SR 60 to Route 60: A Road Rebrand Could Ignite Growth and Tourism 

Everyone’s heard about Route 66, the 2,448-mile highway from Chicago to the Santa Monica Pier in California. Now consider Florida’s Route 60 Scenic Highway, 56 miles of small-town America in Polk County, followed by a plan to extend it the entire 164-mile route from Vero Beach to Pier 60 in Clearwater Beach. 

Rob Kincart wants to rebrand State Road 60 as Route 60, and he’s got a force of businesses, residents and organizations, including the Central Florida Development Council, behind him. The president of A-C-T Environmental & Infrastructure, the business he owns on SR 60 in Bartow, plans to send a Letter of Intent to the Florida Department of Transportation by early July.  

That letter sums up the purpose of the designation, which includes: 

• Strengthening economic development and heritage tourism. 
• Protecting and promoting the historic, cultural, natural, archaeological, and recreational resources along the route. 
• Supporting revitalization efforts in Bartow, Mulberry, and Lake Wales while enhancing community identity. 
• Preserving the rural character of the county. 

“The Route 60 designation creates an emotionally identifiable brand to promote heritage and cultural tourism for Polk County, the region and eventually from coast to coast, ” said Myrtice Young, Historic Preservation manager at the Polk County History Center and a supporter of the project. 

The Route 60 designation creates an emotionally identifiable brand to promote heritage and cultural tourism for Polk County, the region and eventually from coast to coast

Myrtice Young, Historic Preservation Manager
Polk County History Center

Elle Withall, president of the Bartow Economic Development Council and board member for the Route 60 Scenic Highway organization, wrote the Letter of Intent, saying the letter was a way to clearly define the goal of the highway.  

That goal: “Unifying our communities around a shared economic and cultural vision,” she said. “The Scenic Highway designation will strengthen visitation, support business reinvestment and reinforce the historic, natural and agricultural assets that drive Polk County’s economy. This highly anticipated project reflects both our pride in the past and our strategy for the future.”  

Economic Development

Kincart and others hope the Scenic Highway designation will spur economic development along the road, which has been a lifeline for the county since its beginning.  

“Polk County has long been recognized for its economic diversity, natural resources, and agricultural heritage,” the application states. “The region’s phosphate mining industry, centered in the historic Bone Valley, fueled national agricultural growth beginning in the late 1800s. Fertilizer production supported the expansion of citrus, cattle, and crop production, establishing Polk County as a major agricultural center.” 

A Route 60 corridor could offer incentives for businesses to invest in improving blighted areas. “There are some mom-and-pop hotels that are deteriorated, citrus warehouses that can be refurbished,” Kincart said. “We hope to attract some attention that people would want to bring their activity here and showcase what they do.” 

He also would like to attract people who would invest in restaurants and entertainment. “I think people want to be on Route 66 just because of the history and the attention it could attract. The same could be true here.”  

Community Support

The most important thing so far has been community support, Kincart said.  

“The agricultural folks are involved, from cowboys to River Ranch and its rodeo, citrus, phosphate mining and shark teeth hunting, an equestrian center in Bartow. And now, the number of people who have said they would want to start a business here because of the potential for entertainment.” 

From a historical perspective, Young said she’s “overjoyed about this opportunity to showcase our region’s vast heritage and cultural experiences. Our preservation initiatives have always been focused on crafting Polk County’s heritage story, not only to promote tourism and the economic impact it stimulates, but also to protect and share the irreplaceable resources that tell Polk County’s story.”