MIAMI — Are you heading to the Florida Keys? You can’t just snap your fingers. It’ll take you some time.
First you’ll need to get through Miami traffic. Then, as you hit paradise, you’ll likely hit further delays.
Traffic congestion in the Upper Keys, especially on the weekend, can bring things to a crawl. Passing is allowed only in certain spots. And most of the Overseas Highway runs just two lanes.
So how long will it take? Here are some estimates for your trip:
—It’s about a four-hour drive from Miami to Key West, and under three hours from Florida City to Key West without delays.
—A trip from Key Largo to Key West can take 2 1/2 hours.
—Getting from Miami to Key Largo takes about two hours.
Traffic apps
Two free apps can help you navigate the Overseas Highway. One is for traffic and the other is a guide to the Keys.
—The Monroe County Sheriff’s Office has a namesake app that is a must-have for people who must take the road regularly. The app has a “live calls and traffic info” tab that gives the location and times of crashes or other traffic disruptions, such as when a medical helicopter is landing on the highway. You can also sign up for notifications, which will tell you when lanes are reopened. The sheriff’s office also posts about crashes in real time on its Facebook and Twitter feeds, which you can access through the app.
—A travel app from the Monroe County Tourist Development Council —The Florida Keys and Key West — features just about everything you want to know about exploring the islands. The app includes narrated driving tours — one for each direction of the highway — along with lists of hotels, restaurants, art galleries, watersports rentals and fishing guides.
Information is categorized by location: Key West, the Lower Keys, Marathon, Islamorada and Key West. The app also has videos of the Keys, a map and weather forecasts.
Both apps are available through the Apple Store and Google Play.
Speed limits
The speed limit changes, and you’ll be able to drive up to 55 mph only in certain places. Until you hit downtown Key West, expect 50 mph for most of the road. But you’ll need to go slower when you start to see clusters of businesses and homes because the Overseas Highway runs through small communities. Here’s what to know:
—Speed limits drop to 45 mph in residential spots such as Cudjoe Key and Big Coppitt in the Lower Keys.
—A piece of the highway through the Middle Keys city of Marathon has a 35 mph limit.
—There is also a 35 mph limit zone at night on Big Pine Key, from mile marker 29.5 to 33. It’s all about protecting the endangered Key deer, the dog-sized animals often drawn to the busy highway. During the day, the limit on Big Pine is 45 mph.
—In Key West, speed limits are between 25 mph from about mile marker 0 to 1 and rise to 35 mph from about mile marker 1.7 to 4.5.
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