Florida's Turnpike South - West Palm to Golden Glades
Southbound Florida's Turnpike
Now much farther south, we resume our journey in South Florida. Here, southbound Florida's Turnpike (hidden Florida 91) approaches Exit 71, Junction Toll Florida 869, Sawgrass Expressway. Photo taken 12/28/03.
Use Toll Florida 869 to skirt the western edge of development in metropolitan Broward County, passing alongside Coral Springs, Tamarac, and Sunrise before meeting Interstate 75 and Interstate 595 in the vicinity of Davie and Weston. Photo taken 12/28/03.
Southbound Florida's Turnpike reaches Exit 71, Junction Toll Florida 869 (Sawgrass Expressway) west to Interstate 75 and western Broward County and east to Hillsboro Boulevard en route to Deerfield Beach. Photo taken 12/28/03.
The next exit along southbound is Exit 69, Junction Florida 834, Sample Road, two miles. Photo taken 12/28/03.
The next two exits serve the cities of Pompano Beach and Coconut Creek. Pompano Beach is home to 101,465 people (estimate as of 2004 per the official webpage) and 22.65 square miles. Coconut Creek is considered the "butterfly capital of the world," home to 48,000 people (estimate as of 2004 per the official webpage) and 11.3 square miles. Photo taken 12/28/03.
A reassurance marker for the Florida's Turnpike system is signed along southbound prior to the Florida 834 (Sample Road) interchange. Photo taken 12/28/03.
Florida 834 follows Sample Road between Toll Florida 869 in Coral Springs and U.S. 1 in Lighthouse Point. Photo taken 12/28/03.
Southbound Florida's Turnpike reaches Exit 69, Junction Florida 834, Sample Road. This is a trumpet interchange, with a single point connection to Sample Road due to toll collection. Photo taken 12/28/03.
The next exit along southbound is Exit 67, Coconut Creek Parkway (Florida 912 west/N.W. 12th Street) and N.W. 31st Avenue (Florida 849 south). Photo taken 12/28/03.
Southbound Florida's Turnpike reaches Exit 67, Junction Florida 912/Coconut Creek Parkway and Junction Florida 849/N.W. 31st Avenue. This is another trumpet interchange due to toll collection. Upon exiting the turnpike, continue straight ahead (south) from the exit ramp onto Florida 849 south; turn right (west) onto Florida 912. Photo taken 12/28/03.
This mileage sign provides the distance to the junction with Interstate 595, U.S. 441, and Florida 84 in Fort Lauderdale as well as the distance to downtown Miami. Photo taken 12/28/03.
The next exit is the Pompano Beach Service Plaza (Exit 65), which also serves as the headquarters of the Florida's Turnpike enterprise. Photo taken 12/28/03.
Use the left lane to exit into the Pompano Beach Service Plaza. Photo taken 12/28/03.
Immediately thereafter, the mainline turnpike prepares for a toll plaza around milepost 64. Photos taken 12/28/03.
The next exit along southbound is Exit 62, Junction Florida 870 (Commercial Boulevard), one mile. Photo taken 12/28/03.
A late evening glow shines on the turnpike as the freeway approaches Exit 62, Junction Florida 870. Florida's Turnpike connects to Florida 870 via another trumpet interchange, which allows for toll collection and consolidation of traffic. Photo taken 12/28/03.
Southbound Florida's Turnpike reaches Exit 62, Junction Florida 870 (Commercial Boulevard). Use Florida 870 west to Sunrise and Tamarac and east to Oakland Park and northern Fort Lauderdale. Photo taken 12/28/03.
This mileage sign provides the distance to the next exit (Exit 58, Sunrise Boulevard) and downtown Miami, even though the turnpike does not actually serve downtown directly. Photo taken 12/28/03.
The next exit along southbound is Exit 58, Junction Florida 838 (Sunrise Boulevard). Use Florida 838 west to Sunrise and east to Fort Lauderdale. Photo taken 12/28/03.
The turnpike retains three through lanes along southbound as the freeway approaches Exit 58, Junction Florida 838 (Sunrise Boulevard). Photo taken 12/28/03.
This trailblazer is located along southbound after the onramp from Exit 58, Junction Florida 838. Photo taken 12/28/03.
The next exit along southbound is Exit 54, Junction Interstate 595 (Port Everglades Expressway), Florida 84, and U.S. 441/Florida 7. Photo taken 12/28/03.
Use Interstate 595 east to Interstate 95, Port Everglades, and Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport. Photo taken 12/28/03.
Florida 84 generally parallels Interstate 595 through Broward County. West of the turnpike, Florida 84 is essentially the frontage road for Interstate 595. East of the turnpike, Florida 84 angles northeast from Interstate 595, connecting to S.W. 24th Street en route to Fort Lauderdale. U.S. 441, which has paralleled the turnpike through much of Broward County, hugs the turnpike even more closely near the Interstate 595 interchange. Exit 54 provides access to both routes, in addition to Interstate 595. Photo taken 12/28/03.
Interstate 595, meanwhile, is the most significant east-west route in Broward County, connecting Interstate 75 with Fort Lauderdale, Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport, Port Everglades, and Interstate 95. Use Interstate 595 west to the Everglades and Naples on the Gulf Coast in Southwest Florida. Photo taken 12/28/03.
Southbound Florida's Turnpike reaches Exit 54, Junction Interstate 595 east/west, Florida 84 east/west, and U.S. 441 north/south. This interchange connects to a flyover ramp that offers a directional ramp to both directions of Interstate 595 as well as Florida 84 east and U.S. 441/Florida 7 north and south. Photo taken 12/28/03.
Once on the transition ramp, this Interstate 75 trailblazer advises traffic en route to Interstate 75 to use Interstate 595/Florida 84 westbound. Photo taken 12/28/03.
This transition ramp is actually heading north, since the flyover ramp from southbound Florida's Turnpike to Interstate 595 actually curves 180 degrees. Use the left lanes to access Interstate 595 and Florida 84 westbound and the right lanes to access Interstate 595/Florida 84 eastbound as well as both directions of U.S. 441/Florida 7. Photo taken 12/28/03.
The transition ramp splits into two directions, with two lanes to westbound Interstate 595 and two lanes to eastbound Interstate 595 and U.S. 441. Photo taken 12/28/03.
This view of rush hour Interstate 595 is seen from the transition ramp from southbound Florida's Turnpike looking west at sunset. Photo taken 12/28/03.
Southbound Florida's Turnpike approaches a major division in its route. The left lanes continue due south to the Golden Glades Interchange, while the right lanes turn west to avoid metropolitan Miami and Hialeah, skirting most developed areas along the corridor once proposed as the West Dade Expressway in the 1969 Miami Transportation Plan. The route to the Golden Glades Interchange is very significant, since it offers a connection to most of the key expressways and city arterials in northern Miami-Dade County: Interstate 95, Florida 826/Palmetto Expressway westbound, U.S. 441/Florida 7, Florida 9/Unity Boulevard, and Florida 826 east to North Miami Beach. Photo taken 12/28/03.
Florida 91, the secret route that has carried the turnpike this far south, continues into the Golden Glades Interchange, where it ends. The extension west and then south to Homestead is considered Florida's Turnpike, but it was constructed after the original mainline was completed. As a result, it is secretly designated as Florida 821 and is commonly referred to as the "Homestead Extension of Florida's Turnpike" or "HEFT." Nevertheless, exit numbers continue south along Florida 821/HEFT as if it were the mainline turnpike. Photo taken 12/28/03.
Use the Homestead Extension of Florida's Turnpike to Florida 817 (University Drive) south to the Pro Player Stadium. Pro Player Stadium is home to the National Football League Miami Dolphins and Major League Baseball's Florida Marlins. In addition, the stadium hosts many other events during the year, including soccer, music concerts, and monster trucks. Photo taken 12/28/03.
Southbound Florida's Turnpike splits here. The left three lanes continue due south to merge with Interstate 95, Florida 826, and U.S. 441/Florida 7 at the Golden Glades Interchange along unsigned Florida 91. The right two lanes turn southwest, following nascent Florida 821 en route to Homestead, bypassing most of the metropolitan area. Photo taken 12/28/03.
