What's up with US 41?

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Originally Posted by SharpestJim

Spot-on. I remember for years noticing how "cheesy" Memorial Blvd in Lakeland always was.

I am old enough to remember (or was young enough then to remember) when US41 was the only game in town. There was no I-75 until 1981. US41 was widened to six lanes from Wood St south to Stickney Point between the mid-50's and 1960. You can still tell the pre-1960 buildings by their proximity to the curb. Many have been renovated over the years but they're still old buildings. Much of it was cheesy when we moved to Venice in 1968. Much of it remains so to this day. There are simply many more buildings that have been built since that time that are, themselves, becoming cheesy. It's a vicious cycle.

But if you think 41 is bad, try the aforementioned Memorial in Lakeland, Orange Blossom Trail or Colonial in Orlando, Gulf-to-Bay Blvd in Clearwater, Pine St (US301/27/441) in Ocala, 13th St in Gainesville, 34th St (US19) in St Pete, or Dale Mabry in Tampa (especially south of the interstate). The names on the signs change, but the highways and the buildings really don't.

+2, the development (money) over the last 20-30 years has been on I-75 and along the thoroughfares leading west to I-75 like Clark Rd. I remember when that was a quiet 2 lane road and all the development was on 41 when I-75 ended at I-4 in Tampa.

Once I-75 was extended the development on 41 stopped almost overnight and then the widening of Clark Rd began to what it is today.

[JJGittes65]

Originally Posted by hans krueger

Correct indeed. When 75 was finished the focal point was first development just west of I 75 to "Sarasota", and west of I75 to the rest of Manatee County.


Now the focus is more development EAST of I75, from Riverview, south to Estero,Cape Coral, Naples etc.


Subsequently there began intense efforts to maximize EAST/WEST corridors linking interstate access to everything westbound towards the beaches, e.g. Clark, Bee Ridge, Fruitville (gateway to DT SRQ), University Parkway, SR 70, SR64, etc. This is further evidenced with the brand NEW east/west corridor of 44th AVE between sr64 and sr70 which will link all the way WESTBOUND to CORTEZ and the beaches.


The commercial CURRENT developments waay east of I75 will continue - not development of south US41 because east of I75 is brand spanking new (in=cluding UTC's massive development). Other large NEW amenities are being adding now all along sr70 all the way past Lakewood Ranch BLVD and past Lorraine Road even - with tons more to come such as all along 44th east and WESTBOUND. Some of the biggest landowners are Publix, WalMart, and Benderson (direct and indirect ownerships).


The future as we know it now for the MSA will be east of I75 from north Manatee, to southeast Manatee to east Sarasota/Northport. Forget US41 in the near future - it's not "happening". Sprawl shall be KING for the foreseeable future- that's where the available property is.

Lots of development in the "West Villages" east of Venice, along with the new Braves spring training facility and a new retail area. I read/heard a news report that family aged people (as opposed to retirees) are looking at this area as an alternative to Lakewood Ranch. Even Venice changing, it seems like...