frugalgal1001

I went to Orlando & rented a car. Set Google Maps to "avoid tolls" & paid no tolls coming or going from the airport. It was a little tricky getting out of the airport because all the signs point you toward getting on the toll roads.

Going to be driving down to Key West soon from Fort Lauderdale with a friend. While there is a way to avoid them, I doubt my friend will want to take the extra driving time to avoid the tolls. Also, my friend is pretty set on renting from Thrifty (Dollar) because of the loyalty program. Unfortunately, they have worst/most expensive toll policy at $8.99 per day whether you use the tolls or not.

iahphx

So now, almost 3 months after my MIA rental, I've been charged another $16.50 for my tolls. This is my third toll bill, and I've gone from thinking I was undercharged to thinking that I've been over-charged. Without an accounting, of course, it's impossible to know -- and who the heck could even remember 3 months later?

I think I'm going to dispute this charge, if for no other reason than the behavior is outrageous. It shouldn't take months to compute the toll charges, and you certainly shouldn't get 3 different bills for it.

Iamnotlost

Having read this thread before I went to MIA in mid-February I adopted the "don't use toll roads" strategy. Thought I had succeeded. Then I see that 2 months later I have a Ł3.65 charge posted from National Car Tolls. There is a web page that offers the chance to view receipt except it tells me no receipts found.

I feel a bit aggrieved as I was certain I had avoided all toll roads and taken a while to get anywhere as a result. I am assuming it would have been obvious if I had got on one because there would be some sort of overhead gantry. Just wondering if it is more subtle than that. (I had ended up on toll roads unintentionally in the past in other places but it has always been obvious that it was a toll road even when no money changed hands). I went from the airport to Homestead on something like 836 and 826 and 1. Came back on 1, W Flagler St and a lot of small confusing streets which involved driving in ever decreasing circles.



So. 2 questions really
1) should I be able to view a receipt as they have made a charge?

2) is it noticeable when getting on a toll road?

Any thoughts or insights appreciated.

Non-NonRev

If you took the Dolphin Expressway (836) to the Palmetto Expressway (826), you hit a toll just west of Red Road. See the map on Page 3 of the .pdf document linked below:

http://mdxway.com/pdf/toll_rate_map.pdf

iahphx

It's really, really hard to avoid hitting a toll from the MIA rental car facility. Basically, you'd have to stay on the side streets for a couple miles in either direction (for most folks, that would mean going on side streets to I-95). That's why this issue is far more vexing to those flying into MIA than those arriving at FLL. Arrive at FLL and you can generally avoid this problem (unless you're heading to the Keys, in which case it would be a long drive down US 1.

Reindeerflame

Perhaps someone would be kind enough to point out how to get from the MIA rental facility to I-95 (or Miami Beach) without using toll facilities.

What is the routing?

As far as Miami to Key West, Mapquest suggests it takes 14 minutes more via the toll-free routing (essentially US 1 vs. Turnpike).

pbiflyer

It depends on the time of Day. It could take a lot longer during rush hour (4pm-7pm).

Non-NonRev

Wirelessly posted (Mozilla/5.0 (Linux; Android 5.1; XT1032 Build/LMY47M.M001) AppleWebKit/537.36 (KHTML, like Gecko) Chrome/42.0.2311.109 Mobile Safari/537.36)

For the Keys, take NW 36th Street west
to the Palmetto south - the Palmetto terminates into US 1 just south of the Dadeland mall

For Brorward and Palm Beach, take the same NW 36th but go North on the Palmetto ... The Palmetto terminates into the Golden Glades interchange, where you transition to the no-toll I-95 North.

Reindeerflame

Thanks for that information.

And if I would be going from MIA to Miami Beach....is there a preferred nontoll surface street routing?

MiamiAirport Formerly NY George

Take 826 South (Palmetto Parkway) and get off at SW 8th St (Rt 41) East. Take SW 8th St all the way East to near downtown Miami until you hit I-95 (I say its about ten miles). Exit onto 95 North. Upon merging onto I-95 get in your right lane. Exit at I-395 East towards Miami Beach (less than a mile once yet get on 95). 395 will turn into the Southern Causeway and bring you into the very south end of South Beach. If you are going more north in Miami Beach take 112 East.

Non-NonRev

The above use of the Palmetto to SW 8th certainly works, however, a more direct all-surface alternative is to simply go south on LeJeune Avenue (the N-S street in front of the airport itself) south to Flagler Road or SW 8th Street (these are parallel roads about a mile apart).

Whichever you choose, turn left (east), and take the road all the way to Biscayne Blvd. Turn left (north), go past the Bayside Marketplace and the AA Arena and you will see the on-ramp for the MacArthur (nee Southern) Causeway, which is I-395. Turn right (east); this will deposit you in the southern portion of Miami Beach.

Same path, but continue another 2 to 3 miles further north on Biscayne Blvd. to the intersection with the Julia Tuttle Causeway, which is marked as I-195. This deposits you further north in Miami Beach, very near to the Fountainbleu, Eden Roc, etc.

In any case, don't be tempted (or misled by a GPS) to take NW 36th Street east towards the Julia Tuttle on-ramp (in an to avoid the toll on the Airport Expressway (State Route 112 East) - this route passes through the crime-riddled Overtown neighborhood, and tourist-targeted crime (such as smash-and-grab attacks on cars stopped a red lights, or worse) are known to happen

Reindeerflame

OK, this is very helpful. As I understand it, the MIA Rental Facility is on the east side of the airport...just east of what you call Le Jeune (the map I have calls it NW 42nd Ave.). The address I have for the rental facility is 3900 NW 25th St. While, as you point out, it appears more direct to go east on NW 36th St. which directly connects with the I-195 crossing to Miami Beach (Julia Tuttle Causeway), it appears that the southern part of Miami has the better neighborhoods, and thus a routing via SW 8th St. (Tamiami Trail -- US 41) over to I-95 is the better way to go, avoiding Overton and Liberty City, which are in the north. My destination in Miami Beach will be the Holiday Inn/Fontainebleau area, so I-195 should be the best routing.

It seems a bit out of the way to first head west to the Palmetto Expressway, and then to head east, as an earlier poster suggested. It seems with a bit of advance planning, like looking at a paper map, prior to arrival, is the way to go. I can see how most people would be likely to "just head for the freeway" if they have no idea about the local street layout or the neighborhoods.

This trip is not until February 2016, so I have plenty of time to study this in advance.

Non-NonRev

One of the oddities of Miami-Dade street naming is that many roads have multiple names in simultaneous use.

Thus, the road on the east side of the airport is both LeJeune Avenue and also 42nd Avenue. SW 8th Street is also the Tamiami Trail, and so forth.

Some roads change their alpha name along their routes - NW 36th Street is known as Alapattah Road east of the airport, and as Doral Road west of the airport.

Other roads have acquired a third name: up by SunLife Stadium, the same road carries the names NW 199th Street, Honey Hill Road, and Dan Marino Blvd.

Excellent idea, Some people disdain paper or even Google or Mapquest maps in favor of GPS only. I think maps and GPS are best used in tandem - this gives you a "big picture" idea of where your need to go.

iahphx

I did it once (to avoid the toll pass problem) and it's not a good routing. Very slow. MapQuest underestimates the delay caused by lights.

I'm guessing it's at least a half-hour slower to take the surface roads but, obviously, YMMV due to traffic and such. Still, if it's going to save you (say) 30 bucks and toll pass hassle, perhaps it's worth it if you have the time. Just don't accidentally trigger another toll charge!

craz

I have my Garmin set to "avoid Tolls" but even that isnt helpful to/from MIA, as they have thrown up new toll locations that previously werent there so the GPS would put you on a Toll Road but have you exit before hitting the tolls.

Till my March trip Ive been succesful in averting any toll, my last trip my GPS told me where to head and then went Low Battery, no problem I plugged it in only to learn the hard way that the sole outlet in the car was o/o/o.Ended up on the 836 and went thru 2 new tolls, no choice as I hit a road that had a no left turn sign and the road ended = having to get on the 836

Not many folks even in the gas stations speak English in the airport area, eventually made it to FLL where I switched out my car. If (when) I get hit with the toll charges I will dispute them and see what happens. I ended up on the 826 after driving around in circles for a very long time

Since Avios is the best deal out of NY its MIA or nothing