Sawgrass Expressway Traffic Jams (Fort Lauderdale, Coral Springs: sale, construction, school)

[AdmiralWorf]

My 7:30AM commute from Coral Springs (Sample) to 595 (Nob Hill) had been around 20-25 minutes for the last few years. This past month all of the merging ramps are stacked with vehicles and traffic does not move for long periods of time.

There are no accidents or construction- it is simply a larger number of vehicles and people slowing down at the exits because cars are merging in.

My alternative route- to take Nob Hill all the way down south- took an hour and ten minutes today (should have been around 35 minutes). I heard FEMA was giving out food or whatever in Sunrise but not sure why traffic was jammed from Sample all the way down.

Is this all snow birds? More parents picking and dropping kids off at school? Population boom? Hurricane Maria immigrants? Anyone have a theory?

Sidenote: what's up with drivers speeding in the right-hand merging lane off the 595 ramp?

[ruski]

Originally Posted by AdmiralWorf

Sidenote: what's up with drivers speeding in the right-hand merging lane off the 595 ramp?

When I first moved to Florida, that trick that the locals do greatly surprised me - passing on the right *in the freaking merging lane*, and only to get one or two cars ahead of your starting position.

[ruski]

Dunno what's causing the traffic, but even local streets in Fort Lauderdale proper seem to be swamped lately. Must be the damn snowbirds (who often don't even know where the hell they are going)

[harry chickpea]

Originally Posted by AdmiralWorf

My 7:30AM commute from Coral Springs (Sample) to 595 (Nob Hill) had been around 20-25 minutes for the last few years. This past month all of the merging ramps are stacked with vehicles and traffic does not move for long periods of time.

There are no accidents or construction- it is simply a larger number of vehicles and people slowing down at the exits because cars are merging in.

My alternative route- to take Nob Hill all the way down south- took an hour and ten minutes today (should have been around 35 minutes). I heard FEMA was giving out food or whatever in Sunrise but not sure why traffic was jammed from Sample all the way down.

Is this all snow birds? More parents picking and dropping kids off at school? Population boom? Hurricane Maria immigrants? Anyone have a theory?

Sidenote: what's up with drivers speeding in the right-hand merging lane off the 595 ramp?

One time poster, comment about a food giveaway, side slap at snowbirds. Things that make me go "hmmmmm..."

Obviously a big sale at Brandsmart.

Overall, you have an influx from the Keys (including snowbirds who don't want to deal with them this year), people from Puerto Rico in search of a live electrical socket, people from the northeast who have decided to leave early after a major storm there, plus regular influx. I'm sure the food benefits added to the mess, but for a first time poster to be commenting now makes me think of people who live under bridges.

[AdmiralWorf]

A friend said there are more Uber + Lyft drivers, too.