Cycling the Florida Keys

Question

David asked:  Is it possible to ride my bicycle through the Keys safely and legally.  I would start in Miami and like to ride up to Key West.

Answer

Bicyclists have the rights and duties of other drivers, except in very few circumstances such as limited access highways like I-95 and the Turnpike.

s. 316.2065Bicycle Regulations

(1) Every person propelling a vehicle by human power has all of the rights and all of the duties applicable to the driver of any other vehicle under this chapter, except as to special regulations in this chapter, and except as to provisions of this chapter which by their nature can have no application.

You are entitled to use the roadway just as others are, including the roadway from Miami to Key West, the Overseas Highway.

We can’t comment on the safety aspects since there are so many other variables, such as individual roadway conditions and your cycling practices.  Other readers may want to comment on their experiences on the Overseas Highway.

This is a link to the Florida Department of Transportation’s website about the Overseas Heritage Trail which shows the completed sections of alternate paths apart from the roadway as of 2010.

http://www.dep.state.fl.us/gwt/state/keystrail/images/fkohtmap.pdf

You may want to search the internet for others’ trips.  Here is one such article chosen at random:

http://www.keysnet.com/2008/05/09/2524/bicycling-the-keys-is-well-worth.html

See the other posts on this site to fully understand all the statutes related to cyclists’ rights and duties.

4 Comments on “Cycling the Florida Keys

  1. Also see here if you have concerns about shoulder width on specific segments: http://www2.dot.state.fl.us/straight-linesonline/Home.aspx
    Choose Monroe County and then one of the US 1 roadways. The mile posts listed here do not match the posted mile markers, but the latter do appear in the diagrams. Shoulder information is below the line; a random sampling shows paved shoulders (“PVD SHLD1”; LT is southbound and RT is northbound) between 4 and 12 feet.

  2. View on the New Sevenmile Bridge, just east of Pigeon Key, looking west: http://goo.gl/maps/Xq8Uo . The paved shoulder on each side of the bridge is about 6 ft wide (maybe a little less); speed limit on the bridge is 55 mph. A minimum speed limit of 40 mph is also posted, but doesn’t apply on the shoulders. As shown on the map of the Overseas Heritage Trail on the Florida Department of Environmental Protection’s (Greenways and Trails) site, in this part of the Keys there is no Trail option at this time; anyone intending to cycle to Key West from points east must use this bridge. Over the years, many cyclists who were riding from Miami to Key West (or from Key West to Miami) have ridden on this bridge.

  3. hello,
    Please note our new website for the Overseas Heritage Trail since we merged with the state parks! On that site are current data sheets for where we have trail and where you must ride on the road. Feel free to contact me if you have any further questions!
    Monica
    Trails Specialist
    Florida Keys Overseas Heritage Trail

  4. p.s. For the part coming from Miami, check out the M-Path Trail. Then from Florida City alot of riders use the CR 905 (Card Sound Rd.) but it has no shoulder whatsoever so personally I would recommend the shoulder of the newly widened US 1 from Florida City to Key Largo. I have not ridden it myself but eyeballing it from my car, it is preferable to me than Card Sound – the only downside is missing Alabama Jack’s bar & restaurant!

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