Site Navigation Alabama Florida Georgia Louisiana Mississippi North Carolina South Carolina Tennessee     Florida's Turnpike South - Kissimmee to West Palm Beach Southbound Florida's Turnpike Exit 249 consists of a diamond interchange with Osceola County 522 (Osceola Parkway) and Florida's Turnpike. Tolls are charged on the southbound on-ramp and northbound on-ramp. Osceola Parkway becomes a toll road of its own west of Flora Boulevard en route to Walt Disney World. The remainder of the roadway is generally a free arterial route. Photo taken 04/17/08. Exit 249 toll plaza from Florida's Turnpike south to Osceola Parkway (Osceola County 522). Osceola Parkway carries six lanes through the interchange. Photo taken 04/17/08. Continuing south, Florida's Turnpike next meets U.S. 192 & 441 (Irlo Bronson Memorial Highway) at Exit 244. Fort Pierce, the next community of significance beyond St. Cloud, lies 97 miles southward. Photo taken 04/17/08. Exit 244 consists of a partial-trumpet interchange with an access road to U.S. 192 & 441 (Irlo Bronson Memorial Highway) midway between Kissimmee and St. Cloud. U.S. 192 & 441 combine near downtown Kissimmee at the intersection of Vine and Main Streets. The tandem travel a four-lane divided highway eastward to downtown St. Cloud. Photo taken 04/17/08. One mile guide sign for U.S. 192 & 441 (Exit 244) posted on Florida's Turnpike south. U.S. 192 & 441 continue east from downtown St. Cloud to Harmony and Holopaw. Much of that roadway is four-lane or under construction for expansion to four lanes. The "Next Exit 52 Miles" placard is no longer accurate with the 2006 opening of the SunPass-only Kissimmee Park Road interchange at Exit 240. Photo taken 04/17/08. Modifications to the Exit 244 interchange removed the northbound off-ramp when a new ramp opened two miles to the south in 2004. This leaves southbound travelers lone access to U.S. 192 & 441 (Irlo Bronson Memorial Highway) near Osceola County Heritage Park. The park includes Osceola Stadium (Spring Training home of MLB's Houston Astros), the county fairgrounds, and Silver Spurs Rodeo. Photo taken 04/17/08. Exit 244 leaves Florida's Turnpike southbound for U.S. 192 west & 441 north to Kissimmee and U.S. 192 east & 441 south to St. Cloud. The tandem split in rural east Osceola County on respective paths to Yeehaw Junction and Melbourne. U.S. 441 meets the Turnpike again at Exit 193. Photo taken 04/17/08. Southbound reassurance marker and mileage sign for Florida's Turnpike posted between Exit 244 and the Partin Settlement Road (unsigned Osceola County 523) overpass. Kissimmee Park Road (unsigned Osceola County 525) lies four miles ahead. Photos taken 04/17/08. Exit 240 to Kissimmee Park Road opened in December 2006 to serve commuters in south St. Cloud. Explosive sprawl has converted much of the land south of U.S. 192-441 into a hodgepodge of one-entrance subdivisions. Exit 240 allows commuters northbound access to the Turnpike. Photo taken 04/17/08. One mile north of the Exit 240 off-ramp to Kissimmee Park Road. Unsigned Osceola County 525 follows Kissimmee Park Road south from U.S. 192-441 (13th Street) in St. Cloud to the shores of Lake Tohopekaliga five miles to the west of Florida's Turnpike. Photo taken 04/17/08. Kissimmee Park Road intersects Old Canoe Creek Road at a right angle adjacent to the Exit 240 half-diamond interchange. Old Canoe Creek Road parallels the Turnpike southeast to Osceola County 523 (Canoe Creek Road) through growing suburbia. Photo taken 04/17/08. Southbound at the Exit 240 ramp departure to Kissimmee Park Road. There is no return access because the ramp is only intended on serving commuters in south St. Cloud. Osceola County 523 however leads southward from St. Cloud roughly parallel to Florida's Turnpike toward Kenansville and junction U.S. 441. U.S. 441 leads south from there to Yeehaw Junction. Photo taken 04/17/08. SunPass-only off-ramps from Florida's Turnpike consist of a sign bridge affixed with transponder readers. No cash paying options are available at these facilities. Photo taken 04/17/08. Turnpike travelers enter the ticketed system of the toll road beyond the Kissimmee Park Road off-ramp. There is no noticeable stopping for SunPass account holders, but all others must obtain a ticket. Toll rates are lower for SunPass account holders, but overall much higher on this stretch of the Turnpike versus that in Orlando. Photos taken 04/17/08. The Canoe Creek main line Toll Plaza remains conventional in design, however plans are underway to redesign the plaza to accommodate open road tolling for SunPass account holders. Photos taken 04/17/08. SunPass is accepted in all lanes, with only one dedicated lane for electronic toll collection. All others must stop and acquire a toll ticket. Photos taken 04/17/08. All that lines along Florida's Turnpike between the Canoe Creek Toll Plaza and Yeehaw Junction is the Canoe Creek Service Plaza. Photo taken 04/17/08. The Canoe Creek Service Plaza provides options for both food and fuel. Additionally tourist information and rest rooms are available. Photo taken 04/17/08. Traveling south by the Canoe Creek Service Area on Florida's Turnpike. The facility resides within the median of the roadway. During love bug season, a windshield wash unit is also available to motorists stopping at the Canoe Creek Service Plaza. The season for these insects is generally fall and spring. Photos taken 04/17/08. Florida's Turnpike continues south from the service plaza and passes under Osceola County 523 (Canoe Creek Road). Photo taken 04/17/08. Two carriageway splits exist along Florida's Turnpike in southern Osceola County. This photo looks at the northernmost partition, two miles south of Osceola County 523. These forested medians provide excellent cover for state police enforcing the speed limit. Photo taken 04/17/08. Officially Florida's Turnpike (Florida 91) is designed the Ronald Reagan Turnpike. Passed in 1998, the designation is only referenced sporadically by signs such as this one on the turnpike mainline. Most media and references to the toll road continue to use "Florida's Turnpike" only. Photo taken 04/17/08. A typical scene along Florida's Turnpike in southern Osceola County near milepost 222. Outside of Kenansville and Yeehaw Junction, lands in this part of the state consist of cattle, ranch, or wetlands. That may change if the planned town of Destiny comes to fruition west of U.S. 441 along Florida 60. Photo taken 04/17/08. Florida's Turnpike continues to angle southeastward in rural southern Osceola County. Photo taken 04/17/08. The southern carriageway split of Florida's Turnpike lies south of Parker Slough. It is unclear if these separations were considered for service plaza locations in place of the Canoe Creek facility or for what else they may have been intended. Photo taken 04/17/08. South of the forested median, Florida's Turnpike beelines for Yeehaw Junction. Photo taken 04/17/08. Osceola County 523 (Canoe Creek Road) passes over the turnpike again at Kenansville near milepost 204. Photo taken 04/17/08. Drawing to within two miles of Yeehaw Junction and Exit 193 on Florida's Turnpike south. Photo taken 04/17/08. U.S. 441 enters Yeehaw Junction from Kenansville and Holopaw. Florida 60 travels west to Lake Wales in Polk County and east to Vero Beach on the coast. Photo taken 04/17/08. A second long exitless stretch continues the Turnpike southward from Yeehaw Junction to Fort Pierce. U.S. 441 continues parallel to the turnpike to Fort Drum before veering southward to Okeechobee. The federal highway meets the toll road again at Exit 97. Photo taken 04/17/08. Additional services along the turnpike mainline exist south of Exit 193 at the Ft. Drum Service Plaza. A handful of traveler services otherwise exist at Yeehaw Junction. Photo taken 04/17/08. Exit 93 departs Florida's Turnpike southbound for Florida 60 to U.S. 441. The two highways cross paths just west of the trumpet interchange at the Desert Inn Historic Site. Much of Florida 60 otherwise is under construction as a four-lane corridor. Photo taken 04/17/08. Fort Pierce is the next designation along the southbound turnpike. Photo taken 04/17/08. Florida's Turnpike nips a southwestern corner of Indian River County between Osceola and Okeechobee Counties. Photo taken 04/17/08. Fort Drum Service Plaza also resides between the travel lanes of Florida's Turnpike mainline. The facility offers tourist information, food, and fuel services. Photo taken 04/17/08. Continue south to Miami Page Updated April 23, 2008.