Whether you’re visiting the Florida Keys over the holiday weekend or you live along the island chain, you’ll likely run into heavy traffic and delays up and down U.S. 1, the archipelago’s highest-ranking law enforcement officer warned this week.
Here’s a look at what to expect:
Holiday traffic warnings
U.S. 1, or the Overseas Highway, as it’s officially known in the Keys, is the only major traffic artery connecting the island chain. Any minor incident on the highway — which is mostly one way in each direction — can cause backups for miles.
Monroe Sheriff Rick Ramsay said that Christmas time marks the end of the lull between summer and the busiest time of year in the Keys — the winter tourist season.
“Traffic at the onset of Christmas and through New Year’s Day is always much busier,” he said in a statement on Wednesday. “I know heavy traffic is frustrating for residents, and I am committed to keeping traffic flowing normally on U.S. 1, but backups are likely to occur.”
An aerial photograph shows the southern end of the 18 Mile Stretch of U.S. 1 leading in and out of the Florida Keys. Andy Newman Monroe County Tourist Development
Where the delays are expected
The Keys sheriff noted that delays are almost guaranteed in the Village of Islamorada in the Upper Keys, which becomes congested almost every weekend with tourists and day trippers.
Extra deputies will be on the road looking for impaired and aggressive drivers, but Ramsay urged motorists to give themselves enough time to get to where they’re heading.
Drunk-driving concerns
For those who plan on imbibing in some holiday cheer, he said designate a sober driver or call a taxi or ride-sharing service.
“Add to that the large numbers of tourists and the large numbers of bars and restaurants in the Keys and drunk driving can be extremely dangerous. Putting people in jail is not our goal, although we will if necessary,” Ramsay said. “The goal is to prevent people from driving while impaired. Please help us with our goal — keep our roadways safe during this holiday period.”
Heavy traffic congestion in the Upper Keys, especially at Christmas time, can cause a crawl. Passing is allowed only in certain spots and isn’t always an easy escape behind a slowpoke. Most of the highway is two lanes.
Driving times vary, but here are some estimates:
▪ It’s about a four-hour trip from Miami to Key West on a good day, and under three hours from Florida City to Key West without delays.
▪ A trip from Key Largo to Key West can take 2 1/2 hours, depending on conditions.
▪ Getting from Miami to Key Largo takes about two hours.
18 Mile Stretch
This road connects Miami-Dade County with Key Largo. While barriers separating both directions of traffic have made the road safer than in past years, a crash can send drivers into gridlock.
Cars make their way down the Overseas Highway’s Seven Mile Bridge near Little Duck Key and Bahia Honda State Park on Monday, Oct. 11, 2021. MATIAS J. OCNER mocner@miamiherald.com
Seven Mile Bridge
The Seven Mile Bridge offers jaw-dropping views. But when there’s a crash, those views can turn to hours of delays. Serious crashes shut down the span so emergency vehicles, and even helicopter ambulances, can get to the scene.
The slow-moving COnch Train could hold up traffic on narrow Key West streets. Miami Herald File
Key West
Watch out for scooters, pedestrians, cars and sightseeing vehicles. Key West, especially the Old Town section and Duval Street, can get congested with tourists. The entrance to Key West also can be a traffic hazard.
Speed limits
The speed limits change along the highway, and by law you’ll only be able to go up to 55 mph in certain places. Until you hit downtown Key West, you’re looking at moving at 50 mph for most of the road.
Speed limits drop to 45 mph in residential spots such as Cudjoe Key and Big Coppitt in the Lower Keys.
A piece of the highway through the Middle Keys city of Marathon has a 35 mph limit.
There is also a 35 mph limit zone at night on Big Pine Key, from mile marker 29.5 to 33. It’s all about protecting the endangered Key deer, the dog-sized animals often drawn to the busy highway. During the day, the limit on Big Pine is 45 mph.
In Key West, speed limits are between 25 mph from about mile marker 0 to 1 and rise to 35 mph from about mile marker 1.7 to 4.5.
Keeping up to date on traffic
Two free apps can help you navigate the Overseas Highway. One is for traffic and the other is a guide to the Keys.
▪ The Monroe County Sheriff’s Office has an app that is a must-have for people who must take the road regularly. The app has a “live calls and traffic info” tab that gives the location and times of crashes or other traffic disruptions, such as when a medical transport helicopter is landing on the highway.
You can also sign up for notifications, which will tell you when lanes are reopened.
The sheriff’s office also posts about crashes in real time on its Facebook and Twitter feeds, which you can access through the app.
▪ A travel app from the Monroe County Tourist Development Council features just about everything you want to know about exploring the islands. The app includes narrated driving tours — one for each direction of the highway — along with lists of hotels, restaurants, art galleries, watersports rentals and fishing guides.
Information is categorized by location: Key West, the Lower Keys, Marathon, Islamorada and Key West. The app also has videos of the Keys, a map and weather forecasts.
David Goodhue covers the Florida Keys and South Florida for FLKeysNews.com and the Miami Herald. Before joining the Herald, he covered Congress, the Environmental Protection Agency and the Department of Energy in Washington, D.C. He is a graduate of the University of Delaware.
