Pompano Beach to Downtown Miami COMMUTE TIME (Golden Glades: cinema, construction)

[nponi]

I will be living on the water in Pompano Beach and need to commute to downtown Miami fairly often. It sounds like I-95 is out of the question... Is this possible if I take 91 to 826 to 924 to 836???

Also what time would I need to leave in the morning to make this happen in an hour or so? What about in the afternoon? Thanks!

[compelled to reply]

How is I-95 out of the question? I-95 is full speed to the golden glades, and your avoid Broward's asynchronous traffic lights by avoiding the side streets to go OUT of your way on the turnpike, which is under construction through north Broward. All of the traffic is south of the Golden Glades interchange on I-95, which in the afternoon can be avoided by the new tolled "express" lanes. While I'm not a huge advocate of the idea in itself, they do provide a fast ride back to Broward. Unfortunately, your only option in the morning is to move slowly on 95 into downtown (which is usually about 45 MPH, but can slow to a crawl with accidents). 826 and 836 are only feasible if you live way out west and have MUCH WORSE traffic than 95.

[feelquiet]

She said she's leaving in the morning not afternoon so ...

I'd say 1.25 hrs - 1.5hrs. It takes me 45 minutes with no traffic to go from downtown to Pompano -- I actually timed a recent trip from Brickell to Club Cinema.

It will be smooth sailing until you hit the golden glades exchange (where 826, turnpike and i-95 meet), but bumper to bumper thereafter. If you can leave by 6:30 a.m. (so that you hit the Golden Glades by 7:00) or after 9:00 a.m., you'll miss some of the traffic.

If you have a carpool/passenger and can use the HOV/carpool lane that would be very helpful, shaving maybe 20+ minutes off your drive.

And taking the 826 to the 836 then traveling back east to I-95 will not save you any time or aggravation. 836 and 826 are both very congested, and you'll have to contend with I-95 for the last leg of your journey anyway.

I must say that traffic seems to have gotten marginally better since the economy tanked...

Going back north will be much faster if you're willing to pay to use the new Express toll lanes.

[♥♥PRINC3Ss♥♥]

1-95 is gonna be your faster route to downtown Miami. I would say it will take for sure about an hour without traffic. I don't know how fast feelquiet was driving With traffic I don't know. Here's the deal with Miami traffic, if you leave 10 minutes later, it can become an hour instead. So if your time is flexible, I would leave very early in the morning, or after rush hour. If you have to in downtown by 9, then either to your destination an hour early or be stuck in traffic

[nponi]

Thanks for the advice everyone. I didn't know about the express lanes heading north, which will be very helpful. Why don't they have the express lanes heading south as well?

[cuba libre]

Originally Posted by nponi

I will be living on the water in Pompano Beach and need to commute to downtown Miami fairly often. It sounds like I-95 is out of the question... Is this possible if I take 91 to 826 to 924 to 836???

Also what time would I need to leave in the morning to make this happen in an hour or so? What about in the afternoon? Thanks!

That's not a drive I would ever want to make regularly, especially if I had to be somewhere in a timely manner, or especially "on time". I feel sorry for you.

Originally Posted by compelled to reply

All of the traffic is south of the Golden Glades interchange on I-95, which in the afternoon can be avoided by the new tolled "express" lanes.

Except for when they rack em up on those death lanes. No shoulder and narower lanes = muchos accidentes. I have seen them first hand, and I avoid the express lanes (and 95 Northbound in the afternoon) almost completely. Bottom line, living in downtown Miami, I NEVER make an obligation to be anywhere in North Dade or Broward in the late afternoon.