<P> The Overseas Highway is a 113 - mile ( 181.9 km ) highway carrying U.S. Route 1 ( US 1 ) through the Florida Keys . 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 Labor Day Hurricane of 1935 . 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 . </P>
<P> The Overseas Highway is a 113 - mile ( 181.9 km ) highway carrying U.S. Route 1 ( US 1 ) through the Florida Keys . 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 Labor Day Hurricane of 1935 . 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 . </P>
when was the road to key west built
when was the road to key west built
Completed in 1912
Completed in 1912