Golden Glades Interchange
Encyclopedia
The Golden Glades Interchange, located in Miami Gardens
and North Miami Beach
, Florida, United States, is the confluence of five major roads serving eastern and southern Florida.
(US 441), Florida's Turnpike
, the Palmetto Expressway (signed State Road 826, SR 829), SR 9 and Interstate 95
(I-95). US 441 bears SR 7 as a hidden designation, and the turnpike is similarly SR 91. SR 9 is the hidden designation for I-95 north of the interchange but branches southward off I-95 to become a major commercial road on its own accord. South of the interchange, I-95 bears SR 9A as its hidden designation.
The interchange was also known as the Interama Interchange until it was renamed the Golden Glades Interchange alone in 1977. Its construction of was prompted by a sequence of events spanning 12 years. In 1950, US 441 was extended from downtown Orlando
to Miami
to connect with a stretch of US 41 which sported US 94 road signs just a year earlier. In 1957, Florida's Turnpike (then called the Sunshine State Parkway) was completed in Dade (later Miami-Dade
) County, joining SR 826 (which, at the time was Golden Glades Drive, an east–west street connecting US 1
along Biscayne Bay
to US 27
inland). In 1958, construction of the north–south section of the Palmetto Bypass Expressway started. It was designed to connect with SR 826 with a 90-degree eastward curve (the western section of SR 826 was to be abandoned). In 1959, construction of a segment of I-95, from Northwest 20th Street in Miami to SR 84 in Fort Lauderdale
was started, along with I-195
and the Airport Expressway (SR 112) for access to Miami Beach
and Miami International Airport
. In 1961, construction of the Palmetto Bypass Expressway (the name was unofficially shortened in the mid 1960s), the Airport Expressway (then called the 36th Street Tollway), and the segment of I-95 south of Northwest 95th Street in Dade County were completed.
Anticipating increasing traffic to and from Dade County, FDOT broke ground on May 18, 1962, for the new Golden Glades Interchange. The section of I-95 from Golden Glades to SR 84 was completed in 1963; the Golden Glades Interchange and I-95 south to Northwest 95th Street opened on June 9, 1954. The extreme southern end of I-95, serving downtown Miami, wasn't completed until 1969, along with the opening of SR 836 and I-395
).
Miami Gardens, Florida
Miami Gardens is a Miami suburban city located in Miami-Dade County, Florida. The city name comes from one of the major roadways through the area, Miami Gardens Drive. According to the 2010 U.S...
and North Miami Beach
North Miami Beach, Florida
North Miami Beach is a Miami suburban city in Miami-Dade County, Florida, United States. Originally named Fulford in 1926 after Captain William H. Fulford of the United States Coast Guard, the city was incorporated in 1927 as Fulford, but was renamed North Miami Beach in 1931. The population was...
, Florida, United States, is the confluence of five major roads serving eastern and southern Florida.
Description
The five highways the come together at the interchange are U.S. Route 441U.S. Route 441 in Florida
U.S. Route 441 in Florida is a north–south United States Highway. It runs from Miami in South Florida northwest to the Georgia border north of the Lake City area....
(US 441), Florida's Turnpike
Florida's Turnpike
Florida's Turnpike , designated as the Ronald Reagan Turnpike, and originally known as the Sunshine State Parkway is a north–south toll road that runs through 11 counties in the Florida peninsula, from U.S...
, the Palmetto Expressway (signed State Road 826, SR 829), SR 9 and Interstate 95
Interstate 95 in Florida
Interstate 95 is the main Interstate Highway on the east coast of the United States; it serves the Atlantic coast of Florida. It begins at a partial interchange with U.S. Highway 1 just south of downtown Miami, and heads north past Daytona Beach and Jacksonville to the Georgia state line at the St...
(I-95). US 441 bears SR 7 as a hidden designation, and the turnpike is similarly SR 91. SR 9 is the hidden designation for I-95 north of the interchange but branches southward off I-95 to become a major commercial road on its own accord. South of the interchange, I-95 bears SR 9A as its hidden designation.
History
Since its opening in 1953, flyovers to a commuter train station and bus terminal (in the 1970s) and elevated HOV lanes (in 1995) have been added to it to accommodate the growing regional population, which has more than doubled since the interchange's opening. There were plans in the 1980s to reconstruct the interchange, but they were dropped due to high construction costs. The Golden Glades has been expanded and worked on several times over the years and is seen as a bottleneck in traffic on all the roads it incorporates. It may be completely rebuilt in a project that could begin by 2016.The interchange was also known as the Interama Interchange until it was renamed the Golden Glades Interchange alone in 1977. Its construction of was prompted by a sequence of events spanning 12 years. In 1950, US 441 was extended from downtown Orlando
Orlando, Florida
Orlando is a city in the central region of the U.S. state of Florida. It is the county seat of Orange County, and the center of the Greater Orlando metropolitan area. According to the 2010 US Census, the city had a population of 238,300, making Orlando the 79th largest city in the United States...
to Miami
Miami, Florida
Miami is a city located on the Atlantic coast in southeastern Florida and the county seat of Miami-Dade County, the most populous county in Florida and the eighth-most populous county in the United States with a population of 2,500,625...
to connect with a stretch of US 41 which sported US 94 road signs just a year earlier. In 1957, Florida's Turnpike (then called the Sunshine State Parkway) was completed in Dade (later Miami-Dade
Miami-Dade County, Florida
Miami-Dade County is a county located in the southeastern part of the state of Florida. As of 2010 U.S. Census, the county had a population of 2,496,435, making it the most populous county in Florida and the eighth-most populous county in the United States...
) County, joining SR 826 (which, at the time was Golden Glades Drive, an east–west street connecting US 1
U.S. Route 1 in Florida
U.S. Route 1 in Florida runs along the state's east coast from Key West to its crossing of the St. Marys River into Georgia north of Boulogne, and south of Folkston. US 1 was designated through Florida when the U.S. Highway System was established in 1926.US 1 runs in the state of Florida, and...
along Biscayne Bay
Biscayne Bay
Biscayne Bay is a lagoon that is approximately 35 miles long and up to 8 miles wide located on the Atlantic coast of South Florida, United States. It is usually divided for purposes of discussion and analysis into three parts: North Bay, Central Bay, and South Bay. Its area is...
to US 27
U.S. Route 27 in Florida
U.S. Route 27 in Florida is a north–south United States Highway. It runs from the South Florida Metropolitan Area northwest to the Tallahassee Metropolitan Statistical Area. Throughout the state, US 27 has been designated the Claude Pepper Memorial Highway by the Florida State Legislature...
inland). In 1958, construction of the north–south section of the Palmetto Bypass Expressway started. It was designed to connect with SR 826 with a 90-degree eastward curve (the western section of SR 826 was to be abandoned). In 1959, construction of a segment of I-95, from Northwest 20th Street in Miami to SR 84 in Fort Lauderdale
Fort Lauderdale, Florida
Fort Lauderdale is a city in the U.S. state of Florida, on the Atlantic coast. It is the county seat of Broward County. As of the 2010 census, the city had a population of 165,521. It is a principal city of the South Florida metropolitan area, which was home to 5,564,635 people at the 2010...
was started, along with I-195
Interstate 195 (Florida)
Interstate 195 is a spur expressway connecting Interstate 95 in the west with Miami Beach in the east, crossing Biscayne Bay by traveling over the Julia Tuttle Causeway, named after Miami founder Julia Tuttle....
and the Airport Expressway (SR 112) for access to Miami Beach
Miami Beach, Florida
Miami Beach is a coastal resort city in Miami-Dade County, Florida, United States, incorporated on March 26, 1915. The municipality is located on a barrier island between the Atlantic Ocean and Biscayne Bay, the latter which separates the Beach from Miami city proper...
and Miami International Airport
Miami International Airport
Miami International Airport , also known as MIA and historically Wilcox Field, is the primary airport serving the South Florida area...
. In 1961, construction of the Palmetto Bypass Expressway (the name was unofficially shortened in the mid 1960s), the Airport Expressway (then called the 36th Street Tollway), and the segment of I-95 south of Northwest 95th Street in Dade County were completed.
Anticipating increasing traffic to and from Dade County, FDOT broke ground on May 18, 1962, for the new Golden Glades Interchange. The section of I-95 from Golden Glades to SR 84 was completed in 1963; the Golden Glades Interchange and I-95 south to Northwest 95th Street opened on June 9, 1954. The extreme southern end of I-95, serving downtown Miami, wasn't completed until 1969, along with the opening of SR 836 and I-395
Interstate 395 (Florida)
Interstate 395 is a long, elevated Interstate Highway that connects Interstate 95 in the west with the MacArthur Causeway in the east in the Miami area via the Midtown Interchange...
).