Palatka, Florida

==Infrastructure==

===Health care===

Local health care is provided by the HCA Florida Putnam Hospital. The 99-bed acute care facility offers a medical and surgical units, 24-hour emergency department, critical care unit, skilled nursing unit, and progressive care unit. Other services include a diagnostic imaging department and an outpatient rehabilitation facility.<ref>[http://www.pcmcfl.com/CustomPage.asp?guidCustomContentID=AC067C1D-83F4-4331-85E7-C972A70F4682 Specialty Services]. {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101219130822/http://pcmcfl.com/CustomPage.asp?guidCustomContentID=AC067C1D-83F4-4331-85E7-C972A70F4682 |date=2010-12-19 }} at [https://www.hcafloridahealthcare.com/locations/putnam-hospital/about-us/], retrieved 24.01.2011.</ref> Located in Palatka, the medical center services all of Putnam County. The local health department is located at 2801 Kennedy Street in Palatka.<ref>[http://www.doh.state.fl.us/chdPutnam/index.html Putnam County Health Department]. Archived at [http://www.doh.state.fl.us/ Florida Department of Health], retrieved 24.01.2011.</ref>

===Education===

[[File:SJRSC.jpg|thumb|200px|right|[[St. Johns River State College]]]]
The main center for higher education in the city is [[St. Johns River State College]]. In 1958, the institute opened its doors in Palatka to 191 students. Today the school serves Putnam, Clay, and St. Johns Counties and boasts approximately 10,000 students.<ref>[http://www.sjrcc.edu/aboutus.html About Us]. {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110720044650/http://www.sjrcc.edu/aboutus.html |date=2011-07-20 }}. Archived at [http://www.sjrcc.edu/ St. Johns River River State College]. {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110226195849/http://sjrcc.edu/ |date=2011-02-26 }}, retrieved 24.01.2011.</ref> The Palatka campus serves as the administrative center, it also houses the Florida School of the Arts and the local [[St. Leo University]] branch. Public primary and secondary education is operated by Putnam County Public Schools, officially known as the [[Putnam County School District]] (PCSD). According to 2007 enrollment numbers, the district is home to 12,101 students.<ref>School Matters [http://www.schoolmatters.com/schools.aspx/q/page=dl/did=1571/midx=CPEnrollment]{{dead link|date=March 2018|bot=InternetArchiveBot|fix-attempted=yes}}, Classroom Profile, Enrollment.</ref> Palatka has one public traditional high school. [[Palatka High School]] was formed in 1977 after the merger of Palatka Central High School and Palatka South High School.<ref>[http://www.palatkahighschool.orgPalatka High School]. {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150202053553/http://www.palatkahighschool.org/ |date=2015-02-02 }}, About PHS.</ref> The Putnam County Library System serves Putnam County, Florida with five locations.<ref>Board of County Commissioners [http://www.putnam-fl.com/brb/Board_htmls/library.htm]. {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140819071251/http://www.putnam-fl.com/brb/Board_htmls/library.htm|date=2014-08-19}}, Putnam County Florida E-Governance, Library Department.</ref> The Palatka Library location operates as the systems headquarters.

===Transportation===

[[File:Palatka old memorial bridge02.jpg|thumb|left|225px|Memorial Bridge across St. Johns River.]]
Transportation has been key in the development of Palatka since the day of its inception. [[Steamboats]] were the main economic driving force in the city's early years. The river is no longer a primary means of passenger transportation, but remains of strategic importance in the movement of goods and services. Today, airports, railroads, and highways make up the main infrastructure of passenger travel. Palatka's own transportation infrastructure remains important as it is centrally located between large population centers in [[Jacksonville, Florida|Jacksonville]], a large educational institute in [[Gainesville, Florida|Gainesville]], and tourist hubs in [[St. Augustine, Florida|St. Augustine]] and [[Orlando, Florida|Orlando]].
{{clear}}

;Highways
*[[File:US 17.svg|25px]] [[U.S. Route 17 in Florida|US 17]] – Primary  north-south route running parallel with the [[St. Johns River]]. This route connects Palatka to [[Jacksonville, Florida|Jacksonville]] (northbound) and [[Orlando, Florida|Orlando]] (southbound).
* [[File:Florida 15.svg|25px]] [[Florida State Road 15|SR 15]] – From Jacksonville to Orlando US 17 and SR 15 are the same route.
* [[File:Florida 19.svg|25px]] [[Florida State Road 19|SR 19]] – Terminating into US 17, SR 19 extends into the cities major commercial corridor. The route extends further into the [[Ocala National Forest]] and becomes the Florida Black Bear Scenic Byway.
* [[File:Florida 20.svg|25px]] [[Florida State Road 20|SR 20]] – Primary route connecting [[Gainesville, Florida|Gainesville]] and Palatka.
* [[File:Florida 100.svg|25px]] [[Florida State Road 100|SR 100]] – Route connecting [[Keystone Heights, Florida|Keystone Heights]], Palatka, and [[Bunnell, Florida|Bunnell]]
* [[File:Florida 207.svg|25px]] [[Florida State Road 207|SR 207]] – Primary route connecting [[East Palatka, Florida|East Palatka]] and [[St. Augustine, Florida|St. Augustine]]

The bundled US 17, SR 20 and SR 100 cross the [[Memorial Bridge (Palatka, Florida)|Memorial Bridge]] over the [[St. Johns River]] toward East Palatka.

;Mass transit
Bus transportation in the city is provided by [[Ride Solution]]. The agency is responsible for public transit throughout all of Putnam County, Florida. Established in 1986 as ARC Transit, the original paratransit services have expanded to include regular bus services, express bus services, and vanpools. Recently, bus design and manufacturing has become a way Ride Solution is helping improve community transportation. The Brevi Bus was created to handle the rugged terrain and unpaved roads of rural Putnam County. The Bus was designed locally by Ride Solution and is expected to improve access by 30 percent.<ref>Community Transportation Association ([https://web.archive.org/web/20110725212103/http://web1.ctaa.org/webmodules/webarticles/anmviewer.asp?a=2162 archived]), Rep. Mica, Ride Solution Unveil New Brevi Bus, October 15, 2010, retrieved 24.01.2011.</ref>

;Intercity transit
[[Amtrak]] serves Palatka by the daily ''[[Silver Meteor]]'' and ''[[Silver Star (passenger train)|Silver Star]]'' intercity rail services. The [[Palatka Amtrak station]] is a historic [[Atlantic Coast Line Railroad]] depot located at 220 North Eleventh Street.<ref name="trainweb">{{cite web |title=PALATKA FLORIDA (PAC) |url=http://www.trainweb.org/usarail/palatka.htm |publisher=TrainWeb |access-date=7 August 2010}}</ref> The station was added in 1988 to the [[United States|U.S.]] [[National Register of Historic Places]].

[[Palatka Municipal Airport]] is a public-use, [[general aviation]] airport located {{convert|2|mi|km}} northwest of Downtown Palatka. The nearest international airport is [[Jacksonville International Airport]], approximatively {{convert|68|mi|km}} north of Palatka. The closest major international airport is [[Orlando International Airport]].