State Road 970 - Downtown Distributor
State Road 970 is the "Downtown Distributor," a 0.56 mile long freeway designed to connect Downtown Miami, near the vicinity of Flagler Street, S.E. 2nd Avenue, and S.E. 3rd Street, with I-95. It was built in 1970 as part of the last link of Interstate 95 completed in Miami-Dade County. SR 970 is generally unsigned from I-95, with guide signs displaying "Miami Avenue - Downtown" and "Biscayne Boulevard" instead.
The freeway has the bureaucratic name of "Downtown Distributor," and it has not been considered for any other names. Most people know these ramps by the connection they make with U.S. 1 and Interstate 95. With the U.S. 1 realignment off Brickell Avenue to the south of U.S. 41 in 2013, the Downtown Distributor became part of U.S. 1 as it bypasses the Brickell section of the city along I-95 and SR 970. However, U.S. 1 is not acknowledged along the Downtown Distributor.
East
Flyovers from Interstate 95 to SR 970 (Downtown Distributor) east initially run side by side over SW 2nd Avenue.
07/05/11
03/25/06
The connection to SR 970 east from I-95 south includes access to S Miami Avenue.
03/25/06
A SR 970 shield appears along the transition ramp from I-95 north to the Downtown Distributor eastbound.
07/05/11
Ramps from I-95 north and south combine ahead of southbound U.S. 1 (SE 2nd Avenue) at SE 3rd Avenue.
07/05/11
SR 970 east at the left exit for S Miami Avenue.
03/25/06
The Downtown Distributor partitions with ramps for SE 2nd Avenue (U.S. 1) and SE 3rd Street east to U.S. 1 north along Biscayne Boulevard, and SE 1st Avenue north from the James L. Knight International Center.
07/05/11
SE 3rd Street extends two blocks east from the end of SR 970 to U.S. 1 (Biscayne Boulevard) north. No longer marked due to the removal of U.S. 1 along Brickell Avenue south of U.S. 41, U.S. 1 southbound formerly followed SE 2nd Avenue to the nearby drawbridge taking Brickell Avenue across the Miami River.
07/05/11
Northbound U.S. 1 shifts southward from SR 970 onto SE 4th Street / Biscayne Boulevard Way paralleling the Miami River.
07/26/17
West
SR 970 branches west from U.S. 1 (Brickell Avenue) southbound between SE 2nd and SE 3rd Streets in Downtown Miami. Construction in 2018/19 reconfigured the entrance ramp with a traffic island added for pedestrians. This guide sign was removed during the road work.
07/26/17
This confirming marker for State Road 970 stood at the entrance ramp from Brickell Avenue south. It was subsequently removed in 2019 and replaced with a new assembly further back.
07/26/17
The separate lanes from Brickell Avenue converge below the Metromover besides the first confirming marker for SR 970 west.
03/21/20
The elevated lanes of SR 970 pass over NE 1st Avenue and below the Metromover bridge spanning the Miami River.
04/04/15
The Downtown Distributor runs directly alongside the Third Street Metromover Station above S Miami Avenue.
04/04/15
Westbound SR 970 splits into ramps for Interstate 95 at a three-wye interchange.
03/21/20
These guide signs for Interstate 95 were carbon copied in 2019.
04/04/15
Entrance ramps from S Miami Avenue to the flyovers for I-95 converge with SR 970 west by this shield assembly above SW 2nd Avenue.
03/21/20
An SR 970 shield also appears along the ramp from S Miami Avenue to I-95 north.
03/25/06
The northbound ramp to Interstate 95 merges with the left side of the freeway ahead of the Midtown Interchange with SR 836 (Dolphin Expressway) west and I-395 east.
03/21/20
04/04/15
West
Miami Avenue southbound approaches the entrance ramp for SR 970. Signage for the Downtown Distributor references the connection with I-95 in place of SR 970.
12/28/03
The Downtown Distributor viaduct over SW 3rd Street comes into view as Miami Avenue south reaches the entrance ramp to SR 970 at SW 2nd Street.
03/25/06
References:
Background information on SR 970 was originally posted on TropicalTurnpikes.com and was reproduced with permission by Justin Cozart and Jason Learned.
Photo Credits:
- ABRoads: 07/05/11, 03/21/20
- Alex Nitzman, Justin Cozart: 03/25/06
- Alex Nitzman: 04/04/15, 07/26/17
- Andy Field: 12/28/03
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Page Updated Friday August 16, 2024.