Several events this weekend to impact traffic

Three separate events are expected to impact traffic on U.S. 1 starting Friday and ending Sunday from Key Largo to Key West.

Concerning the two events that include Key West: Both of these events occurred last year and did not create significant traffic problems/conflicts. The Key West Triathlon finishes before the Escape to the Keys riders make it to Stock Island.

That being said: Motorists are asked to plan ahead and be patient. Slowdowns do occur.

2019 Escape to the Keys Bicycle Festival

About 200 bicycle riders are expected to leave Homestead-Miami Speedway at 7:30 a.m. Friday en route to Hawk’s Cay on Duck Key.

They will travel down Card Sound Road and then U.S. 1 with stops at Rowell’s Waterfront Park and Robbie’s Marina before finishing at Hawk’s Cay for the day.

The bicyclists will leave Hawk’s Cay at approximately 7:30 a.m. with stops at Sunshine Key and Baby’s Coffee before ending in Key West. Key West Police will escort the riders into the city.  

For more information visit: https://www.active.com/homestead-fl/cycling/escape-to-the-keys-bicycle-festival-2019

Key West Triathlon

Motorists are asked to be patient and to plan ahead this Saturday morning, Dec. 7, as the Key West Triathlon is expected it impact traffic from the Triangle to Rockland Key.

The event will roughly occur from approximately 7 a.m. to approximately 11 a.m. The part of the race most impacting county traffic will be the bike portion of the event. The bicyclists will begin at Higgs Beach in Key West before proceeding to Atlantic Boulevard. They will make the left onto South Roosevelt Boulevard and then the right onto U.S. 1. The bikers will proceed to Rockland Drive on Rockland Key where they will turn around and reverse course back to Higgs Beach. (The run and swim portions of the event occur in the city of Key West.)

Thus, the impacted areas in the county will be Stock Island, Key Haven, Boca Chica Key and Rockland Key.

• Northbound vehicle traffic out of Key West on U.S. 1 will be limited to one lane during the above times.

• At Key Haven Road, ALL traffic will be diverted to the southbound lanes of U.S. 1 to Rockland Key at Mile Marker 10. Northbound traffic will use one lane and Southbound traffic will use the other lane of the southbound side of U.S. 1.

• MacDonald Avenue and 5^th Street on Stock Island will be closed for the event.

All motorists, especially those northbound drivers leaving Key West and Stock Island, should expect slow traffic times, plan ahead and give themselves extra time to get to their destination.

Traffic will return to normal immediately after the event.

For more information visit: https://www.facebook.com/events/multirace/2019-mack-cycle-tri-key-west-sprint-and-olympic-triathlon/314128666124212/

Islamorada Half Marathon & 10K

The Islamorada Half Marathon & 10K event will briefly impact traffic on U.S. 1 at Mile Marker 80 on Dec. 8.

Deputies will close U.S. 1 in both directions from 7 a.m. to 7:20 a.m. to allow runners to move across the highway.

For more information about the race visit www.islamoradahalfmarathon.com