Strange Experience on SB Turnpike Just Off I-75

[MIChessGuy]

This has happened to me twice in a row and I wonder what the deal is.

Last month, I was driving down from Michigan for my solo trip. After exiting I-75 for the Florida Turnpike, I was alerted to a major traffic issue a few miles ahead that involved a LONG backup. I exited at US 301 and sort of weaved my way on local roads to what I thought was the first interchange beyond the backup. That interchange was closed, apparently because the bottleneck now extended some distance south of it. Finally I made it back on, I think at the U.S. 27 interchange, and continued to my check-in without further incident. (Check-in was my only plan that evening so I wasn't really affected all that much.)

Almost the exact same thing happened last September, except this time my detour worked--I got back on at County Road 470, I think it was.

Is this a common thing on Sunday nights? It didn't seem to be an accident situation, and this backup went on for miles and miles which struck me as quite unusual for a toll road. It reminded me of an issue years ago in KY or TN (can't remember which) when part of the interstate fell into a ravine or something. Maybe some kind of road engineering emergency or something that takes forever to repair.

 

[fla4fun]

This has happened to me twice in a row and I wonder what the deal is.

Last month, I was driving down from Michigan for my solo trip. After exiting I-75 for the Florida Turnpike, I was alerted to a major traffic issue a few miles ahead that involved a LONG backup. I exited at US 301 and sort of weaved my way on local roads to what I thought was the first interchange beyond the backup. That interchange was closed, apparently because the bottleneck now extended some distance south of it. Finally I made it back on, I think at the U.S. 27 interchange, and continued to my check-in without further incident. (Check-in was my only plan that evening so I wasn't really affected all that much.)

Almost the exact same thing happened last September, except this time my detour worked--I got back on at County Road 470, I think it was.

Is this a common thing on Sunday nights? It didn't seem to be an accident situation, and this backup went on for miles and miles which struck me as quite unusual for a toll road. It reminded me of an issue years ago in KY or TN (can't remember which) when part of the interstate fell into a ravine or something. Maybe some kind of road engineering emergency or something that takes forever to repair.

There are some widening projects underway right now in Lake County, which is not far from where the turnpike leaves I-75. Typically the worst of the construction and road closures takes place at night, from Sunday through Thursday nights.

Other than that, I have not heard of any issues on the local news other than random accidents. The problem with an accident on the turnpike is that you can get stuck between exits and there’s no way to detour. You are fortunate that you chose to exit early and make your way around the backup.

One of my former coworkers got stuck on a short portion of the turnpike for over four hours on her way to work due to an accident. I was headed to work on the turnpike another morning, only to find my exit blocked so I had to go several miles out of my way.

Sorry you have had more than your fair share of detours.

 

[hrhdhd]

I got in a jam on the Turnpike a few weeks ago when they had to close a lane for repair. After almost three hours in backed-up traffic, I saw the site. It appeared that a Dumpster had fallen from a truck and gouged a huge hole in the road.

I get that things happen. My complaint is that the overhead message board indicated a 50-minute delay, which I would have suffered through, but it was 3x as long. I would have made a U-turn and found another route had I known the actual delay.

But, yes, as the PP mentions, the construction results in ongoing nightly closures. You can look for construction info on the Turnpike's website.

https://floridasturnpike.com/traveler-resources/construction-updates/

 

[elaine amj]

I just did the drive from Michigan in mid-February. Looks like it was a good thing we drove in on a Friday night as we had no problems. Sucks that you had such awful traffic twice.

 

[Mikey15]

I've never been "stuck" but I've found the 2-lane stretch of the Turnpike between I-75 and the service plaza can very easily jam up with left-lane hogs, and you don't have the flexibility to move around people like you do on an ordinary 3-lane ~surface street~ in central FL. So I can definitely see an accident or construction (which there's also some that's been happening) shutting the whole thing down.

On our last trip, when leaving WDW towards I-75, we just took Reams Rd. to US-27, turned at Leesburg, passed the Villages, and got on I-75. US-27 has its own frustrations but it honestly doesn't add that much time to avoid the Turnpike altogether.

 

[hrhdhd]

I've never been "stuck" but I've found the 2-lane stretch of the Turnpike between I-75 and the service plaza can very easily jam up with left-lane hogs, and you don't have the flexibility to move around people like you do on an ordinary 3-lane ~surface street~ in central FL. So I can definitely see an accident or construction (which there's also some that's been happening) shutting the whole thing down.

On our last trip, when leaving WDW towards I-75, we just took Reams Rd. to US-27, turned at Leesburg, passed the Villages, and got on I-75. US-27 has its own frustrations but it honestly doesn't add that much time to avoid the Turnpike altogether.

OMG, the left-lane Larrys on the Turnpike drive (ha!) me nuts! They will. not. move. over. And even in the construction zone, the speed limit is 70. They're in the left lane going 62. Maddening.

 

[_19disnA]

Honestly, my freeway experiences in several states is such that the speed limit could 85, you are going 90 and someone behind you is still mad that someone is in front of them. They don't really want to go any faster but just don't like the idea they aren't the lead car. I never get that. Any construction zone I have ever driven through has a lower speed limit for the safety of workers. You should follow whatever the posted limits are. An appropriate speed during the day when the weather is clear is a LOT different from driving at night, in fog/rain or any sort of bad weather.

Any of those automated signs are only as good as the frequency they are updated and exactly how they calculate the delay. I have found cases where the signs seen to purposely OVERSTATE the delay in order to encourage you to take an alternate route. If the alternate route takes LONGER, then I would rather put up with the delay on the current route I am traveling. GPS units are handy for that since they can reroute you to your destination if you decide to exit due to a traffic delay.

 

[hrhdhd]

Honestly, my freeway experiences in several states is such that the speed limit could 85, you are going 90 and someone behind you is still mad that someone is in front of them. They don't really want to go any faster but just don't like the idea they aren't the lead car. I never get that. Any construction zone I have ever driven through has a lower speed limit for the safety of workers. You should follow whatever the posted limits are. An appropriate speed during the day when the weather is clear is a LOT different from driving at night, in fog/rain or any sort of bad weather.

If you are going 85 in the right lane and I want to go faster, I will use the left lane to go around. If people are passing you on the right, you need to move over.

I am aware of construction zones; my husband works in road construction. The speed limit on the Turnpike is 70.

If you find the conditions less than ideal, they'll be less than ideal in the right lane, too. Move over.

 

[_19disnA]

I was referring to the typical 2 lane highway and talking about a hypothetical situation in addition to what I have observed others doing. There seems to be a LOT of rude people on the road who act like everyone else owes it to them to get out of their way....................LOL.

 

[hrhdhd]

Interesting. And the people who deliberately remain in others' way are what? Angels?