State Road A1A (SR A1A) is a major north–south Florida State Road consisting of seven separate sections running a total of 338.752 miles (545.168 km) along the Atlantic Ocean, from Key West at the southern tip of Florida, to Fernandina Beach, just south of Georgia on Amelia Island. It is the main road through most oceanfront towns. Part of SR A1A is designated the A1A Scenic and Historic Coastal Byway, a National Scenic Byway.[2] SR A1A is famous worldwide as a center of beach culture in the United States, a scenic coastal route through most Atlantic coastal cities and beach towns, including the unique tropical coral islands of the Florida Keys. SR A1A also serves as a major thoroughfare through Miami Beach and other south Florida coastal cities.
The road was designated as State Road 1 in the 1945 renumbering, mostly replacing the former State Road 140 designation. The number reflected its location in the new grid as the easternmost major north–south road. About a year and a half later, in November 1946, the State Road Board resolved to renumber the route due to confusion with the parallel U.S. Highway 1. The new designation, A1A, was chosen to keep the number 1 in its place in the grid.[3][4][5][6]
The East Coast Greenway, a system of trails that connects Maine to Florida, travels along sections of SR A1A.
SR A1A is heavily associated with Florida beach culture and is known for its lush tropical and subtropical scenery and ocean vistas. In many places, the highway runs directly along the waterfront of the Atlantic Ocean, but in other places, it runs one to five blocks inland from the beachfront. For most of its length, SR A1A runs along Florida's East Coast Barrier Islands, separated from the mainland of the state by the Intracoastal Waterway. Because of the proximity of the highway to the ocean and its susceptibility to storm surges, sections of SR A1A are often closed or damaged by hurricanes and tropical storms.
SR A1A also has been a backbone of Florida's spring break serving as "the strip" in both Fort Lauderdale – a popular spring break destination during the 1960s, 1970s and 1980s – and Daytona Beach, which became a popular destination for college spring breaks during the 1970s. Today, SR A1A serves as more a main coastal highway that connects beach towns for more than 375 miles (600 km) along Florida's east coast.
Route description
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The beginning of SR A1A (Milestone 0) at Bertha Street in Key WestSR A1A southbound in Fort PierceSR A1A northbound past the eastern terminus of US 92 in Daytona BeachWestern terminus of SR A1A in Callahan
Though SR A1A runs from Key West to north of Jacksonville, the designation is not one continuous route. In some areas such as the Florida Keys, there is no oceanfront highway (other than the Overseas Highway, US 1), other parts of the coast are served by county roads (sometimes designated County Road A1A) rather than state roads, and still other areas are restricted by geography (inlets) or usage (e.g. nature preserves and the Kennedy Space Center). The longest of the route's seven sections runs 106 miles (171 km) from Stuart to Cocoa, while three of the sections are less than 10 miles (15 km) long
The southern terminus of the first section of SR A1A is at the southern end of Bertha Street, where SR A1A begins as a two-lane, then a four-lane highway along the Straits of Florida in Key West, known locally as South Roosevelt Boulevard. The road heads east past East Martello Tower and Key West International Airport, before curving north with an intersection with CR 5A (Flagler Avenue), followed by the northern terminus of the Key West section of SR A1A, U.S. Route 1 and State Road 5 (the Overseas Highway). Running along the south shore of Key West, SR A1A is the southernmost numbered highway in the lower 48 states.
SR A1A reappears at Interstate 395 and US 1 in Miami, beginning at MacArthur Causeway before becoming Collins Avenue at Fifth Street in Miami Beach (or, in small segments, Harding Avenue, Abbott Avenue, or Indian Creek Drive), serving as one of Miami Beach's main north — south thoroughfares. Just north in the town of Surfside, the northbound is Collins Avenue, and the southbound is Harding Avenue. In Bal Harbour it is called Bal Harbour Boulevard. In Golden Beach it is called Ocean Boulevard.
Just south of Atlantic Beach, SR A1A turns inland for several blocks, following Atlantic Boulevard, before resuming a northward course along Mayport Road that ends at the St. Johns River. A ferry takes traffic to the northern section of SR A1A that continues along the coast to just south of Fort Clinch State Park on the estuary of the Saint Mary's River. At that point SR A1A hooks back south to Fernandina Beach and then turns west, going inland 20 miles through Yulee and crossing I-95 and U.S. Highway 17. It ends at U.S. Highway 1, U.S. Highway 23, and U.S. Highway 301 in Callahan. This section west of Fernandina Beach, is also marked as SR 200, but SR A1A signs are displayed at every cluster of signs, though a designated direction is only above the SR 200 signs.
History
Pre-1945 alignment
SR A1A as it runs over the 17th Street Causeway in Ft. Lauderdale.SR A1A as it runs over the South Causeway in New Smyrna Beach.SR A1A as it runs over the Halifax River in Port Orange.SR A1A in Daytona Beach
Prior to the 1945 renumbering, the route that became SR 1 had the following numbers:
From the intersection of Park Ave. and SR 5 in Lake Park, west on Park Ave. to 10th St., thence northerly via Jupiter to a junction with SR 5 in Stuart.
Also at the intersection of SR 5 and SR 600, east on Volusia Ave., then north on North Beach St., then east on a bridge across the Halifax River and on Broadway to a junction with SR 1, all in Daytona Beach.
Also at the intersection Granada Ave. and SR 5, east on Granada Ave. across the Halifax River to a junction with SR 1 – all in Ormond.
The section in Key West was added. The portion of A1A on Bertha Street from the beaches to Roosevelt Boulevard (US 1) was later relinquished to the city.
The part north of Stuart (including a segment that was signed State Road 705) was extended south to incorporate the Ernest F. Lyons Bridge and give a more direct access to the Atlantic Ocean from Stuart; the old road became SR A1A Alternate (now CR 707 and SR 732). Recently the part in downtown Stuart, west of SR 714, became CR A1A.
Both bridges over the Intracoastal Waterway in Fort Pierce were rebuilt and moved slightly south. The approach to the south one moved two blocks south.
When Kennedy Space Center was built around 1962, SR A1A through it was closed and rerouted from the south to go west on SR 528. A small piece of the old road may have become SR 401, but SR 401 now ends before it reaches the old road. Cape Road, which runs east of Launch complex 39, was SR A1A; it ended at former SR 402 at Playalinda Beach. The part from there to south of New Smyrna Beach was never built.
SR A1A was moved out of Jacksonville and onto what had been part of SR 101, a new alignment to the ferry across the St. Johns River, and what still is SR 105 and SR 200. The old road became an extension of SR 10.
The road started as a means to quickly transport citrus to packinghouses on the mainland, then in the 1930s and 1940s became more used by tourists.[9][10] On August 1, 2003, it was added to the United States National Register of Historic Places.[11]
County Road A1A is a county road in four counties in the U.S. state of Florida. The route is discontinuous and functions as a spur of State Road A1A.
Palm Beach County
CR A1A in Palm Beach County is a former routing of SR A1A through Juno Beach and Jupiter. It serves as a paralleling alternate route to Federal Highway (US 1), and is often erroneously signed as SR A1A despite its official county designation and maintenance.
County Road A1A is a 7-mile (11 km) spur route of State Road A1A in Volusia County, Florida, United States. The route begins at U.S. Route 1 and State Road A1A in Downtown New Smyrna Beach as Lytel Avenue. Next, the route crosses the Intracoastal Waterway and Callalisa Creek before heading southbound. After the 2 bridges, the road becomes 3rd Avenue, the northern terminus of Saxon Drive as the first right after Callalisa Creek. East of Indian River Village Shopping Center, the road turns southward and becomes Atlantic Avenue. At the intersection of 27th Avenue, the road becomes 2 lanes wide. Less than a mile south of New Smyrna Beach, Saxon Drive ends. At Bethune Beach, the road slightly turns away from the Atlantic Ocean. The road becomes Turtle Mound Road at that point. After Bethune Beach, the road is midway between the Intracoastal Waterway and the Atlantic Ocean. At this point, a gate brings access to Canaveral National Seashore. It passes through the ghost town of Eldora. The road ends as a dead end at a beach.
St. Johns County
County Road A1A is a 3.40-mile (5.47 km) spur route of SR A1A in St. Augustine Beach that runs closer to the Atlantic Ocean than SR A1A. It runs northeast from SR A1A, but begins to straighten out between John Drive and a private driveway south of F Street. The closest thing resembling a major intersection is 16th Street. After passing by the St Johns County Ocean Pier, the road intersects Pope Road and leaves the city limits, where it enters Anastasia State Park, and makes a sharp curve to the west. Once the road leaves the park, it features an exceptionally long west-to-north turning ramp towards SR A1A, but ends at the intersection of SRs A1A and 312.
References in popular culture
A1A is mentioned in the 1990 Vanilla Ice song Ice Ice Baby with the lyrics "A1A (Beachfront Avenue)"; in Miami's South Beach, A1A is named Collins Avenue, but "Beachfront Avenue" is a common nickname.[14]
A1A is the title of a 1974 album by Jimmy Buffett; one of the album's tracks, "Trying to Reason with Hurricane Season", also mentions the road. In 2024, A1A from Key West to the Georgia border was designated the Jimmy Buffett Memorial Highway.[15]
^State Road Department internal memorandum, December 4, 1946, "Change of State Road No. 1 to No. A1A":
In accordance with a Resolution adopted by the State Road Board in Tallahassee on November 25, 1946 all records and maps are being revised to show the Atlantic Coast Route from Jacksonville to Miami as State Road No. A1A, replacing the Number 1. A copy of this memorandum is being sent to all parties holding road description lists, section lists, maps, etc., with the request that they mark the change on their copies accordingly.
^Florida Highways (magazine), "CHANGE IN STATE HIGHWAY NUMBER 1 STATE OF FLORIDA", 1946 or 1947:
Please be advised that the State Road Board adopted a Resolution in their meeting on November 25, 1946, held in Tallahassee. Florida, changing the new State Road Number 1 to State Road Number A1A. The necessity for changing this Highway Number was because of confusion which has been experienced by the traveling public where US 1 and SR 1 are common or intersect each other. State Road A1A, formerly SR 1, is the easternmost road along the Eastern Seaboard and extends from Jacksonville with intermittent sections to Miami.
^Florida Highways (magazine), "DESIGNATION AND LOCATION OF STATE ROAD NO. 1", 1946 or 1947:
On motion of Mr. Guernsey, seconded by Mr. Pultz, the following resolution was adopted: WHEREAS, this Board has heard numerous complaints of the confusion resulting from the designating and marking of the coastal road down the East Coast as State Road No. 1 and petitions and requests that some change in numbering be made to eliminate the mistaking of this road for U. S. Highway No. 1 because these two roads intersect and run parallel to each other, BE IT RESOLVED that in order to eliminate the confusion which the motoring public is experiencing by mistaking State Road No. 1 for U. S. Highway No. 1, and at the same time to retain the numeral One for the State's most easterly north-south road, and for whatever benefit it may have for the citizens and property owners along the route in question, THIS DEPARTMENT HEREBY CHANGES the designation of State Road No. 1 to State Road A1A. BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that said change and designation will become effective immediately after a conference to be held by Mr. Guernsey and representatives of the Jacksonville beaches within the next few days, and contingent upon no new matter strongly persuasive against such change being developed at said conference which this Board has not already considered. BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that correct signs be made and placed on the road and that maps be printed to reflect this change with as little delay as possible.
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