Red Road (Miami)
Encyclopedia
Red Road, also known as West 57th Avenue, is a north-south street that runs west of downtown
Miami in Miami-Dade County
, Florida
and into Broward County
. Red Road is signed as State Road 959 from U.S. 1
to the Dolphin Expressway, and State Road 823 from U.S. 27
to the Broward County line.
to the northwest corner and the city of Coral Gables
to the east and south.
From this point north it goes a short distance before it ends at Campamento Avenue in Coral Gables
. It continues where Old Cutler Road
curves near Campamento Avenue and shares its name with Old Cutler Road for a short distance until Old Cutler Road veers east.
It continues north, skirting the east side of Pinecrest as West 57th Avenue, roughly dividing it from Coral Gables until it crosses Kendall Drive (South 88th Street) where it divides the city of South Miami
to the west from a plot of unincorporated Miami-Dade County
to the east.
North of Sunset Drive (South 72nd Street) it divides the city of South Miami
from Coral Gables until it crosses South 64th Street, where it continues to divide Coral Gables to the east with either South Miami or unincorporated patches of Miami-Dade County to the west.
North of crossing US 1
(South Dixie Highway), Red Road is signed as SR 959. It ends at the Miami International Airport
runways at North 12th Street (also known as Perimeter Road) just north of the Dolphin Expressway (SR 836)
, where State Road 959 also ends.
It continues on the north side of Miami International Airport at North 36th Street and runs through the city of Miami Springs
as Curtiss Parkway, their main north-south road, until it ends at Hunting Lodge Drive where Curtiss Parkway curves northeast.
It continues on the northside of the Miami Canal
at Okeechobee Road (US 27) and runs through the city of Hialeah
as their West 4th Avenue and signed as SR 823. It exits Hialeah when it crosses West 84th Street (Hialeah grid) or North 135th Street (Miami-Dade County grid) and again becomes Northwest 57th Avenue.
It continues north dividing the incorporated town of Miami Lakes
to the west from Opa-locka Airport
and the city of Miami Gardens
to the east until it crosses the Palmetto Expressway (SR 826)
where it continues to run north through unincorporated Miami-Dade County.
North of North 202nd Street (Honey Hill Drive) it divides Broward County and the city of Miramar
to the west with unincorporated Miami-Dade County to the east, until it fully enters Broward County and Miramar just south of the Homestead Extension of Florida's Turnpike
(State Road 821).
It continues north into Broward County and Miramar for a short distance until it curves northwest and merges onto Flamingo Road.
(soon to be part of US 94, which would in turn be folded into US 41 in 1949) was planned to be the northern boundary.
Red Road gets its name from the color of the mark Merrick made when he drew the road on his planning map; similarly, an east–west street was drawn in with a blue pencil and was named Blue Road.
Red Road received its FDOT
SR 959 designation in 1980. Its original configuration was four miles (6 km) longer as it stretched southward to the intersection of Red Road and Southwest 111th Street (Killian Drive), where it met the eastern end of SR 990
just outside the parking lot of the original Parrot Jungle, a major tourist attraction. Between 1995 and 2001, FDOT truncated several State Roads in Miami-Dade County
, and both SR 959 and SR 990 were cut back to terminate at US 1. In 2002, Parrot Jungle closed its doors to its original home, moved to its present site on Watson Island, just off SR A1A
, and became Parrot Jungle Island.
Downtown Miami
Downtown Miami is an urban residential neighborhood, and the central business district of Miami, Miami-Dade County, and South Florida in the United States...
Miami in Miami-Dade County
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...
, Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
and into Broward County
Broward County, Florida
-2000 Census:As of the census of 2000, there were 1,623,018 people, 654,445 households, and 411,645 families residing in the county. The population density was 1,346 people per square mile . There were 741,043 housing units at an average density of 615 per square mile...
. Red Road is signed as State Road 959 from U.S. 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...
to the Dolphin Expressway, and State Road 823 from U.S. 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...
to the Broward County line.
Route description
The southern terminus is at South 136th Street (Howard Drive) in Gables by the Sea, with the incorporated village of PinecrestPinecrest, Florida
Pinecrest is a suburban village in Miami-Dade County, Florida, United States of America. The population was 19,055 as of the census of 2000. Pinecrest is governed by a five-member Village Council and operates under the Council-Manager form of government....
to the northwest corner and the city of Coral Gables
Coral Gables, Florida
Coral Gables is a city in Miami-Dade County, Florida, southwest of Downtown Miami, in the United States. The city is home to the University of Miami....
to the east and south.
From this point north it goes a short distance before it ends at Campamento Avenue in Coral Gables
Coral Gables, Florida
Coral Gables is a city in Miami-Dade County, Florida, southwest of Downtown Miami, in the United States. The city is home to the University of Miami....
. It continues where Old Cutler Road
Old Cutler Road
Old Cutler Road is an off-grid plan north-south main road that runs south of Downtown Miami in Miami-Dade County, Florida, United States.-Route description:...
curves near Campamento Avenue and shares its name with Old Cutler Road for a short distance until Old Cutler Road veers east.
It continues north, skirting the east side of Pinecrest as West 57th Avenue, roughly dividing it from Coral Gables until it crosses Kendall Drive (South 88th Street) where it divides the city of South Miami
South Miami, Florida
South Miami is a Miami suburban city in Miami-Dade County, Florida, United States. The population was 10,741 at the 2000 census and as of 2007, according to the U.S...
to the west from a plot of unincorporated Miami-Dade County
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...
to the east.
North of Sunset Drive (South 72nd Street) it divides the city of South Miami
South Miami, Florida
South Miami is a Miami suburban city in Miami-Dade County, Florida, United States. The population was 10,741 at the 2000 census and as of 2007, according to the U.S...
from Coral Gables until it crosses South 64th Street, where it continues to divide Coral Gables to the east with either South Miami or unincorporated patches of Miami-Dade County to the west.
North of crossing 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...
(South Dixie Highway), Red Road is signed as SR 959. It ends at the 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...
runways at North 12th Street (also known as Perimeter Road) just north of the Dolphin Expressway (SR 836)
State Road 836 (Florida)
State Road 836, locally known as the Dolphin Expressway, is a 19-mile-long six-lane divided expressway, with the westernmost 14 miles being a tollway, currently extending from just north of the intersection of Southwest 137th Avenue and U.S...
, where State Road 959 also ends.
It continues on the north side of Miami International Airport at North 36th Street and runs through the city of Miami Springs
Miami Springs, Florida
Miami Springs is a Miami suburban city located in Miami-Dade County, Florida. The city was founded by Glenn Hammond Curtiss, "The Father of Naval Aviation", and James Bright, during the famous "land boom" of the 1920s and was originally named Country Club Estates...
as Curtiss Parkway, their main north-south road, until it ends at Hunting Lodge Drive where Curtiss Parkway curves northeast.
It continues on the northside of the Miami Canal
Miami Canal
The Miami Canal, or C-6 Canal, flows from Lake Okeechobee in the U.S. state of Florida to its terminus at the Miami River, which flows through downtown Miami. The canal flows in a south and southeasterly direction for approximately 77 miles, and passes through three counties: Broward, Palm Beach,...
at Okeechobee Road (US 27) and runs through the city of Hialeah
Hialeah, Florida
Hialeah is a city in Miami-Dade County, Florida, United States. As of the 2000 census, the city population was 226,419. As of 2009, the population estimate by the U. S...
as their West 4th Avenue and signed as SR 823. It exits Hialeah when it crosses West 84th Street (Hialeah grid) or North 135th Street (Miami-Dade County grid) and again becomes Northwest 57th Avenue.
It continues north dividing the incorporated town of Miami Lakes
Miami Lakes, Florida
Miami Lakes is a Miami suburban incorporated town and former census-designated place in Miami-Dade County, Florida, United States. The population was 22,676 at the 2000 census. As of 2004, the population recorded by the U.S...
to the west from Opa-locka Airport
Opa-locka Airport
Opa-locka Airport , also known as Opa-locka Executive Airport, is a general aviation airport and joint civil-military airfield 10 miles north of Downtown Miami, primarily in metropolitan Miami, Florida, United States, with a portion within the city proper of Opa-locka.The airport's control tower...
and the city of Miami Gardens
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...
to the east until it crosses the Palmetto Expressway (SR 826)
State Road 826 (Florida)
State Road 826, also known as the Palmetto Expressway, is a bypass route around the greater Miami area, extending from U.S. Route 1 in Pinecrest, going through the inner Miami suburbs in a north-east semicircle to the Golden Glades Interchange, reverting to a surface street to its terminus at...
where it continues to run north through unincorporated Miami-Dade County.
North of North 202nd Street (Honey Hill Drive) it divides Broward County and the city of Miramar
Miramar, Florida
Miramar is a city in Broward County, Florida, United States. The city was named after the Miramar district of Havana, Cuba. As of the 2010 census, the population was 122,041...
to the west with unincorporated Miami-Dade County to the east, until it fully enters Broward County and Miramar just south of the Homestead Extension of Florida's Turnpike
Homestead Extension of Florida's Turnpike
Homestead Extension of Florida's Turnpike , designated as the Ronald Reagan Turnpike, and originally known as the West Dade Expressway is a north–south free-flow toll road southern extension of the tolled Florida's Turnpike...
(State Road 821).
It continues north into Broward County and Miramar for a short distance until it curves northwest and merges onto Flamingo Road.
History
When George Merrick made plans for the layout of Coral Gables in the 1920s he intended Red Road to be the western boundary of his planned city. The east–west Coral Way (later to be part of SR 972), the northeast-southwest South Dixie Highway (soon to be designated US 1), and the north–south Ponce de Leon Boulevard were intended to be main throughways, and the Tamiami TrailTamiami Trail
The Tamiami Trail is the southernmost of U.S. Highway 41 from State Road 60 in Tampa to U.S. Route 1 in Miami. The road also has the hidden designation of State Road 90....
(soon to be part of US 94, which would in turn be folded into US 41 in 1949) was planned to be the northern boundary.
Red Road gets its name from the color of the mark Merrick made when he drew the road on his planning map; similarly, an east–west street was drawn in with a blue pencil and was named Blue Road.
Red Road received its FDOT
Florida Department of Transportation
The Florida Department of Transportation is a decentralized agency charged with the establishment, maintenance, and regulation of public transportation in the state of Florida. The department was formed in 1969. It absorbed the powers of the Florida State Road Department...
SR 959 designation in 1980. Its original configuration was four miles (6 km) longer as it stretched southward to the intersection of Red Road and Southwest 111th Street (Killian Drive), where it met the eastern end of SR 990
State Road 990 (Florida)
A long east–west road near Kendall, State Road 990 currently extends from an interchange between the Don Shula Expressway and West 107th Avenue to South Dixie Highway...
just outside the parking lot of the original Parrot Jungle, a major tourist attraction. Between 1995 and 2001, FDOT truncated several State Roads in Miami-Dade County
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...
, and both SR 959 and SR 990 were cut back to terminate at US 1. In 2002, Parrot Jungle closed its doors to its original home, moved to its present site on Watson Island, just off SR A1A
State Road A1A (Florida)
State Road A1A is a Florida State Road that runs mostly along the Atlantic Ocean, with sections from Key West at the southern tip of Florida, to Callahan, just south of Georgia. It is the main road through most oceanfront towns. SR A1A is designated the A1A Scenic and Historic Coastal Highway, a...
, and became Parrot Jungle Island.