Broward County

Broward just opened a quicker way to get from the airport to the beach

A driver uses the newly opened Convention Center Connector, a new route in Fort Lauderdale, on Monday, Oct. 20, 2025.
A driver uses the newly opened Convention Center Connector, a new route in Fort Lauderdale, on Monday, Oct. 20, 2025. South Florida Sun Sentinel

Overdue for a makeover has been the stop-and-stop-and-sometimes-go traffic from Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport to the popular beachfront hotels and restaurants. And starting this week, it’s finally happened.

County officials on Monday cut the ribbon on the Port Everglades Bypass Road, a new route carrying motorists from State Road 84 and Federal Highway through Port Everglades without having to check in with port security or deal with the heavily congested area from Federal Highway to Southeast 17th Street.

The $55 million project is an elevated road with one lane in each direction, with walls and fences on each side to minimize the security risk to Port Everglades, which requires security screening to access. That screening was worth the wait for some motorists trying to avoid 17th Street traffic before the bypass opened, but now agents won’t need to check your ID or open your trunk to let you through.

Go to Sun-Sentinel.com for the full story

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