or Calle Ocho due to the Hispanic influence on the city. This pillar is at the FL 826 interchange.


Westbound on the Tamiami Trail in 1978, courtesy Michael Summa. It was opposite the shield atop this page.


Wonder of wonders, to this very day there are still old signs at that interchange. Button copy is nearly as rare in Florida as it is in Canada. This is the EB progression at FL 821, which is signed no differently than the Turnpike mainline (FL 91).


FL 27 SB, which is now FL 997 to avoid confusion with US 27, again courtesy Michael Summa in 1982.


Starting out EB (still US 41 SB) on the part of the Tamiami Trail that traverses the Everglades. The split speed limits are to protect wildlife like alligators that may wander onto the road at anytime but are especially hard to see at night. The ugly US route shields are to protect roadgeeks from spending too much time admiring signs versus paying attention to wildlife on the road.


Now into Miami-Dade County and officially heading EB. The WB construction sign is a new shade, fluorescent pink, that is seeing increased use for temporary or emergency applications and is already widespread in (at least southern) Florida.


The Tamiami Canal on the north side of the Trail.


SB (or maybe already EB) in South Naples, 1973, then extra-bold caps WB/NB in 1975, with a long, lonely stretch of road ahead. Both are courtesy Michael Summa.


Outlined overhead shield on Gladiolus Dr. EB in Fort Myers.

The remaining photos are courtesy Michael Summa if the only attribution is a date.


NB in Ft. Myers at the bridge over the Caloosahatchee River in 1973. FL 80 begins somewhere near here as well.


The joint end of FL 82 WB and Business US 41 SB at the above intersection, taken in 1973. Business 41 follows the original Tamiami Trail across the V-shaped Edison Bridge.


The beginning of US 17 from US 41 SB, with NJ-style black backgrounds, courtesy J.P. Nasiatka. US 41 loves 'em...

NB in Murdock, 1975.


Both ew, and both submitted by Lou Corsaro, northbound. I've never seen such a digitalized and screwed up version of a FL shield before.


US 41 SB, Cortez Rd. in Bradenton (briefly), 1975. It's all button copy, even the Florida state outline, and as you can see that helped when the intersection was modified.


NB in the same city, courtesy J.P. Nasiatka. It's not a remnant of the old colored shield system, it's just wrong.


Wow, must be in Jersey again! Not only can they not get the background right, FDOT can't even get the shield size right. Incidentally, this is after US 301 begins at US 41, then comes back to duplex for a little stretch. Both photos again courtesy Lou Corsaro.


Northbound at the Business US 41 merge in Memphis, just north of the previous photo, 1975.

Again in Memphis, same year.

Now NB in Chapman, still 1975.


All roads lead to toll roads in Florida, apparently. Courtesy J.P. Nasiatka.


Levy CR 323 and 326 WB in Morriston, where CR 323 ends and 326 multiplexes. Well, back when these were FL S-323 and S-326 (secondary state highways), S-326 and US 41 multiplexed. Now that it's just a county highway, it skips over that piece. It also copies the old patched signs, where the "C" overlaid the "S" until the counties could fabricate new signs for all their roads. Problem is, the counties weren't supposed to keep that C around. Given that little TO in the corner, I'm not surprised to discover Levy County isn't really paying attention to what it's supposed to do on signs. (Hint: It's also not supposed to keep around the old colored US shields after they've lost their color.)


Courtesy J.P. Nasiatka, the multiplex disappears southbound in Williston. The US 27 shields could learn from the US 41 shield how to be narrow, except then they'd be off-center as well. We now return you to your Michael Summa photos.

NB 2 miles from Williston, 1974.

SB in Lake City, 1984.


Southbound in 1984, just inside the Georgia border.


Even closer to the border, FL 6 WB in Jasper (a two-fer), 1984.

Onto US 441 and US 41/441

Into Georgia on US 41
Onto US 1
Onto FL 821 (Florida's Turnpike Homestead Extension)
Into the Everglades
Onto FL 84
Onto FL 867
To I-75
Onto US 17
Onto US 301
Onto US 27
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