State Road 40
SR 40 highlighted in red
Route information
Maintained by FDOT
Length	91.832 mi[1] (147.789 km)
Existed	1945 renumbering–present
Major junctions
West end	US 41 in Rainbow Lakes Estates
Major intersections	I-75 in Ocala US 27 / US 301 / US 441 in Ocala SR 19 in Ocala NF US 17 in Barberville I-95 in Ormond Beach US 1 in Ormond Beach
East end	SR A1A in Ormond Beach
Location
Country	United States
State	Florida
Counties	Marion, Lake, Volusia
Highway system
Florida State Highway System Interstate US State Former Pre‑1945 Toll Scenic
← SR 39A → US 41

State Road 40 (SR 40) is a 91.832-mile-long (147.789 km) east–west route across northern and east-central Florida, running from U.S. Route 41 (US 41) in Rainbow Lakes Estates eastwards through Ocala over the Ocklawaha River and bridge and through the heart of the Ocala National Forest to State Road A1A in Ormond Beach. Names of the road include Silver Springs Boulevard in Ocala, Fort Brooks Road from Silver Springs through Astor, Butler Road in Astor, and Granada Boulevard in Ormond Beach. Former sections in Ormond Beach are named "Old Tomoka Road" and "Old Tomoka Avenue."

Route description

Eastbound SR 40 as it approaches US 27-301-441 in Ocala.

The segment maintained by FDOT begins at US 41 north of the entrance to Rainbow Springs State Park, where it moves at a northeast angle before crossing under a narrow railroad bridge. The road passes by the Ocala International Airport before entering the city limits and crossing under Interstate 75 at Exit 352. East of I-75 SR 40 continues as a four-lane divided highway where it passes the site of the former Region #5 Headquarters of the Florida Department of Transportation. CSX's S-Line, which once carried the Amtrak Palmetto runs beneath the road before intersecting with US 27-301-441. East of the triplex, SR 40 climbs a hill and passes just north of the Ocala Historic Commercial District, and south of the Ocala Union Station. At the intersection of Northeast 25th Street SR 40 turns northeast where it gains a wide tree-lined divider. It passes along the northern edge of the Ocala Golf Club, then serves as the western terminus of CR 314 (Northeast 7th Street) and the eastern terminus of State Road 492 (Northeast 14th Street), and later the Appleton Museum of Art, which includes the Ocala Civic Theatre.

From there, the divider ends as the road enters Silver Springs, Florida where it intersects with the northern terminus of State Road 35 and southern terminus of County Road 35 at the Silver Springs Nature Theme Park. Before the entrance to this park, a major segment of the Florida Black Bear Scenic Byway begins along the route. The road runs along the north side of Silver Springs State Park, where it serves as the eastern terminus of State Road 326 and the southern terminus of CR 315, before it climbs the Bert Dosh Memorial Bridge in order to cross the Ocklawaha River, which was also intended to be part of the Cross Florida Barge Canal, and is now part of the Cross Florida Greenway and the Florida National Scenic Trail. Shortly after descending from that bridge, the highway intersects CR 314 for the second time, and then passes through Lynne where it intersects CR 314A, before bisecting the Ocala National Forest. Toward the eastern edge of the Juniper Springs Recreation Area, SR 40 approaches the intersection with State Road 19. Immediately after the SR 19 intersection, the road crosses the Marion-Lake County line and runs along an overlook and camping area at Wildcat Lake. East of the intersection of CR 445 & CR 445A in Astor Park, it passes through Astor where it crosses the St. Johns River via the Astor Bridge. Immediately across the bridge, on the east bank of the St. Johns River, SR 40 passes through the unincorporated community of Volusia, one of the first European settlements in Florida, and the area for which Volusia, County was named.^[2]

The bridge at Astor carries SR 40 across the St. Johns River, between Lake and Volusia Counties

As the road leaves Lake George State Forest and enters Barberville, it shifts to the northeast at the intersection of Lemmon Road, then intersects CR 3 and then the Barberville Flea Market and Post Office before a railroad crossing for the CSX "A" line a block west of the intersection of U.S. Route 17. The road curves back east, and then northeast again as it passes along the south side of Volusia Speedway Park before the intersection of State Road 11 in DeLeon Springs. From there, the road bisects the Tomoka Wildlife Management Area Union-Camp Tract and, after passing by some residential areas and intersecting Country Acres Boulevard, the road goes from two lanes to four as turns back into a divided highway. Despite officially entering the City of Ormond Beach, the highway runs along the north side of Tiger Bay State Forest and the Dan Rice Airport, but then becomes more suburban as it approaches the vicinity of the Tomoka River where the Florida Black Bear Scenic Byway ends just before Interstate 95 at Exit 268 which is a block away from CR 4009.

SR 40 crosses the Halifax River on the Granada Bridge

East of I-95 & CR 4009, the road curves northeast again as it runs along residential areas along the Tomoka River, until it curves east before crossing over a bridge over one of its tributaries, just west of the intersection of State Road 5A (North and South Nova Road). The road makes one last left curve at Old Tomoka Avenue before approaching the grade crossing of the Florida East Coast Railroad main line, and then intersects with US 1 (North and South Yonge Street). The route continues, but the divider ends as SR 40 comes in close proximity to Ormond Beach City Hall on the southwest corner of Granada Boulevard and Beach Street (CR 4011). From there, SR 40 is overlapped by the Ormond Scenic Loop and Trail, where the divider begins again on the Granada Bridge over the Halifax River, and immediately intersects John Anderson Drive (CR 2803), where one leg of the scenic route heads north and West Granada Boulevard becomes East Granda Boulevard, before finally terminating at State Road A1A. The other leg of the Ormond Beach Scenic Loop heads north on SR A1A. Despite the fact that SR 40 terminates at SR A1A, East Granada Boulevard continues as a beach access road.

Related routes

County extensions west of US 41

County Road 40
Location	Yankeetown – Dunnellon

Sign along CR 40 memorializing the filming of the 1962 Elvis Presley movie "Follow That Dream" along the road in Inglis

A western extension of SR 40 continues from US 41 in Dunnellon as County Road 40 to the Gulf of Mexico through Marion and Levy Counties north of the Withlacoochee River. County Road 40 is named Follow That Dream Parkway west of US 19/98 after the 1962 Elvis Presley movie that was filmed in Inglis, Yankeetown and the surrounding area. East of US 19–98, the road is known as Port Avenue in Levy County, and Cedar Street, then Pennsylvania Avenue in Dunnellon. Between Dunnellon and Rainbow Lakes Estates, SR 40 serves as a not-so-hidden route along US 41.

History

The route was established in the 1945 renumbering.^[3] As officially described by the State Highway Department at the time;

"Beginning in Yankeetown Easterly via Crackertown and Inglis to a junction with SR 45 in Dunnellon then Northerly along SR 45 to a point approximately four and one half miles North of Dunnellon thence Northeasterly to intersection with SR 328 then Easterly to a junction with SR 500 and along SR 500 to the intersection with SR 200 and SR 25 in Ocala. Then Easterly via Silver Springs to junction with SR 15 at Barberville and South along SR 15 to junction with SR 600 North of DeLand and along SR 15 and SR 600 to New York Avenue in DeLand. East on New York Avenue and Southeasterly to intersection with SR 5 in New Smyrna Beach."

In the mid-1960's, the route was extended to a new alignment east of Barberville towards Ormond Beach. The segment east of DeLand would later become part of Florida State Road 44. Florida State Road 40A, would eventually be downgraded to a county road and later replaced by Volusia County Road 4118.

Future

A proposed expansion of SR 40 resulted in the State Road 40 Environmental Feasibility Study,^[4] which reviewed potential impact of improvements to the existing highway while not destroying the natural beauty of the area.

Major intersections

County	Location	mi[1]	km	Destinations	Notes
Marion	Rainbow Lakes Estates	0.000	0.000	US 41 (SR 45) – Dunnellon, Williston
	​	9.763	15.712	CR 328 west
	Martel	13.368	21.514	CR 225A north (Northwest 80th Avenue)
	Ocala	17.42	28.03	I-75 (SR 93) – Lake City, Tampa	I-75 exit 352
		20.109	32.362	US 27 / US 301 / US 441 (South Pine Avenue / SR 25 / SR 500)
		23.962	38.563	SR 492 west (Northeast 14th Street / Bonnie Heath Boulevard) to I-75 north – Gainesville, Williston	no left turn eastbound
	Silver Springs	25.804	41.528	SR 35 south / CR 35 north – Belleview, Silver Springs State Park
	​	27.326	43.977	SR 326 west to I-75 north – Gainesville
	​	28.394	45.696	CR 315 north – Fort McCoy, Orange Springs, Seminole Indian Community
	​	30.01	48.30	Delks Bluff Bridge over Ocklawaha River
	Nuby's Corner	30.886	49.706	CR 314 – Hunter Ed. Center and Youth Camp, Salt Springs
	Lynne	36.753	59.148	CR 314A – Hunter Ed. Center and Youth Camp, Salt Springs
	Ocala NF	52.168	83.956	SR 19 – Salt Springs, Palatka, Eustis
Lake	Astor Park	57.014	91.755	CR 445A south – Alexander Springs
Lake–Volusia county line	Astor–Volusia line	60.06	96.66	Astor Bridge over St. Johns River
Volusia	Barberville	66.362	106.799	CR 3 – Pioneer Settlement for Creative Arts
		66.522	107.057	US 17 (SR 15) – DeLand, Pierson, Crescent City
	​	73.211	117.822	SR 11 – Bunnell, DeLand
	Ormond Beach	85.593	137.749	CR 2813 north (Tymber Creek Road)
		86.42	139.08	I-95 (SR 9) – Miami, Jacksonville	I-95 exit 268
		86.606	139.379	CR 4009 south (Williamson Boulevard)
		87.966	141.568	CR 483 south (Clyde Morris Boulevard)
		89.006	143.241	SR 5A (Nova Road)
		90.351	145.406	US 1 (Yonge Street / SR 5)
		90.781	146.098	Beach Street (CR 4011) – Tomoka State Park
		91.04	146.51	Granada Bridge over Halifax River (Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway)
		91.832	147.789	SR A1A – Ormond-by-the-Sea
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi       Incomplete access

References

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Florida State Road 40.

• Florida Route Log (SR 40)
• Florida Black Bear Scenic Byway (Florida Scenic Highways)