Overseas Highway

The Overseas Highway is a highway carrying U.S. Route 1 (US 1) through the Florida Keys to Key West. Large parts of it were built on the former right-of-way of the Overseas Railroad, the Key West Extension of the Florida East Coast Railway. Completed in 1912, the Overseas Railroad was heavily damaged and partially destroyed in the 1935 Labor Day hurricane. The Florida East Coast Railway was financially unable to rebuild the destroyed sections, so the roadbed and remaining bridges were sold to the state of Florida for $640,000. Since the 1950s, the Overseas Highway has been refurbished into a main coastal highway between the cities of Miami and Key West, offering travelers an exotic roadway through a tropical savanna environment and access to the largest area of coral reefs on the U.S. mainland. Many exotic animals such as the American Alligator, American Crocodile and Key Deer inhabit the tropical islands of the Florida Keys. Route description The Overseas Highway begins at a T intersection between US 1 and SR A1A, from which it heads east. After crossing to Stock Island and forming the boundary between the eponymous district and incorporated Key West, US 1 proceeds through unincorporated Monroe County on Boca Chica Key, past Naval Air Station Key West, and Rockland Key, where the Overseas Highway drops down to a two-lane road. It then crosses East Rockland Key, Big Coppitt Key (and its congruous district), Saddlebunch Keys, Sugarloaf Key, Park Key, Cudjoe Key (and its congruous district), Summerland Key, Ramrod Key, Middle Torch Key, Little Torch Key, Big Pine Key (and its congruous district), Scout Key, and Spanish Harbor Key. The highway expands to four lanes as it crosses the Bahia Honda Bridge, then reduces to two lanes as it traverses Bahia Honda Key, Ohio Key, Missouri Key, and Little Duck Key. After Little Duck Key, US 1 enters Knights Key, Boot Key, Key Vaca, and the town of Marathon via the Seven Mile Bridge, thus leaving the lower Keys.