Golden Glades Interchange Makeover 5

This is the fifth of several posts regarding a makeover of the current disorganised highway <b>mess</b> called the Golden Glades Interchange.  The changes planned by the State of Florida I have summarised in the previous post in this series, and the one before that.

The changes that I see need to be done are not included in the State's plan consist of supplying a limited-access, non-stop connector for the 826 Palmetto Expressway eastbound to the Florida Turnpike northbound, a similar connector from the Florida Turnpike southbound to I-95 northbound, another between I-95 southbound and the Florida Turnpike northbound, and a multilane connector between the 826 Palmetto Expressway and I-95 North. Also missing are a ground-level, interstate-quality connectior for the Florida Turnpike connector to the Turnpike Mainline northbound and a mainline priority for most of the traffic going from the Turnpike to points south.

So here is the first of four posts showing what changes will be made to the interchange, step-by-step, to get rid of those deficiencies.

Satellite view of my first addition to the Golden Glades Interchange.
The changes planned by the state are in golden-yellow, my changes in white and red-outlined pink.

The first additional change to be done will be to build a direct connector ramp from 826 eastbound to the Turnpike northbound. It will require the taking of three (or four) pieces of property on the south side of the NW 7th Ave Extension, entailing the removal of three businesses: a self-storage place, a roadside gasoline station and a warehouse which leases some of its space to a non-denominational church. Some property may need to be purchased from the owner of the abandoned hospital that contains the small business called Perfection Cubeoctahedron and the Lubavitcher academy next to it (parking lots only -- no buildings will need to be removed) It will also require the construction of two bridges, shown in pink, outlined with red.

The viaduct will be built at such a height so as to clear my last addition to the interchange: the I-495 Golden Glades Northside Connector viaduct upgrade. The height of the ramp will be about 40 to 50 feet, depending on the required height of the upgrade and the depth of the ramp deck (including support beams) over it.

Once this 270-degree loop ramp is built, the existing traffic-lighted intersection at the east end of the 826 Expressway, opposite the gas station, will be removed.