How To Drive In Miami

English: Florida’s Turnpike logo (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Miami is a bustling city with a vast system of interconnecting highways. The city is center for tourism, construction, and industry, so the roads are often congested with people coming and going to jobs, tourists in search of the city attractions and trucks carrying goods from place to place. Like many cities, its roads have good times and bad times. Knowing some of the details of driving in Miami can help you to enjoy your stay safe on your vacation to Miami Florida.

City Layout

The city is laid out in a grid pattern, with four distinct sections in the northeast, northwest, southeast, and southwest. Flagler Street divides the north and south sections. Miami Avenue divides the east and west sections. Some neighborhoods within the city do not follow the basic grid pattern, which could be confusing.

Rules and Regulations

Always use your turn signals when driving in Miami. Though not everyone follows this driving regulation, you will reduce your chance of getting into a traffic accident with clear indications of how you intend to move. The law in Miami allows a right turn on red after coming to a full stop. You may also encounter red and green traffic control lights when entering highways. You must wait for the green light in order to continue onto the highways or risk being ticketed. Drivers in Miami must pull over to the side of the road or slow down when emergency vehicles approach. You must leave 3 feet of space when overtaking a bicycle or other nonmotorized vehicle. Drivers may encounter “shared use” lanes that both cars and bicycles may use.

Speed and Pace

Highways speeds can vary in different areas. The Florida Turnpike speed limit is 70 miles per hour, but may drop to 65 in some congested sections. Other highways, such as I-95, 826, 836 and US 1, have varying maximum limits. Exit ramps may have both maximum and minimum speed limit signs. So make sure that you are always aware of the speed limit because you never know what the speed limit could be.

Toll Roads

The Miami area has a number of toll roads, including
I-95 has installed express lanes that have tolls. The Florida Sunpass can be used that charges tolls to your credit cards. Short-term passes are available. If you rent a car with Sixt you can get the Sun Pass for a small extra fee. The Express lanes cost very on price depending on the traffic.

Rush Hour Times

Visitors to the Miami area can expect heavy traffic on streets and highways from 7 a.m. to 9 am. in the morning and from 2:30 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. in the evening on Mondays through Fridays. Weekend morning traffic is generally light. Afternoon weekend traffic can vary depending on special events that are going on in the city. Weekend traffic can also be heavy as both residents and tourists travel to Miami attractions.

Preparation

It’s a good idea to map out your route in advance to avoid confusion while you are driving. If you rely on a GPS system, it’s still a good idea to anticipate the major highways and their connections beforehand. Signage is excellent on Miami highways, but you may occasionally be faced with an exit on the side of the road you don’t expect. Stick to middle lanes to allow for quick lane changes, if necessary.