Travel on Route 301

[capecodbob]

Coming down to the Villages in a few weeks and got my trip-tic from AAA. Driving down 95. When I get by Jacksonville,
I noticed they have me "avoiding" 301 and they told me it just might be the ticket capital of the USA. Re-routed me taking 10 west till I hit 75 and then south to the Villages.
Anybody been on 301 lately?
Would save me about an hour driving if I can use 301 but if it is as crazy as AAA tells me, the extra 52 minutes might be well worth it!

Bob

[Bill-n-Brillo]

301 is fine and will save you time versus taking I-10 to I-17 south. But you really have to pay attention to all the speed limit changes.

Bill :)

[Mack184]

Coming down to the Villages in a few weeks and got my trip-tic from AAA.
I noticed they have me "avoiding" 301 and they told me it just might be the ticket capital of the USA. Re-routed me taking 10 west till I hit 75 and then south to the Villages.
Anybody been on 301 lately?
Would save me about an hour driving if I can use 301 but if it is as crazy as AAA tells me, the extra 52 minutes might be well worth it!

Bob
I've driven both ways and I prefer going over I-10 to I-75. I would say that going over to 75 is indeed a bit longer, but...301 is a mass of stop lights and varying speed limits. I don't know if it's one big speed trap, I have no evidence of that, but I find it maddening with all of the local traffic to deal with. I prefer to keep moving between 70-80mph and you're never going to be able to do that on 301.

[Bill-n-Brillo]

capecod - Here's another option: Take 301 until you get to 326 which is just a bit north of Ocala. Then it's just a short hop over to I-75 south. It kinda 'splits the difference" - you'll have some of the speed limit changes and small towns to deal with but you'll avoid the traffic in Ocala, Belleview, etc.

Like mack stated, though, if the potential for consistent speed and no traffic lights are the priority, then you're best to skip 301.

Bill :)

[downeaster]

Coming down to the Villages in a few weeks and got my trip-tic from AAA. Driving down 95.
I noticed they have me "avoiding" 301 and they told me it just might be the ticket capital of the USA. Re-routed me taking 10 west till I hit 75 and then south to the Villages.
Anybody been on 301 lately?
Would save me about an hour driving if I can use 301 but if it is as crazy as AAA tells me, the extra 52 minutes might be well worth it!

Bob

There is nothing wrong with 301. Speed limit areas are very well marked. Speed limits are reasonable, just observe them. AAA has had this mentality with regards to this subject for years. It started when there were real speed traps with obscure signage and unreasonably low limits. The local towns made a lot of money on the fines. Things have changed.

I travel 301 frequently and see very little police presence. By the way, if you travel faster than the limit you will be very conspicuous. Most drivers will set their cruise control and stay out of trouble. (I wish they would do likewise in TV).

[ariel]

Took I10 to I75 once and got backed up in traffic, so ever since have used 301, but you do have to be alert to the speed traps - Lawtey and Waldo come to mind, but there are a few others. Four lane all the way; been taking the drive fairly often for the past two years and no tickets (I'm knocking on wood). After a long drive on Interstates, I like to slow down a little for the last leg of the journey. Have a safe trip!

[delima2000]

I heard that Waldo is the ticket capital of the world. Just obey the speed limits and you should be fine.

[janmcn]

I've done the drive from the Boston area...22 hours as I recall. At the end of a long third day of driving, I wouldn't be looking to add an extra hour. Just obey the speed limit and you'll be fine. Getting off at Exit 326 is a good idea.

[George Bieniaszek]

I use 301 going to and from The Villages. The distance is approximately 100-110 miles and you have to be mindful of the speed limits. I tried many other routes and have settled on 301. The traffic lights are not all that bad, spaced out to the point that you can drive 5-10 miles in places at 55-65 MPH between stoplights. Definately be careful because there are a number of towns that pride themselves and even have roadside signs that state that their towns are speedtrap communities. Ocala can be busy along with Bellview as a previous poster stated. Enjoy the ride, approximately 2 hours to 2:15 to cover the distance is not too bad of a drive.

[sueandskip]

Coming down to the Villages in a few weeks and got my trip-tic from AAA. Driving down 95. When I get by Jacksonville,
I noticed they have me "avoiding" 301 and they told me it just might be the ticket capital of the USA. Re-routed me taking 10 west till I hit 75 and then south to the Villages.
Anybody been on 301 lately?
Would save me about an hour driving if I can use 301 but if it is as crazy as AAA tells me, the extra 52 minutes might be well worth it!

Bob
It won't save you any time and probably longer timewise....It is shorter , but alot of small towns and stop lights and signs, but I have been that way and it does show you another side of Florida and takes you in the middle of Horse country...Interesting restaraunts this way also...If you are not in a hurry you can go this way...

[Skip]

Used to be a big speed traps :police: at Waldo and Lewtey (either side of Starke) but the federal government got after them and said they can't change the speed limit from 65 to 30 right at the town line and sit and give tickets out all day to fill the town's coffers. So now, the warnings are better, 65 to 50, then 50 to 40, then 40 to 30; it gives you lots of time to slow down. Been that way many times to get to I-95 and haven't seen one speed trap since all the new signs when up years ago. Still, when the speed limit sign says 30, you better do 30, not 35. They are small towns and you're through them in a few minutes. Truckers love this route, BTW. Little traffic and no traffic lights north of Ocala (except Starke).

Southbound on 301, once you get down to SR 326 (Oak Rd.), go west and hop on I-75 South to Belleview and avoid all the Ocala traffic.

Going north, others like to go (east) over to Altoona on CR 42 and go north on SR 19 to Palatka, then east, over the St. John's, to East Palatka and SR 207 to I-95 at Exit 311. But you have to navigate Jacksonville that way. Or take US 17 north out of Palatka and go around Jacksonville on the I-295 (West Side). That's much better.

Different strokes, for different folks. :thumbup:

Skip

[capecodbob]

Wow!
Thanks one and all for the help. Great suggestions.
This will be our 1st winter in FL and we're really looking forward to it and not having to shovel any snow!
Thanks again everyone! You've been very helpful.
Bob and Patty Baker

[Virtual Geezer]

Like others have said "watch your speed" and what goes in other parts of the country does not work here. When you see the signs don't think that they give you 5 or 10 over because that does NOT work. If it says 40 you better be doing less to be on the safe side.

Be under when you hit the traps and you will be fine.

VG

[Barefoot]

At the end of a long third day of driving, I wouldn't be looking to add an extra hour. Just obey the speed limit and you'll be fine. Getting of at Exit 326 is a good idea.

We agree. After driving Interstates all the way from Ontario, we like to slow down and enjoy the lovely horse farms.

[PaPaLarry]

No matter how you look at it, or the route you choose, its still a 3 hour ride when you cross over into Florida from Georgia. I like 301 also, but can get to you when you know the last 3 hours of your 12 hour day is coming to an end. We call into Belleview Pizza, so we have a pizza waiting for us when we get there. (20 min before The Villages) Yummy

[GatorFan]

Just drove 301 to and from Charleston. No problems.

[Mack184]

Like others have said "watch your speed" and what goes in other parts of the country does not work here. When you see the signs don't think that they give you 5 or 10 over because that does NOT work. If it says 40 you better be doing less to be on the safe side.

Be under when you hit the traps and you will be fine.

VG
Does it still apply that this item is even MORE true if you happen to have car plates from NORTH of the Mason-Dixon Line??

[getdul981]

You can also avoid the Jacksonville congestion by taking the exit about 5 miles south of the Welcome Center and go over to 301 there. Very little traffic there. I forget what the exit number is, but you can find it on a map easy enough. There are 3 towns that have the reputation for speed traps, and they are Waldo, Starke and Lawtey.

[bluedog103]

capecod - Here's another option: Take 301 until you get to 326 which is just a bit north of Ocala. Then it's just a short hop over to I-75 south. It kinda 'splits the difference" - you'll have some of the speed limit changes and small towns to deal with but you'll avoid the traffic in Ocala, Belleview, etc.

Like mack stated, though, if the potential for consistent speed and no traffic lights are the priority, then you're best to skip 301.

Bill :)
This is the best way we've found. We live in the south end of TV so there's no need for us to stay on 301 through Belleview and Summerville. I-75 to 44 works well for us. I-10 to I-75 is a long haul after a long 2 days on the road. As others have said, 301 through Lawty, Waldo and Starke isn't a real problem. Just watch for the signs and stay within the speed limit. Pretty much like everywhere else.

[cquick]

301 goes through SO many small towns, that's why all the speed changes and stop lights.

[Figmo Bohica]

Does it still apply that this item is even MORE true if you happen to have car plates from NORTH of the Mason-Dixon Line??

Trvia question: What states does the Mason-Dixon Line separate?

[Challenger]

MD/Pa- But I cheated. I lived four miles from the Line for the last 30 yrs. My guess is that a huge percentage of US citizens have no idea.

[Bobcuse]

I have made the drive to and from upstate NY for 10 years and I always take 301 because I know I will not get backed up for hours on I-75 traffic problems. I have never had a problem with the varying speed limit changes, although it can be annoying at the end of a long trip. The one time one a return trip I decided to try I=75 again and took I-10 over to I-75. When I got there, just as I was starting up the ramp to I-75 I noticed the traffic was at a complete standstill so we turned around and went back to 301. There had been a fender bender somewhere noth of Ocala and traffic was stopped dead for 2 hours. Enough said.

[Dr Winston O Boogie jr]

Trvia question: What states does the Mason-Dixon Line separate?

Pennsylvania and Delaware to the north and Maryland and West Virginia to the south. But I always think of the south as starting at Virginia when driving down I-95

[billethkid]

isn't it amazing how a negative perspective can be cast aginst a community that enforces traffic laws???

Remember Waldo and Stanford ONLY give tickets to those that EARN them.

We could use a little of the traffic law enforcement here in TV.

I would take the suggestion of using 301 to just around Gainseville where I75 is very close by to access. Doing this eliminates the most extensive length of stop and go part of 301 approaching TV....in my humble opinion.

btk

[bluedog103]

There are obviously towns and lights and speed changes but it's quicker this way than riding all the way to Gainsville and back south to TV.

[Skip]

Isn't it amazing how a negative perspective can be cast aginst a community that enforces traffic laws???

btk

What was happening was the speed limit was 65 until you reached the town boundary line of Waldo and Lawtey. Then suddenly it was 35 and the town police were right there writing 100s of tickets per day. The Federal and State government got involved saying it was an intentional trap to raise money. That it was unfair to have the speed limit change so drastically and issue $244 tickets when there is little chance to slow down. The town replied that it has jurisdiction in setting the speed limit inside its borders. The Federal government (it's a US route) made the state put up the step-down signs and alert motorists about "strict enforcement". Someone even bought billboards saying "Speed Trap Ahead". The town said it has no authority to put us step-down limit signs outside its town borders. The state of Florida was reluctant to do it because it got most of that $244 fine. Waldo also has a poorly marked School Zone (15 mph) coming into town on SR 24. There, the fine doubles. So today, in Lawtey and Waldo you'll see lots of warnings that you are coming to those towns. I believe the AAA was instrumental in getting these changes made too.

Want to see the Speed Traps in The Villages? Visit the National Speed Trap Exchange (http://www.speedtrap.org/city/2157/The%20Villages). Some are really sneaky here.

Skip :police:

[jtdraig]

capecod - Here's another option: Take 301 until you get to 326 which is just a bit north of Ocala. Then it's just a short hop over to I-75 south. It kinda 'splits the difference" - you'll have some of the speed limit changes and small towns to deal with but you'll avoid the traffic in Ocala, Belleview, etc.

Like mack stated, though, if the potential for consistent speed and no traffic lights are the priority, then you're best to skip 301.

Bill :)

We have been doing this for 7 years a few times a year. We settled on this way. 301 is very manageable if you are mindful of places like Lawtey, Waldo, and Starke...especially the first two. Don't go even one MPH over the limit. We usually get from TV to I-10 in about 2 hours give or take 5 minutes pretty consistently.

[calgone]

What's a trip tic ? Thought those went by the way of the typewriter.. and twinkie...Ask Santa for a GPS.

[Virtual Geezer]

Does it still apply that this item is even MORE true if you happen to have car plates from NORTH of the Mason-Dixon Line??

It does not matter as they will take money from anyone regardless what side of the line they live on. Equal opportunity here.

Even Professional drag racer John Force received a ticket in Waldo either last year or the year before.

VG

[Mack184]

It does not matter as they will take money from anyone regardless what side of the line they live on. Equal opportunity here.

Even Professional drag racer John Force received a ticket in Waldo either last year or the year before.

VG
There is a well-known spot on Route 96B in Candor, NY. Candor is even less than a one-horse town..it's closer to a half-horse town, but it's located between Ithaca, NY and Owego, NY. Ithaca being the home to Cornell University & Ithaca College and Owego being the connection point for NY-17/I-86 which is the main road to NYC. Candor watches you from one end of town to the other, and they have a very profitable town government because of it. It was once listed in Playboy magazine as the most profitable speed trap in the USA.

I know that for many years people heading south from the "Yankee States" to Florida & other points were often on the reception end of questionable speed traps and tickets.

Back in 1967 when I was 12 my mother & father took us on a trip to Florida. My parents were considering the purchase of some land in Port Charlotte as an investment for later in their lives and they made a family trip out of it. We had stopped at a gas station someplace in Florida on Rt-301. I was standing outside with my dad while the attendant pumped the gas. When he noticed our NYS car plate he said to my father.."New York..that's one of those places where they think that (N-word) is human. You're not one of them are you?" My father said nothing to the man, and when we got back in the car my dad said to me..Just know that not everybody down here is that stupid & ignorant.

[Lindahun]

I use to drive rental cars for a living, Waldo and Lawtey are speed traps. I also lived in Waldo and know about it well. So slow down for them and watch for school zones if it's time for school to be out. I always made better time traveling 301 than going I-10 to I-75. I worked out of Jax. and drove to Tampa, Jacksonville and returned to Gainesville on a daily basies for quite a long time. Did this M+F most weeks. Also as someone else stated take 326 over to I-75.

Linda