Key West Trip

It's 150 miles south of the southern end of I-95!

 

That's an interesting factoid, isn't it?  The trip down US 1 is not for those in a hurry.  There's lots of traffic and towns to slow you down.  But that's okay, because the scenery along the way is fantastic and the drive was enjoyable overall.  My roadtrip compadre Margot and I went down to Key West in April 2007 for a study break.  Enjoy these pictures, children!

 

These first few pics are from my camera and they are dark and I didn't feel like brightening them all.  But this is US 1 SB at Red Road in South Miami.  Just southwest of the University of Miami. A pretty good view of the Snapper Creek Expressway, FL 878.  It connects US 1 to the Don Shula Expressway, FL 874, near Kendall.
FL 878 is a 4-lane freeway with a jersey barrier.  It's only about 2.5 miles long.  This is at Galloway Road. FL 878 ends as is turns into the Collector/Distributor lanes for FL 874 SB.  This is at Kendall Dr.
FL 874 SB at Killian Dr. The toll plaza on the Don Shula has some SunPass express lanes, sorta like Illinois' "Open-Road Tolling.".
These weird shields are used when freeways are numbered as FL state roads. This is approaching the southern end of FL 874 at Florida's Turnpike.  The turnpike goes over those bridges in the picture.
The Turnpike in Dade County is rather wide. The Turnpike, however, does not have open-road tolling.
South of the toll plaza, the Turnpike reduces to 4-lanes. And this is basically what it looks like until Homestead.
Can't leave out a Florida's Turnpike shield. Only 2 miles from the end of the Turnpike, which began near Ocala.
We keep left. The exit for NB US 1 breaks to the left just behind the pic, and the SB exit is all you see here.
Bye-bye Turnpike! Florida City.  Take your pick of National Parks to visit.
SB US 1 in Florida City. FL 997 is Krome Avenue, and is the road that pretty much separates all development from the Everglades.
I don't get it, but it is interesting.  And useful to someone. Card Sound Road seems more interesting than US 1 down to Monroe County.
SB US 1 quickly reduces to 2-lanes.  Card Sound Rd. is a 2-laner, as well. In the turn lane for Card Sound Rd. on US 1 SB.
If you thought the toll booth on Card Sound Rd. was high-tech, think again! A pretty typical scene on Card Sound Rd.
These are the glades that surround Card Sound Rd. The speed limit is 55 m.p.h. and is displayed on these weird-fonted signs.
The limit drops to 40 m.p.h. before the toll plaza. There's also some sort of little oasis here.
The toll plaza.  You are now entering Monroe County and the Florida Keys! About to ascend the bridge.

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