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I-75 Alligator Alley

Started by DrZoidberg, June 07, 2009, 09:45:49 PM

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DrZoidberg

I was looking at some photos on AARoads, and saw a few shields for I-75 that signed it as East and West.  Is 75 officialy signed as East-West through Alligator Alley?  If you're driving along it, heading towards Miami, would the reassurance shields read East or South?
"By the way...I took the liberty of fertilizing your caviar."


Alps

I-75 starts off N-S in the Miami area, I know that much.

74/171FAN

Back in December when I went to South Florida, we stayed in Weston about 5 miles east of Alligator Alley and I only recall I-75 being signed N-S there
I am now a PennDOT employee.  My opinions/views do not necessarily reflect the opinions/views of PennDOT.

akotchi

To my knowledge, and this is a dated memory, the guide signs at either end say North and South, but the signage around the rest area that is about midway says East and West.  Not sure about pull-throughs or reassurance assemblies in between.
Opinions here attributed to me are mine alone and do not reflect those of my employer or the agencies for which I am contracted to do work.

Sykotyk

I was on it in December, and even stopped at two of the rest areas, and never thought to look. I figure if it did say "East" or "West" on the sign it would've caught my attention.

Sykotyk

Jim

From January 2009, these were taken on Florida 29 North at the junction with Alligator Alley.

Coming up on I-75:



Closer view of the above:



And at the ramp to I-75 North (or here, West):

Photos I post are my own unless otherwise noted.
Signs: https://www.teresco.org/pics/signs/
Travel Mapping: https://travelmapping.net/user/?u=terescoj
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Twitter @JimTeresco (roads, travel, skiing, weather, sports)

i-95

I was never paying a load of attention to this, but I think I might've seen East-West I-75 Alligator Alley signs on the way West towards the Gulf coast.

xcellntbuy

Some of the (East)/South and (West)/North Interstate 75 signs still exist on Alligator Alley.  The "east"/"west" directionals remain in the two exits, 49 and 80 and a couple of boat slip/rest areas.  The signs on the massive interchange at FL 869/Sawgrass Expressway and Interstates 75 and 595 in Sunrise have had their signs replaced.  The original signs used to say "WEST" Interstate 75--Naples, but the "WEST" was eventually patched over with "NORTH" a few years ago.  The new, very large rest area 10 miles west of Exit 19 (I-595/FL 869) has the correct directionals since it is accessible from both directions of the highway.

There also used to be 3-digit style wide Interstate 75 shields along Alligator Alley with no directionals at all, but I believe all of those signs were replaced with the correct direction and 2-digit size shields.

Mark Alan

Bryant5493

Interesting. Even though I-75's going east to west at this point, I didn't think the route would be signed as such, being that it's an odd-numbered interstate.


Be well,

Bryant
Check out my YouTube page (http://youtube.com/Bryant5493). I have numerous road videos of Metro Atlanta and other areas in the Southeast.

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Alps

Quote from: xcellntbuy on September 13, 2009, 10:37:19 PM

There also used to be 3-digit style wide Interstate 75 shields along Alligator Alley with no directionals at all, but I believe all of those signs were replaced with the correct direction and 2-digit size shields.

Mark Alan

Must be why I-275 Tampa has all those two-digit width shields...

Max Rockatansky

I know this is a million years after the fact but it seemed wasteful to do another of the exact same name.  I finished a blog on Alligator Alley, relevant to the discussion here is all directional placards north//south.  Alligator Alley has also received new signage indicating all the new transponders which are now accepted.  I focused a lot more on FL 84 Alligator Alley and found some older references to being called the Everglades Expressway:

https://www.gribblenation.org/2021/06/interstate-75-alligator-alley.html?m=1

Flint1979

It surprises me that it's signed as such even though it's about a 90 mile stretch that runs straight east and west.

Max Rockatansky

Quote from: Flint1979 on June 27, 2021, 09:33:37 AM
It surprises me that it's signed as such even though it's about a 90 mile stretch that runs straight east and west.

For what it's worth US 41 does the same thing on the Tamiami Trail through the Everglades:

https://flic.kr/p/TFK9um

Roadgeekteen

Has anyone ever seen actual alligators along the Alligator Alley?
God-emperor of Alanland, king of all the goats and goat-like creatures

Current Interstate map I am making:

https://www.google.com/maps/d/u/0/edit?hl=en&mid=1PEDVyNb1skhnkPkgXi8JMaaudM2zI-Y&ll=29.05778059819179%2C-82.48856825&z=5

Max Rockatansky

Quote from: Roadgeekteen on June 27, 2021, 05:20:55 PM
Has anyone ever seen actual alligators along the Alligator Alley?

Yes, pull over at any one of those wayside boat ramps on a sunny day and you'll easily find them.

Roadgeekteen

Quote from: Max Rockatansky on June 27, 2021, 05:33:15 PM
Quote from: Roadgeekteen on June 27, 2021, 05:20:55 PM
Has anyone ever seen actual alligators along the Alligator Alley?

Yes, pull over at any one of those wayside boat ramps on a sunny day and you'll easily find them.
What other wildlife can be seen on the road? Seems like an interesting road.
God-emperor of Alanland, king of all the goats and goat-like creatures

Current Interstate map I am making:

https://www.google.com/maps/d/u/0/edit?hl=en&mid=1PEDVyNb1skhnkPkgXi8JMaaudM2zI-Y&ll=29.05778059819179%2C-82.48856825&z=5

Max Rockatansky

Quote from: Roadgeekteen on June 27, 2021, 05:40:30 PM
Quote from: Max Rockatansky on June 27, 2021, 05:33:15 PM
Quote from: Roadgeekteen on June 27, 2021, 05:20:55 PM
Has anyone ever seen actual alligators along the Alligator Alley?

Yes, pull over at any one of those wayside boat ramps on a sunny day and you'll easily find them.
What other wildlife can be seen on the road? Seems like an interesting road.

Lots of birds and fish.  Sometimes people see Panthers on the Collier County segment from the Big Cypress Swamp westward.

sprjus4

Quote from: Roadgeekteen on June 27, 2021, 05:20:55 PM
Has anyone ever seen actual alligators along the Alligator Alley?
Yes. Multiple, specifically at the eastern rest area a couple months back.

Roadgeekteen

This is definitely a bucket list road for me.
God-emperor of Alanland, king of all the goats and goat-like creatures

Current Interstate map I am making:

https://www.google.com/maps/d/u/0/edit?hl=en&mid=1PEDVyNb1skhnkPkgXi8JMaaudM2zI-Y&ll=29.05778059819179%2C-82.48856825&z=5

1995hoo

Quote from: Roadgeekteen on June 27, 2021, 08:42:53 PM
This is definitely a bucket list road for me.

It's not especially interesting as a drive, especially since there is more speed limit enforcement than there used to be. The first time I drove across that road, I seldom dipped below 100 mph. That required intense concentration and was a lot of fun then, but nowadays it's hard to manage that both because of traffic and because of increased police presence (plus, I just don't drive as fast anymore because I like our low insurance premiums).
"You know, you never have a guaranteed spot until you have a spot guaranteed."
—Olaf Kolzig, as quoted in the Washington Times on March 28, 2003,
commenting on the Capitals clinching a playoff spot.

"That sounded stupid, didn't it?"
—Kolzig, to the same reporter a few seconds later.

Roadgeekteen

Quote from: 1995hoo on June 27, 2021, 09:00:54 PM
Quote from: Roadgeekteen on June 27, 2021, 08:42:53 PM
This is definitely a bucket list road for me.

It's not especially interesting as a drive, especially since there is more speed limit enforcement than there used to be. The first time I drove across that road, I seldom dipped below 100 mph. That required intense concentration and was a lot of fun then, but nowadays it's hard to manage that both because of traffic and because of increased police presence (plus, I just don't drive as fast anymore because I like our low insurance premiums).
It's not the most scenic but it sure is unique.
God-emperor of Alanland, king of all the goats and goat-like creatures

Current Interstate map I am making:

https://www.google.com/maps/d/u/0/edit?hl=en&mid=1PEDVyNb1skhnkPkgXi8JMaaudM2zI-Y&ll=29.05778059819179%2C-82.48856825&z=5

Max Rockatansky

Quote from: Roadgeekteen on June 27, 2021, 09:02:10 PM
Quote from: 1995hoo on June 27, 2021, 09:00:54 PM
Quote from: Roadgeekteen on June 27, 2021, 08:42:53 PM
This is definitely a bucket list road for me.

It's not especially interesting as a drive, especially since there is more speed limit enforcement than there used to be. The first time I drove across that road, I seldom dipped below 100 mph. That required intense concentration and was a lot of fun then, but nowadays it's hard to manage that both because of traffic and because of increased police presence (plus, I just don't drive as fast anymore because I like our low insurance premiums).
It's not the most scenic but it sure is unique.

US 41/Tamiami Trail, the Loop Road and FL 9336/Main Park Road are way more interesting if you want an Everglades excursion. 

Avalanchez71

I can remember going across when it was SR 84.  Going over as SR 93 (I-75) is ridiculous as two-lane SR 84 was fine for this route.  I know that I can recall some high-speed head on crashes and the like back in the day.  Inappropriate driver behavior was the cause of the wrecks.

Roadgeekteen

Quote from: Avalanchez71 on June 28, 2021, 12:30:34 PM
I can remember going across when it was SR 84.  Going over as SR 93 (I-75) is ridiculous as two-lane SR 84 was fine for this route.  I know that I can recall some high-speed head on crashes and the like back in the day.  Inappropriate driver behavior was the cause of the wrecks.
I do think that Naples/Fort Meyers- Miami justifies an Interstate.
God-emperor of Alanland, king of all the goats and goat-like creatures

Current Interstate map I am making:

https://www.google.com/maps/d/u/0/edit?hl=en&mid=1PEDVyNb1skhnkPkgXi8JMaaudM2zI-Y&ll=29.05778059819179%2C-82.48856825&z=5

sprjus4

Quote from: Roadgeekteen on June 28, 2021, 01:04:46 PM
Quote from: Avalanchez71 on June 28, 2021, 12:30:34 PM
I can remember going across when it was SR 84.  Going over as SR 93 (I-75) is ridiculous as two-lane SR 84 was fine for this route.  I know that I can recall some high-speed head on crashes and the like back in the day.  Inappropriate driver behavior was the cause of the wrecks.
I do think that Naples/Fort Meyers- Miami justifies an Interstate.
Let alone Tampa-St. Petersburg?

I drove the route a few months ago, traffic was light but certainly enough to justify to a four lane divided highway.



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