Taking 301 from Jacksonville to 75??

[disneyandme]

Has anyone taken 301 out of Jacksonville and cut over to 75 and come in from the west side? This is as opposed to taking 95 down to Daytona and then across. That stretch of 95 always seems to be backed up. How is 301? is it a main road or one with a lot of stop lights??

 

[SamR]

We began taking that route several years ago. Like you, I always seem to encounter heavy congestion and backups on I-95, and often on I-4 as well. So, I decided to give this route a try, and was pleased enough with the results that I've continued to use it. Yes, 301 does go through some small towns where you will encounter traffic lights and reduced speed limits, but overall it is a pretty good road and a nice change after being on I-95 for awhile coming down through SC and GA.

Depending on the time of day, you may see some significant traffic around Ocala if you cut over to I-75 via Hwy 200. We cut over to I-75 just north of Ocala via SR-326, and that seems to work pretty well.

Note that this route is even easier now that Toll 429 and the Western Way entrance to WDW is open (assuming you don't mind paying a couple bucks or so in tolls).

Your mileage may vary (no pun intended), but it is now our preferred route.

 

[Robert P]

We did that one time. That was enough, IMHO.
301 is, as SamR said, full of small towns and stoplights. Also, when we tried it last, the route was stamped on the AAA info as a 'speed enforcement zone', which translates to 'speed trap'. Starke and Waldo used to be notorious for that, back in the pre-2000 days. We drove 301 down toward Gainesville, then got on 75 right after.

Yes, it is a nice enough drive, but with my radar detector going off for over 60% of the time we were on that road, I have to believe that it was indeed a speed trap area. The speed limit changed constantly along that road, which seemed to lend itself to getting a ticket.

As an alternative to 95 and 4, it works on the map. But the actual drivng of 301 was painfully slow, with freqent speed limit changes, police sitting on the side of the road often, and an enormous amount of traffic lights and small towns slowing things down.

You won't know for sure if it's for you until you try it. But for us, once was enough.
Either way you go, travel safely.