Florida State Road 655 Explained

State:FL
Type:SR
Route:655
Alternate Name:Lake Shipp Drive, Recker Highway
Map Custom:yes
Map Notes:SR 655 in red, CR 655 in blue, CR 655A in magenta
Length Mi:7.125
Length Ref:[1]
Direction A:West
Terminus A: at Eloise
Direction B:North
Terminus B: in Auburndale
Counties:Polk
Previous Type:SR
Previous Route:651
Next Type:SR
Next Route:656

State Road 655 (SR 655) is a 7.125adj=midNaNadj=mid state highway in Polk County, Florida, that runs from U.S. Route 17 and County Road 655 at Eloise just south of Winter Haven city limits to U.S. Route 92 in western Auburndale.

Route description

Florida State Road 655 begins at US 17 and the northern terminus of the southern segment of Polk County Road 655. However, due to restrictions on trucks around the region of Lake Shipp, this segment of the route is unmarked. Immediately after the intersection with US 17, SR 655 crosses the railroad tracks of the Florida Midland Railroad Winter Haven Line, then has an intersection with Eagle Lake Road and Seventh Street Southwest. Along the way it runs through a mostly residential area, skirting the southern shores of Lake Shipp.

The route officially enters the City of Winter Haven near Lake Shipp Park, just before the intersection with a four-lane divided highway designated as Florida State Road 620 (Recker Highway), where the route makes a right turn to the north as SRs 620 and 655 overlap with one another. After narrowing down to a two-lane highway at Avenue P, SR 620 officially ends at the intersection with Avenue O, while SR 655 continues along Recker Road. SR 655 curves to the northwest as 21st Street Southwest branches off straight ahead, while SR 655 runs along the southwest side of the CSX Auburndale Subdivision, and will remain on that side of the tracks for roughly several miles. State Road 655 officially leaves the city limits at the intersection with Coleman Road and enters the community of Jan Phyl Village. Within the community, the surroundings evolve from a standard commercial strip to a mix of commercial and light industrial development. The tracks of the Auburndale Subdivision begin to bear slightly off to the right from the route just before the intersection with Spirit Lake Road. North of there, the route curves in the same direction as the tracks, but is still further away from them. At Avenue G Northwest, SR 655 encounters Polk County Road 542 then runs in a hidden overlap with that county road for approximately one block until the CR 542 turns west at K-Ville Avenue.

Shortly after entering Auburndale, the tracks move closer to the road, SR 655 encounters a grade-separated junction with the southern terminus of Florida State Road 559, which takes SR 559 not only over SR 655, but over the Auburndale Subdivision. SR 655 turns away from the Auburndale Subdivision permanently and momentarily moves east to west, until it curves to the north around Auburndale Memorial Park Cemetery, intersecting Thornhill Road in the process of making this curve. Cemetery property ends on the southeast corner of Polk County Road 544A just before crossing the CSX Carters Subdivision. Florida State Road 655 seems to terminate at U.S. Route 92 in western Auburndale. However, a hidden continuation of this route runs along westbound US 92 and hidden SR 600 until it reaches Berkley Road, where it turns north. 6.6miles of this segment is signed as Florida State Truck Route 559.

Related routes

County Road 655

State:FL
Type:CR
Route:655
County:Polk
Length Mi:14.4
Length Ref:[2] [3]
Location:near Whaneta-Eloise
Auburndale-Polk City

County Road 655 (CR 655) is a 14.4adj=midNaNadj=mid county road in Polk County, Florida, that is separated into two sections and are both former extensions of SR 655.[4] The southern segment, which is 5.7adj=midNaNadj=mid, runs from Florida State Road 60 south of Whaneta to U.S. Route 17 and Florida State Road 655 at Eloise via Whaneta. The northern segment, which is 8.7adj=midNaNadj=mid, runs from U.S. Route 92 and Neptune Road in western Auburndale to Florida State Road 33 and Lakeshore Drive in Polk City.

Major intersections

Northern segment

County Road 655A

State:FL
Type:CR
Route:655A
County:Polk
Length Mi:7.191
Length Ref:[5]
Location:Alturas

County Road 655A (CR 655A) is a 7.2adj=midNaNadj=mid county road in Polk County. It encircles Lake Garfield and provides access to the census designated place of Alturas. Both termini of the county road are at SR 60 and it runs in a horseshoe-shape. It was formerly SR 655A.[4]

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Florida Department of Transportation Straight Line Diagram of Road Inventory. Florida Department of Transportation. June 14, 2018.
  2. Web site: Google Maps Directions. Google Maps. June 14, 2018.
  3. Web site: Google Maps Directions. Google Maps. June 14, 2018.
  4. Web site: General Highway Map, Polk County, January 1971, reprinted July 1975. Florida Department of Transportation. University of Florida. June 14, 2018.
  5. Web site: County Roads TDA . FDOT . January 12, 2020.