I HATE 301 and all of its traffic lights and traffic.
You can almost watch your GPS changing the ETA by the minute...due to the constant delays.
Anytime I'm headed to Jax or points north of Jax, I can make much better time going to Palatka through the Ocala National Forest (a couple of ways to get there, but going through Salt Springs is my preference), over to I-95, then East Beltway-295 over the Dames Point Bridge (tall bridge with a nice, albeit temporary, view) toward Jax airport...and north from there.
Not only is it faster going through the forest (wide two lane, good shoulders and lots of passing locations for the few vehicles on the road) with almost no traffic lights...but the scenery is much nicer.
