Why is South Florida road infrastructure so poorly designed? (Miami: home, DMV)

[tf2014]

Originally Posted by MrKnight

I have lived in various cities throughout the country including other Florida cities and never have I seen as bad of a road network as South Florida, to be frank, the road infrastructure is HORRENDOUS down here, most roads are severely undersized for the volume of traffic that they handle, major intersections with no turn lanes, no traffic signals are synchronized causing unnecessary stop and go traffic, drawbridge signals are not synchronized with surrounding traffic signals resulting in more traffic, etc... Why is this? Why is something as simple as synchronizing traffic lights not happening anywhere? What is the local government doing about it? Looking forward to some insight from more tenured South Floridians..

I seem to remember that you moved here from the DC area the same time I did. I agree! I can't believe the number of car accidents I see on a DAILY level, I never saw this many in DC or the DC burbs...or the NYC burbs for that matter. PLUS, the amount my car insurance has gone up since moving to FL is outrageous.

One problem I see is the U-Turn system, something that is not very common in the Northeast. I think most people don't know how to use them correctly and take way too many chances using them. For instance, making a left turn or u-turn and crossing four lanes of oncoming traffic is a recipe for disaster as far as I can see!

[Nolefan34]

South FL's road infrastructure is vastly superior to D.C.'s roads and infrastructure. DC's situation is terrible. I'm not even sure how you compare the two. The entire DC/VA/MD metro area is very narrow, heavily congested roads with slow speed limits. That is why accidents are fewer, because when cars go 25 mph versus 55 mph, the risks are greatly reduced.

I also don't understand the complaints about synchronization. This is something that Broward does well in my opinion, and synchronization is non-existent in many other cities. I think the lights in general turn much quicker here than in other parts of the state. Orlando's traffic isn't any better, and their expressways are too narrow with too few lanes.

The main problem with South FL's infrastructure is that it was mostly built in the 1960's (in Miami) and 1980's in Broward, and the population has quadrupled in that time. The original designs and concepts were good, but nobody anticipated such a dramatic rise in population. They can only widen and expand roads so much. Now that land has been fully built out, there is nowhere to add new roads without demolishing entire communities. The future is railways.

[BNBR]

Depends what part of South Florida. Roads are great, wide, and move traffic nicely in my area and the areas I travel in most of the time.

[danielsard]

Originally Posted by tf2014

One problem I see is the U-Turn system, something that is not very common in the Northeast. I think most people don't know how to use them correctly and take way too many chances using them. For instance, making a left turn or u-turn and crossing four lanes of oncoming traffic is a recipe for disaster as far as I can see!

US1 in coral gables... Nuff said... some intersections don't have exclusive u turn signals and you have to wait several cycles sometimes due to the heavy traffic coming from the other sense

[ruski]

Originally Posted by Nolefan34

South FL's road infrastructure is vastly superior to D.C.'s roads and infrastructure. DC's situation is terrible. I'm not even sure how you compare the two. The entire DC/VA/MD metro area is very narrow, heavily congested roads with slow speed limits. That is why accidents are fewer, because when cars go 25 mph versus 55 mph, the risks are greatly reduced.

I also don't understand the complaints about synchronization. This is something that Broward does well in my opinion, and synchronization is non-existent in many other cities. I think the lights in general turn much quicker here than in other parts of the state. Orlando's traffic isn't any better, and their expressways are too narrow with too few lanes.

The main problem with South FL's infrastructure is that it was mostly built in the 1960's (in Miami) and 1980's in Broward, and the population has quadrupled in that time. The original designs and concepts were good, but nobody anticipated such a dramatic rise in population. They can only widen and expand roads so much. Now that land has been fully built out, there is nowhere to add new roads without demolishing entire communities. The future is railways.

I think only Broward Blvd lights are synchronized.

Everywhere else (even in Weston) I always hit every single red light which is extremely annoying.

[BNBR]

Originally Posted by ruski

I think only Broward Blvd lights are synchronized.

Everywhere else (even in Weston) I always hit every single red light which is extremely annoying.

A lot more than just Broward Blvd are sync'd.

[ruski]

Originally Posted by BNBR

A lot more than just Broward Blvd are sync'd.

I guess not the roads that I take

[DanielAvery]

I always assumed that the reason I "hit every red light" was a sign that the lights are indeed synchronized, but I'm going above the speed limit that is entered into the algorithm or whatever concept is used for traffic flow/timing. I assumed I was just going faster than the speed they want me to go (in that "sweet spot" where the cars hit all green lights). I say "assume" because I don't have enough impulse control to go slower...

[Vanderbiltgrad]

I do not drive that much in Miami Beach anymore, drivers are too crazy I will never buy another fancy car here ever. Thinking of getting an old Subaru just as a beater with the way people drive here.

[Jimrob1]

Originally Posted by Whereitwent

Yup. I see way to many "jet le me soviens" plates which I always get stuck behind.

Quebec cars seem to be showing up all over Florida. Je me souviens means I remember. I guess their plate is letting us know, that they remember to come to Florida every year.