To By-pass….or Not By-pass? US301 By-pass Around Starke Relieves Traffic “Nightmare” in Bradford County

US301 is a major truck route through the center of our region, and in recent years it’s become a nightmare for visitors, especially those heading south from Interstate 10 at Baldwin, east of Jacksonville.  There’s no doubt that it’s easier to head down US301, especially if headed to Gainesville, but there’s always been a time-consuming snag in Starke.  Starke is at the intersection of US301, SR100 and SR16 and has for many years has often seen traffic, often affected by big trucks, stalled for long and tiresome periods.  On heavily-traveled holiday weekend days, reports of hour-long delays have become common.

However, with the opening of the new Starke by-pass will certainly make things better for visitors traveling through the area, and will make downtown Starke more accessible.  Billed as a “truck route”, the new by-pass will take the load off US301 and with exits at both SR100 and SR16, it’s an easy trip to town for some great food and antiquing.