World City Guide

Getting There By Road

Americans drive on the right-hand side of the road and pass on the left. Right turns at a red light are permitted (unless otherwise indicated) but only after stopping. Speed limits range from 24kph (15mph) to 72kph (45mph) in the city, 88kph (55mph) on most state highways, and 88-112kph (55-70mph) on Interstates and the Florida Turnpike. Speeding fines are hefty. There are also tough penalties for drink driving – the maximum legal alcohol to blood ratio is 0.08%. All passengers must wear seatbelts and children under five must be fastened into a child safety seat. All drivers must be over 16 years and are required to hold a current driving licence. The State of Florida recognises valid driver’s licences from the USA and other countries, as well as International Driving Permits. Visitors who plan on driving should have Personal Accident Insurance (PAI) as part of their standard travel insurance.

The road system is straightforward, consisting of interstate expressways, toll-paying motorways, primary state highways and other state roads, each identified by a number. The general rule for numbering on US freeways and interstates is that the odd numbers go north–south and the even numbers go east–west over their whole length, although at any single, localised point this may seem different.

The American Automobile Association – AAA (tel: (800) 222 1333 or (305) 661 6131; website: www.aaa.com) provides information and road maps and may offer reciprocal benefits to members of automobile clubs in other countries.

Emergency breakdown service:
AAA (800) AAA HELP/222 4357

Routes to the city: The I-95 is the major north–south expressway, providing access into Miami from Palm Beach and Fort Lauderdale. It runs through downtown Miami and into US-1 (also called Dixie Highway), which continues south to Key West. Another toll-paying expressway, the Florida Turnpike, heads southwards from Orlando and central Florida to the Golden Glades Interchange in the northern part of Miami. The major east–west expressway to downtown Miami is State Road 836 (Dolphin Expressway), connecting Florida’s Turnpike in the west with the I-95 and Miami Beach (via the I-395) in the east.

Driving times to Miami: From Fort Lauderdale – 1 hour; Palm Beach – 2 hours; Key West – 3 hours 30 minutes; Orlando – 5 hours.

Coach services: Greyhound (tel: (800) 231 2222; website: www.greyhound.com) operates three main coach stations in Miami – at 4111 NW 27th Street (tel: (305) 871 1810), near the airport, at 36 NE Tenth Street (tel: (305) 374 6160), near Bayside, downtown Miami, and at 16000 NW Seventh Avenue (tel: (305) 688 7277, in North Miami. Facilities at these terminals range from basic to non-existent. Greyhound operates direct links to Fort Lauderdale, Orlando and Key West, as well as further-flung destinations, such as New Orleans, Washington DC and New York.