More Traffic In Florida?

[JandC]

Is it just me or has there been a lot more congestion on the roads in Florida the last few years?

We began our slow movement out of our home state yesterday with a short run up to St. Augustine where we will spend a week. it was just under a 300 miles day that should have taken about 5 hours with stops.

Took over an hour to go from the I-75 exit at Tampa onto I-4 a couple miles due to lane blockage for an accident. Then the run up through Orlando there was a stretch of 22 miles of construction which really slowed everything down.

That 300 miles took just over 7 hours and some of I-4 reminded me of California or Illinois roads it was so rough!

[speedster100]

No issues for us when we left Tampa on I75 on Monday morning....

[Loneoak]

We have noticed more and more traffic in the area where we winter (Zephyrhills). We avoid a lot of the traffic going home because we take a different route than most people. 301 was bad for a while going north due to construction. We did not take I-75 or I-95.

[K0LCB]

I have noticed an increase in traffic everywhere I travel

[richfaa]

We winter near Disney world and yes the traffic has increased in the last few years. Our economy has been strong since mid 2009 and the tourist and snowbirds have returned in large numbers,I-4 and the 192 strip are night mares The traffic actually slacked off a bit this season as the economies in Europe and South America softened a bit.We have only been to Disney twice this season and since wife is a cast member get in free.The crowds are overwhelming . Disney actually laid of some cast members in the resort and reservation area . Traffic on I-4 exit 55 to 62(the Disney exit) is bumper to bumper and at times at a standstill at times during the day.This is all good for the local economy as it is nearly totally dependent on tourism

[1retired06]

Particularly at this time of the year, traffic is heavier as Snowbirds begin moving North.

[richfaa]

Originally Posted by 1retired06

Particularly at this time of the year, traffic is heavier as Snowbirds begin moving North.

That is true our HOA is emptying out fast also spring break is over. We went out yesterday and I-4 was moving almost normally. We will be gone North in a short time.

[DQDick]

We're headed to St Pete, from New Mexico, in a couple weeks so please ask them all to be gone by then

[kdeiss]

We avoid I 4 totally! Some snow birds are postponing they Nothern Pilgrimage because of the Weather. Can't wait till things calm down!

[SuzanneH]

We're staying in AZ next winter. The crowds and traffic in Florida were just too much for us...

[jcurtis934]

Yes, noticed even here outside port charlotte. I have been baffled at the amount of traffic on county road 769 at all hours of the day, let alone around late afternoon when it gets crazy busy. At this rate only two more years possible before I bail out for somewhere else.

[richfaa]

We have family in the Ft Pierce area and visited there this winter. It is a very laid back area and if we decide not to return to the WDW area that is were we would go.

[Eagleback]

As you know JandC we also full time in florida just like you do and living in Naples the traffic is terrible right now due to Spring breakers and now there gone and after the snow birds leave and that will happen starting at the end of march and the last will trickle out at the beginning of June. Then we finally get to party and get to go to the restaurants and bars and such. Smiles from ear to ear. we came back last week from our friends in Sebring and we counted at least 100 campers and motor homes heading north on US 27 and I75

[Loneoak]

A lot of Florida residents complain about the influx of tourists and snowbirds, but if it were not for those people, Florida's economy would not be as robust as it is. I can only imagine what the lack of traffic is like in the off season! I just wonder how a lot of businesses survive during these slow times.

[Eagleback]

Originally Posted by Loneoak

A lot of Florida residents complain about the influx of tourists and snowbirds, but if it were not for those people, Florida's economy would not be as robust as it is. I can only imagine what the lack of traffic is like in the off season! I just wonder how a lot of businesses survive during these slow times.

It slows down but its never slow. Snow birds just make it chaotic. Out goes the snow birds in come the off season tourist, A lot comes from Europe.

[AZ Traveler]

One of these days they will put a bounty on snowbirds. As long as they let us keeping coming north in the summer, I guess we need to put up with them in the winter. Plus most of them are good folks.

[JandC]

Originally Posted by Eagleback

As you know JandC we also full time in florida just like you do and living in Naples the traffic is terrible right now due to Spring breakers and now there gone and after the snow birds leave and that will happen starting at the end of march and the last will trickle out at the beginning of June. Then we finally get to party and get to go to the restaurants and bars and such. Smiles from ear to ear. we came back last week from our friends in Sebring and we counted at least 100 campers and motor homes heading north on US 27 and I75

True. But last year it seemed that even October was more crowded than normal. We thought that due to Irma, traffic wouldn't pick up around Ft. Myers and the Cape until late December, but it just seemed worse this year.

It is something we will continue to put up with probably. We love being Florida residents and all of our doctors are now here.

I can see the day when we break camp in the spring and head out of SW Florida about 11pm that first travel day to avoid the congestion though.

[CaptnJohn]

I-4 ~~ never ever! I-75 to I-10 is better, not great. FL traffic is horrible. Next winter will be our last in FL. Will miss the old but looking forward to meeting new friends in AZ after that. An extra 1800 miles each way to eliminate FL traffic in winter.

[Eagleback]

Originally Posted by JandC

True. But last year it seemed that even October was more crowded than normal. We thought that due to Irma, traffic wouldn't pick up around Ft. Myers and the Cape until late December, but it just seemed worse this year.

It is something we will continue to put up with probably. We love being Florida residents and all of our doctors are now here.

I can see the day when we break camp in the spring and head out of SW Florida about 11pm that first travel day to avoid the congestion though.

There is a lot of extra people here contracting from Erma and the snow birds came real early this season because of the hurricane. We live in a 55 plus community where you can have an rv or a park model (Cottage) and with the hurricane destroying a lot of the old crap 80'S constructed cottages here and no insurance on most of them. they came down and cleared there lots and now are for sale.

[Eagleback]

Originally Posted by JandC

True. But last year it seemed that even October was more crowded than normal. We thought that due to Irma, traffic wouldn't pick up around Ft. Myers and the Cape until late December, but it just seemed worse this year.

It is something we will continue to put up with probably. We love being Florida residents and all of our doctors are now here.

I can see the day when we break camp in the spring and head out of SW Florida about 11pm that first travel day to avoid the congestion though.

There is a lot of extra people here contracting from Erma and the snow birds came real early this season because of the hurricane to check there homes. We live in a 55 plus community where you can have an rv or a park model (Cottage) and with the hurricane destroying a lot of the old crap 80'S constructed cottages here and no insurance on most of them. they came down and cleared there lots and now are for sale or rent because they do not have the money to rebuild. But on a good note there are at least 50 5th wheels here and not one had damage. We don't know how that happened because we were here for the hurricane and the destruction was wide spread and the worst was no fuel, food power for 2 weeks or water available They were told to stay away and they came down anyway and made it harder for us to get our lives back in order and some were caught here and had to be rescued. Never in my life had i ever had to wait 5 hours to only get 10 gallons of fuel because that's all they would let you have. and 2 hours to get in to the public's just to get dry goods. Would like to add a big THANK YOU goes out to all the emergency, utility and the ordinary employee's who went to work so we could get the things we needed to make it through this.