Having developed a mild fascination for scenic roads, plus being a "frequent driver" of Florida's highways, I surfed the site for a few minutes and found that one of their scenic routes is the Suncoast Parkway (FL 589 TOLL) . Don't believe me? Well, y'all, click here and see for yourself.
If you take away the fact that the Suncoast Parkway is a toll road, it seriously is kind of scenic in its own way. It's picture on the Florida's Turnpike Enterprise (FTE) official website shows a section that looks like someone plopped a 4-lane divided highway across what otherwise could be the world's longest golf fairway. You've heard of sections of limited-access highway being briefly closed for pedestrian and bicycle usage. In this case, maybe someone can get together with FTE and coordinate a one-day "Golf The Parkway" charity event. Hey, it's just a thought?
So if you have a SunPass (or enough money to pay the tolls at the plazas), and you'd like to take your family on a nice "Sunday drive" up what could be the most scenic tollway in America, then head on down to the Suncoast Scenic Parkway. Heck, y'all, I might even take my new HD camera and shoot some footage for a future episode of "ROADGEEK-CAM!!!"... that is if I'm not diggin' the scenery too much!
That's it for now. Thanks for reading and have a great weekend!
7/23/2010 9:52 PM
Billy Riddle wrote:
About 7 years ago, I was driving to Ft. Myers to meet up with my folks for the holidays. I got stuck in bad traffic in Ocala on I-75. I pulled out the RMcN and tried to look for a good alternative. The Suncoast seemed like the best choice, though I would have to travel about 30ish miles of two-lane roads to get to it. Best choice I made that whole day. Getting away from the hustle and bustle of I-75 was certainly refreshing. The two lane roads moved well (I first discovered FL's 60 mph limit on rural two laners that day). The Suncoast was completely uncrowded and unspoiled, and I didn't mind paying the toll for such a nice road. It dumped me out right in Tampa, a city I had never really ventured into, so I got to cross the Frankland Bridge into St, Pete and then the Sunshine Skyway Bridge back around to hit I-75 again, by which time it was just about dark and I got to see all that I needed to see. All in all, I hope they still one day plan on extending the Suncoast north to I-10, or even to I-75 near the GA line, because I-75 could really use a serious relief route, and that part of FL north of Tampa Bay could use a boost. Reply to this
Copyright 2007. Steve Williams. All rights reserved.
DISCLAIMER: "The Georgia Road Geek" is neither affiliated with, nor endorsed by, the State of Georgia, Georgia Department of Transportation, or any other federal, state, or local government agency.
