U.S. Route 17

U.S. Route 17 or U.S. Highway 17 (abbreviation U.S. 17, US 17, also known as the Coastal Highway) is a north–south United States highway. The highway spans the southeastern United States and is close to the Atlantic Coast for much of its length. The highway's southern terminus is at Punta Gorda, Florida, at an intersection with U.S. Route 41. Traveling north, US 17 joins up with US 50 in Paris, Virginia, and the northern terminus of US 17 is in downtown Winchester, Virginia. This is also the point at which the portion of US 50 called the Northwestern Turnpike begins.

Though U.S. Route 1 is generally considered to be the highway that runs alongside Interstate 95, US 17 runs parallel to I-95 for much of its extent, and even shares the same route for short spans in Fredericksburg and Ridgeland.

Route description

Florida

US 17 begins in downtown Punta Gorda, Florida, at US 41 (Cross Street), just to the west of Tamiami Trail. After a brief jog east, it runs roughly north along the Peace River, through Arcadia, Zolfo Springs (where it crosses the Peace River), and Wauchula. At Fort Meade, it joins with US 98, which follows it northward (westward on US 98) until Bartow. While US 98 goes northwest, US 17 goes northeast.

U.S. Route 17 in Virginia

U.S. Route 17 (US 17) is a part of the U.S. Highway System that runs from Punta Gorda, Florida to Winchester, Virginia. In Virginia, the U.S. Highway runs 255.83 miles (411.72 km) from the North Carolina state line in Chesapeake north to its northern terminus at US 11, US 50, and US 522 in Winchester. US 17 is a major highway in the eastern half of Virginia. The U.S. Highway connects the Albemarle Region of North Carolina with the Hampton Roads metropolitan area. Within the urban area, US 17 passes through the South Hampton Roads cities of Chesapeake, Portsmouth, and Suffolk and the Virginia Peninsula city of Newport News. Between Yorktown and Fredericksburg, the U.S. Highway serves as the primary highway of the Middle Peninsula. At Fredericksburg, US 17 leaves the Atlantic coastal plain; the highway passes through the Piedmont town of Warrenton and crosses the Blue Ridge Mountains on its way to Winchester in the Shenandoah Valley.The route from Tappahannock to Winchester roughly follows the Confederate March during the Civil War to Gettysburg

U.S. Route 17 in Florida

U.S. Route 17 (US 17) in Florida is a north–south United States Highway. It runs 317 miles (510 km) from the Punta Gorda, Florida Metropolitan Statistical Area northeast to the Greater Jacksonville Metropolitan Area.

The secret designation for US 17 in Florida, between Punta Gorda and Bartow, is State Road 35 (SR 35). Between Bartow and Lake Alfred, it follows SR 555, between Lake Alfred and DeLand, it follows SR 600, between Orlando and Jacksonville, it follows SR 15, and between Jacksonville and the Georgia border, it follows SR 5.

Concurrencies include US 98 between Fort Meade and Bartow, and a notably long one with US 92 between Lake Alfred and northern DeLand, which itself includes concurrencies with US 192 in Kissimmee, US 441 between Kissimmee and Orlando, SR 50 in Orlando, and SR 46 in Sanford. Others include SR 20/SR 100 between San Mateo and Palatka, and Interstate 10 (I-10), I-95, US 23, and US 1 in Downtown Jacksonville in that order.

Route description

Punta Gorda through Winter Haven