"HEFT" redirects here. For other meanings, see
heft.
Homestead Extension of Florida's Turnpike (HEFT), assigned the State Road 821 (SR 821) designation by the Florida Department of Transportation, and originally known as the West Dade Expressway, is a southern extension of the tolled Florida's Turnpike, running around the north and west sides of the Miami area, extending from the Turnpike mainline four miles north of the Golden Glades Interchange, south to end at Florida City (near Homestead). It was opened in stages between 1973 and 1974, after the main line of the Turnpike was completed, and is used by both commuters and travelers to the Florida Keys and Everglades National Park.[2][3] Due to its path, it acts as a de facto outer beltway for Miami.[4]
Route description
The HEFT has used mile-based exit numbers and a coin system since it's inception, and has in part been responsible for changes to those systems on the rest of the Turnpike mainline.[5] Unlike the rest of the Turnpike, with tolls every 45 miles (72 km) on average, the extension has tolls every 12 miles (19 km), with a much higher traffic load. Unlike other Florida's Turnpike Enterprise highways, it is treated as if it were part of the main line Florida's Turnpike highway by highway signs and exit numbers, despite its separate state road number.[2]
The road begins at an interchange with US 1 in Florida City. The first 16 miles of the tollway are built with new developments, constructed after Hurricane Andrew, which destroyed most of the area in 1992. The first interchange northbound is Campbell Drive / Southwest 312th Street in nearby Homestead, providing access to Homestead-Miami Speedway. At mile 11, it passes through the Homestead Toll Plaza, the first of four on the route. Exit 17 leads to the Don Shula Expressway, connecting to the Palmetto Expressway. The Snapper Creek Service plaza at mile 19, the only plaza on the extension, unlike the ones on the mainline, only offers a convenience store inside the gas station. At mile 23, it intersects the Bird Road Toll plaza. The tollway meets with Tamiami Trail at exit 25 and the Dolphin Expressway at exit 26A in Doral, providing access to Miami International Airport eastbound.[6] After passing through the Okeechobee Toll plaza, it intersects with US27 at exit 35 and I-75 at exit 39. North of the I-75 interchange, the tollway curves east towards the turnpike mainline, where it approaches LandShark Stadium and the Miramar Toll plaza before it ends four miles north of the Golden Glades Interchange.[7]
History
After the Turnpike mainline was completed in 1964, the turnpike authority (precursor to Florida's Turnpike Enterprise), explored several extensions to the turnpike system, including a expressway in western Dade County from Florida City to the turnpike mainline at the Dade/Broward county line.[8] Construction on the tollway began in July of 1971.[9] The northernmost 13 miles of the tollway between US Route 27 and the Turnpike mainline was open to traffic on May 1st, 1973, at a cost of $22 million and a $0.40 toll to motorists. [3] The tollway was completed in 1974 with the last section in Florida City, connecting to US 1.[8]
The portion of the HEFT between Exits 11 (Cutler Ridge Boulevard) and 16 (State Road 992) was designated the "John F. Cosgrove Highway" in 2008 by the Florida Legislature, following his death in 2006. A lawyer and former legislator, Cosgrove was also the first mayor of Cutler Bay, a city along the HEFT. He was instrumental in passing legislation to keep insurers from leaving the state following Hurricane Andrew.[2]
Future
In November 2009, it was announced that the HEFT will be converted to a total "toll-by-plate" system,[10] similar to Ontario's 407 ETR toll road. The change in toll system will begin in 2011, with expansion on the main Turnpike in Broward County in 2012.[11]
Exit list
| County |
Location |
Mile[4] |
#[4] |
Destinations |
Notes |
| Miami-Dade |
Florida City |
0 |
0 |
  US 1 / SR 5 south – Key West |
Southbound exit and northbound entrance |
| 0.51 |
1 |
US 1 / SR 5 north – Florida City |
Southbound exit and northbound entrance |
| Homestead |
3.10 |
2 |
Campbell Drive, Southwest 312th Street – Homestead |
To Homestead-Miami Speedway |
| Leisure City |
5.24 |
5 |
Southwest 288th Street, Biscayne Drive |
|
| Naranja |
6.08 |
6 |
Southwest 137th Avenue, Speedway Boulevard |
Southbound exit and northbound entrance |
| Princeton |
9.16 |
9 |
 SR 989 (Southwest 112th Avenue) |
Signed as exits 9A (south) and 9B (north) southbound |
|
|
Homestead toll plaza ($1.00, $0.75 with SunPass) |
| Goulds |
11.74 |
11 |
Southwest 216th Street, Cutler Ridge Boulevard |
|
| Cutler Bay |
12.47 |
12 |
Caribbean Boulevard, Cutler Ridge Boulevard |
|
| South Miami Heights |
14.09 |
13 |
 SR 994 (Quail Roost Drive) / Eureka Drive |
|
| Palmetto Estates |
16.32 |
16 |
 SR 992 (Southwest 152nd Street) |
|
| Kendall |
17.87 |
17 |
  SR 874 to SR 826 – Miami |
Northbound exit and southbound entrance |
| 18.38 |
19 |
Southwest 120th Street |
|
|
Snapper Creek service plaza |
| 20.40 |
20 |
 SR 94 (Southwest 88th Street, Kendall Drive) |
|
|
|
Bird Road toll plaza ($1.00, $0.75 with SunPass) |
| Kendale |
23.63 |
23 |
 SR 976 (Southwest 40th Street) |
|
| Tamiami |
25.62 |
25 |
  US 41 / SR 90 (Southwest 8th Street) |
|
| Doral |
26.69 |
26A |
 SR 836 east – Miami International Airport |
|
| 27.11 |
26B |
Northwest 12th Street |
|
| 29.11 |
29 |
Northwest 41st Street |
|
|
|
32 |
Northwest 74th Street |
Opening spring 2010 |
|
|
Okeechobee toll plaza ($1.00, $0.75 with SunPass) |
|
33.12 |
34 |
Northwest 106th Street, Flagler Station Boulevard |
|
|
35.257 |
35 |
  US 27 / SR 25 (Okeechobee Road) |
|
|
39.29 |
39 |
  I-75 / SR 93 north – Naples |
Northbound exit and southbound entrance |
| Broward |
Miramar |
43.36 |
43 |
 SR 823 (Red Road, Northwest 57th Avenue) |
|
| 46.37 |
46 |
 SR 817 (University Drive, Northwest 27th Avenue) |
Southbound entrance only. Drivers who wish to enter northbound are directed along County Line Road (SR 852) at the intersection. |
|
Miramar toll plaza ($1.00, $0.75 with SunPass) |
| 47.93 |
47 |
    Turnpike to I-95 south / SR 9 / SR 9A – Miami, Stadium |
|
| 47.94 |
|
 Turnpike / SR 91 north |
Continuation beyond southern spur to I-95 |
References
External links
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