Travel ?s -- Florida

[1995hoo]

Wondering if anyone could give me some feedback on the merits of I-95 versus the Turnpike for the northbound trip between the Miami area (specifically Pines Boulevard west of I-75) and the Viera area (near Space Coast Stadium). We'll be making that drive in a few weeks. On our last trip I used FL-869 to the Turnpike, then the Turnpike north to Fort Pierce and I-95 the rest of the way. In the interest of (a) going a different way and (b) nipping off one of three remaining pieces of I-95 I need for a clinch, I was considering the idea this time of using I-95 the whole way instead of the Turnpike. My wife doesn't seem keen on the idea–she expects there would be a lot more traffic and that it would be slower because there are more exits. Does anyone have any feedback on whether there's a substantial difference in travel time between the two routes? (We will be making the drive midday on a Wednesday, if that makes any difference.) While I'd like to finish off I-95 in Florida, I also think my wife's desire to get to Viera to visit her sister is legitimate and probably trumps the "clinch" factor.

(Lantana toll plaza not an issue; I have a SunPass.)

Thanks in advance.

[formulanone]

I would say between the hours of 9am and 3pm, that traffic on I-95 is a complete non-issue just about anywhere south of Jacksonville, and the distance differential between the Turnpike and I-95 between SR 820 and SR 70 is almost nil, since they essentially run parallel for that distance. Besides, I-95 has more lanes; sometimes you can get bottled up behind someone on the 4-laned section of the Turnpike for a while.

Which sections do you have to clinch?

Also, if you're going to try something completely different, since your stop is west of I-75 at Pines Boulevard, you could take US 27 back north, but that's only if you really want to take another route for the sake of it (or collecting counties), since going back that way and connecting with US 192 (et al) to Viera will probably add another 3 hours to your drive!

[1995hoo]

Thanks for the advice. I figured I-95 probably had more lanes but hadn't looked at route pictures online to verify. That's certainly a valid consideration.

I have four segments of I-95 left:

(a) Between Golden Glades interchange and Fort Pierce;
(b) Between Challenger Parkway and I-4 (this segment will be crossed off on our way home at the end of this trip);
(c) A short segment in Jacksonville between the southern I-295 junction and I believe University Boulevard (the exit where Ying's Chinee Takee Outee is)–I'll also cross this off on this trip; and
(d) From the I-395 junction in Bangor, Maine, north to the Canadian border (no idea when I'll get that one).

For this trip we're taking the Auto Train to Florida and then driving for the trip home, so it presents an ideal opportunity to cross off the first three of those segments. If we were driving south and taking the train back it wouldn't give the same opportunity because we do an anti-clockwise loop where our first visit is with a friend who lives in Venice (thus making segment "b" impractical).

I had been looking at a map earlier today and I think if I did the US-27 thing I'd turn off near Lake Okeechobee to drive up the east side of said lake, then pick up I-95 somewhere along there. Seeing the lake would at least add a variety of scenery to the drive. Otherwise, we used a part of US-27 back in 2005 when driving from Viera to Fort Myers (took I-95 to Fort Pierce, west on FL-70, south on US-27, and west to Fort Myers). But taking US-27 all the way up to the Orlando area to connect to US-192 is not happening since the extra distance would have a Wife Acceptance Factor of zero unless there were a compelling reason like a big wreck on the highway or the need to make some other stop somewhere.

[formulanone]

But taking US-27 all the way up to the Orlando area to connect to US-192 is not happening since the extra distance would have a Wife Acceptance Factor of zero...

Been there, although before having kids in tow, exploring new routes (and occasionally getting lost) was quite okay. No problems for a short hop here and there, and find another route; however, I'd probably hear about an additional 3 hours for the rest of my life, unless time wasn't an issue.

I-95 has HOV lanes between Golden Glades and SR 786 (PGA Boulevard) - although possibly up to SR 706 now - but from there to SR 70 is smooth sailing, since the exits are much further apart (and unlike the Turnpike, usually with some level of nearby services). Florida's Highway Patrol and county Sheriffs set up plenty of speed traps, and enforce the HOV rule quite ruthlessly (but if you're not traveling alone, don't worry about it). The later agencies like to use unmarked, slick-topped Dodge Chargers, but the giveaway is they have black-coated steel wheels with chrome center caps, which aren't showroom options.

The biggest potential traffic snarls on I-95 are:
Golden Glades Interchange (Exit 12) - This can be a quagmire any time of day.
Interstate 595 (Exit 26) - Not always, but if a low-flying plane is landing into FLL on the east side, people generally hit their brakes in panic!
Cypress Creek Boulevard (Exit 33) - Personally, I don't know why, since there's no lane drops.
Glades Road/SR 808 (Exit 45) - Essentially the transportation center of Boca Raton.
Okeechobee Road (Exit 70) - Three exits in quick succession serving downtown Palm Beach and PBI Airport.

Some days and times, these are virtually non-existent issues, others...

[1995hoo]

Thanks again. I take it the HOV lanes are HOV-2, then? That certainly always helps.

My wife would probably be more tolerant of my "finding another route" if I hadn't made a wrong turn in Colorado a few years ago that took us well over 125 miles out of our way. I simply missed the turn I wanted and it wound up adding a lot of time to the drive and the rental car wasn't really the most comfortable anyway. So I understand her skepticism when I start looking at other roads "because I'm bored with I-95." In fairness, I suppose most of the time there's a limit to how far out of the way I'd be willing to go even if she weren't with me–for example, I wouldn't even consider going around via Atlanta on a drive between Florida's east coast and the DC area unless I had to go to Atlanta for another reason (although when I was in my 20s I drove from Montgomery to Durham via Birmingham, Chattanooga, and US-64 over the mountains simply for the sake of entering Tennessee because the only time I had been to that state was when I was 1 year old and we were moving from Texas to Virginia and I didn't remember that trip too well).

The Wife Acceptance Factor for shorter detours is a lot higher–she generally has no problem with taking a beltway, for example.

[MrDisco99]

To add my two cents... the view from the flyover I-95 HOV lanes through the Golden Glades interchange is pretty spectacular.

The multi-colored ramp bridges at the I-595 interchange are neat, too, and definitely typical of things you don't see up north.

[DeaconG]

Wondering if anyone could give me some feedback on the merits of I-95 versus the Turnpike for the northbound trip between the Miami area (specifically Pines Boulevard west of I-75) and the Viera area (near Space Coast Stadium). We'll be making that drive in a few weeks. On our last trip I used FL-869 to the Turnpike, then the Turnpike north to Fort Pierce and I-95 the rest of the way. In the interest of (a) going a different way and (b) nipping off one of three remaining pieces of I-95 I need for a clinch, I was considering the idea this time of using I-95 the whole way instead of the Turnpike. My wife doesn't seem keen on the idea–she expects there would be a lot more traffic and that it would be slower because there are more exits. Does anyone have any feedback on whether there's a substantial difference in travel time between the two routes? (We will be making the drive midday on a Wednesday, if that makes any difference.) While I'd like to finish off I-95 in Florida, I also think my wife's desire to get to Viera to visit her sister is legitimate and probably trumps the "clinch" factor.

(Lantana toll plaza not an issue; I have a SunPass.)

Thanks in advance.

There is currently construction on I-95 between Fort Pierce and the Brevard/Indian River County line as part of a widening project to six lanes and there is heavy FHP enforcement there, so you may want to take that into consideration.

Also, mid-Wednesday on I-95 is generally not a problem between Vero Beach and Viera as long as you don't get later than about 3 PM, after that it tends to start getting heavier as the afternoon commute from Melbourne/Palm Bay northward starts becoming a problem (traffic tends to clump because 'slower traffic keep right' seems to be optional in Brevard County even with it widened to six lanes from SR 514 to SR 528  ).

[realjd]

Wondering if anyone could give me some feedback on the merits of I-95 versus the Turnpike for the northbound trip between the Miami area (specifically Pines Boulevard west of I-75) and the Viera area (near Space Coast Stadium). We'll be making that drive in a few weeks. On our last trip I used FL-869 to the Turnpike, then the Turnpike north to Fort Pierce and I-95 the rest of the way. In the interest of (a) going a different way and (b) nipping off one of three remaining pieces of I-95 I need for a clinch, I was considering the idea this time of using I-95 the whole way instead of the Turnpike. My wife doesn't seem keen on the idea–she expects there would be a lot more traffic and that it would be slower because there are more exits. Does anyone have any feedback on whether there's a substantial difference in travel time between the two routes? (We will be making the drive midday on a Wednesday, if that makes any difference.) While I'd like to finish off I-95 in Florida, I also think my wife's desire to get to Viera to visit her sister is legitimate and probably trumps the "clinch" factor.

(Lantana toll plaza not an issue; I have a SunPass.)

Thanks in advance.

There is currently construction on I-95 between Fort Pierce and the Brevard/Indian River County line as part of a widening project to six lanes and there is heavy FHP enforcement there, so you may want to take that into consideration.

Also, mid-Wednesday on I-95 is generally not a problem between Vero Beach and Viera as long as you don't get later than about 3 PM, after that it tends to start getting heavier as the afternoon commute from Melbourne/Palm Bay northward starts becoming a problem (traffic tends to clump because 'slower traffic keep right' seems to be optional in Brevard County even with it widened to six lanes from SR 514 to SR 528  ).

I always joke that I felt at home on the Motorways in England because I was used to slower traffic keeping left!

If you're looking for an alternative to I-95, US1 between CR-512 in Sebastian and SR-404 in Melbourne is extremely scenic since it's literally right on the edge of the Indian River Lagoon for most of that stretch. There is a high speed limit and few lights on the stretch south of Melbourne. A good quick diversion would be to exit I-95 at CR-512, take US-1 north, then cut back to I-95 at SR-514 in Malabar.

[1995hoo]

....

If you're looking for an alternative to I-95, US1 between CR-512 in Sebastian and SR-404 in Melbourne is extremely scenic since it's literally right on the edge of the Indian River Lagoon for most of that stretch. There is a high speed limit and few lights on the stretch south of Melbourne. A good quick diversion would be to exit I-95 at CR-512, take US-1 north, then cut back to I-95 at SR-514 in Malabar.

Thanks. We've used the portion of US-1 from Viera Boulevard down to central Melbourne (New Haven Avenue) quite a few times en route from my sister-in-law's house to Melbourne. Among other reasons, we're fond of Meg O'Malley's pub on New Haven Avenue and my sister-in-law says US-1 is much faster than going across New Haven Avenue to I-95 (plus she HATES the roundabout on Wickham Road.....whereas I love it and so make a point of going through it as often as I can....it drives her crazy).

I'll keep this alternative in mind since I've already checked off that portion of I-95. Might depend on what time it is.

[realjd]

....

If you're looking for an alternative to I-95, US1 between CR-512 in Sebastian and SR-404 in Melbourne is extremely scenic since it's literally right on the edge of the Indian River Lagoon for most of that stretch. There is a high speed limit and few lights on the stretch south of Melbourne. A good quick diversion would be to exit I-95 at CR-512, take US-1 north, then cut back to I-95 at SR-514 in Malabar.

Thanks. We've used the portion of US-1 from Viera Boulevard down to central Melbourne (New Haven Avenue) quite a few times en route from my sister-in-law's house to Melbourne. Among other reasons, we're fond of Meg O'Malley's pub on New Haven Avenue and my sister-in-law says US-1 is much faster than going across New Haven Avenue to I-95 (plus she HATES the roundabout on Wickham Road.....whereas I love it and so make a point of going through it as often as I can....it drives her crazy).

I'll keep this alternative in mind since I've already checked off that portion of I-95. Might depend on what time it is.

192 is usually really slow. I agree that US1 is the better route between downtown and Viera.

And good call on Megs. That, along with Island Pasta and the Mansion, are our favorite downtown restaurants. I highly recommend the Mansion in particular. It's only been open a few months but the food is amazing, they have 60 beers on tap, and it's reasonably priced. It's quickly become one of the top restaurants in town.

I'm trying to think of other cool drives around here... have you driven Tropical Train (CR3) south of the Pineda Cswy yet?

[1995hoo]

192 is usually really slow. I agree that US1 is the better route between downtown and Viera.

And good call on Megs. That, along with Island Pasta and the Mansion, are our favorite downtown restaurants. I highly recommend the Mansion in particular. It's only been open a few months but the food is amazing, they have 60 beers on tap, and it's reasonably priced. It's quickly become one of the top restaurants in town.

I'm trying to think of other cool drives around here... have you driven Tropical Train (CR3) south of the Pineda Cswy yet?

Thanks for the tip, maybe we'll check out the Mansion if we head downtown, which we probably will. I'll look it up online this afternoon.

Had to look at a map to see which causeway is which. I have not been on that part of Tropical Trail. I've been on the part further north–my wife's sister's son lives in a development off there and we went over there for dinner last Christmas, but the fastest way there is via the other causeway in Cocoa.

[DeaconG]

192 is usually really slow. I agree that US1 is the better route between downtown and Viera.

And good call on Megs. That, along with Island Pasta and the Mansion, are our favorite downtown restaurants. I highly recommend the Mansion in particular. It's only been open a few months but the food is amazing, they have 60 beers on tap, and it's reasonably priced. It's quickly become one of the top restaurants in town.

I'm trying to think of other cool drives around here... have you driven Tropical Train (CR3) south of the Pineda Cswy yet?

Thanks for the tip, maybe we'll check out the Mansion if we head downtown, which we probably will. I'll look it up online this afternoon.

Had to look at a map to see which causeway is which. I have not been on that part of Tropical Trail. I've been on the part further north–my wife's sister's son lives in a development off there and we went over there for dinner last Christmas, but the fastest way there is via the other causeway in Cocoa.

Crossing the Mathers Bridge at the south end of Tropical Trail is always a treat, even better when it's open and you have a camera!  It's the only swing bridge left in Brevard since the new Max Brewer high level bridge in Titusville got built and the old one went away.

Lots of 'mad money' houses down that way, too.  You'll have time to peruse them all, the speed limit at the end of Tropical Trail is 25 (for good reason, the road's not that wide).

[realjd]

The Mathers Bridge opens on-demand, which works out to about every 10 minutes if the weather is nice.

Another cool draw bridge nearby (bascule bridge) is the one at the entrance to Lansing Island in IHB. Since the road is behind the gatehouse you probably wouldn't be able to see it except by boat. I like kayaking down those canals and have to go under that one and the Mathers Bridge kayaking to Samson's Island park.

[1995hoo]

Thanks for the various advice in this thread. We had lunch at the Mansion this past Thursday. My wife's sister hadn't been there, so that was a nice bonus; she liked it. Drove part of the remaining portion of Tropical Trail on Friday night–we had dinner at a restaurant on Wickham Road and then wanted to go visit my wife's nephew, and the sat-nav routed us over the Pineda Causeway  and then north on Tropical to his neighborhood. Nice drive. Some very nice houses along that road, although the flood insurance costs must be deadly. The southern part sounds even nicer from the descriptions here, but that will have to wait for a future trip....and we might not get back over there since he is selling his house due to financial issues.

Wound up not taking I-95 from Miami, although due to traffic I did nip off a piece of the Turnpike in that area that I had not previously travelled, so at least that's something.

Had an incident with a wrong-way driver as we were exiting I-75 in Venice (Exit 193, Jacaranda Boulevard) at the beginning of the trip–we were coming down the ramp and this elderly couple drove by in the other direction, oblivious to my honking and light-flashing and the rest. Thankfully they must have realized their mistake when a truck came off behind us because I saw them cut a U-turn. I-75 is still under construction for widening there and if they'd made it out onto the highway there would have been a head-on crash within seconds.