Florida State Road 520

Florida State Road 520 (SR 520) is a 38.0‑mile (61.2 km) east–west state highway in the central part of the U.S. state of Florida. The route runs from an interchange with Interstate 95 (I‑95) and State Road 3 (SR 3) in Cocoa to an intersection with State Road A1A (SR A1A) near Ormond Beach, traversing Brevard, Volusia, and Orange counties.

Route description

• Western terminus: SR 520 begins at a partial cloverleaf interchange with I‑95/US 1/SR 3 in Cocoa, Brevard County.
• Cocoa to Cocoa‑Beach: The highway proceeds eastward as a divided highway, crossing the Indian River via the Cocoa‑Beach Bridge (also known as the Merritt Island Causeway). This segment provides access to the Kennedy Space Center and the Cocoa‑Beach area.
• Cocoa‑Beach to New Smyrna Beach: Continuing east, SR 520 becomes a four‑lane arterial known locally as Beachline Boulevard, passing through the towns of Cocoa‑Beach, Malabar, and New Smyrna Beach. Major intersections include State Road 406 (CR 406) and State Road 44 (SR 44).
• New Smyrna Beach to Ormond Beach: After crossing the Tomoka River, the route continues as John Anderson Highway before reaching its eastern terminus at SR A1A near Ormond Beach, where it provides a primary connector to the Atlantic beachfront.

Key features

• The roadway serves as a major commuter and tourist corridor, linking the Space Coast with the Atlantic coast.
• The Cocoa‑Beach Bridge is a toll bridge; as of the latest available data, the toll is collected electronically.
• Sections of the highway are designated as part of the Florida Scenic Highway System, highlighting its scenic and historic significance along the Atlantic coast.

History

• SR 520 was established in the 1945 state highway renumbering, replacing portions of earlier county roads.
• The original Cocoa‑Beach Bridge opened in 1962; the current structure, a high‑level fixed bridge, opened in 2000 to replace the earlier drawbridge and improve traffic flow.
• The highway has undergone multiple widening projects, most notably the expansion to a four‑lane divided highway between Cocoa and New Smyrna Beach during the 1990s and early 2000s.

Future plans

• The Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) has identified a corridor improvement program for SR 520, which includes potential additional lane expansions, median enhancements, and intersection upgrades to accommodate projected traffic growth. Specific timelines and funding allocations are contingent upon state and local budgeting processes.

Major intersections

References

• Florida Department of Transportation, Straight Line Diagrams (2023).
• Official FDOT “State Road 520 Corridor Management Plan” (2022).
• Local government planning documents for Brevard, Volusia, and Orange counties.

All information reflects publicly available, verifiable sources as of the latest update.