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Islamorada

Community alliance

Advocacy For Residents, Education and Preservation


Traffic in the News

From the September 15, 2025 newsletter:







Critical 2025 US 1 Level of Service Study

was also on the Commission agenda Sep 10. This study is used by Monroe County and the municipal governments to determine if there is sufficient capacity available on U.S. One to accommodate all existing and approved development.

Failing Grade: When the study has a failing grade, below C, for the entire U.S. One, the County Commission has consistently rejected the study (2019, 2023) because most development, other than single family homes, would be curtailed or traffic impacts mitigated in most areas of the Keys.    


Passing Grade: When there is a passing grade of C or above the Commission approves the study. The 2025 study had a passing grade and was approved.


There was significant public comment critical of the annual report. The Average Daily Trips documented for 2025 were the lowest number of daily trips recorded for the last 15 years.  Few found the statistics believable.  


The studies must be done during the peak season - before the end of March.  The 2025 study was delayed and completed later than “peak season” as required.

Islamorada Traffic according to the Study: There were three traffic segments out of 24 segments in the Keys that had a failing grade in 2025, all the failing grades were in Islamorada: Lower Matecumbe, Upper Matecumbe, Windley Key.  Plantation Key had a passing score because construction delays (FKAA Water Pipeline project) are ignored.  But it didn’t mean the congestion didn’t impact drivers!


Islamorada Standards: In Marathon and unincorporated Monroe County, if a segment falls below a Grade C, construction in the segment can only be approved with costly mitigation, except for single family homes. In Islamorada, the determining traffic is measured on an overall countywide basis not dependent on individual US 1 segments. Therefore building permits can continue to be issued in spite of three segments in Islamorada falling below a Grade C.



County Commission Reverses themselves on 4 Laning US 1.

The County Commission voted 4-1 last February directing staff to prepare a Comprehensive Plan amendment to give FDOT the right to decide what areas of US 1 in Unincorporated Monroe County, including the 18-mile stretch, should be 4-laned.  Last month the Planning Commission voted to recommend to the County Commission that they deny the change they requested.  

At a meeting with county officials, FDOT District 6 Secretary Stacy Miller indicated that before FDOT would take step 1, a feasibility study, they would require the right to decide on the widening issue for all areas of the Keys, including Islamorada. Four lanes through Islamorada would be especially devastating in business areas.


The members of the County Commission were inundated with emails and phone calls leading up to their Wed Sep 10 meeting.  The meeting room was full of residents and business owners against 4-laning.  Residents and business owners were united against giving up local control regarding such a critical issue.


One by one, the members of the commission who had requested the change, informed the public that they would now be voting against their requested amendment.


Vice Mayor Don Horton spoke against the amendment on behalf of the Islamorada Council. He suggested that instead of 4-laning, FDOT should provide the funding, needed for widening, to Islamorada so the Village could reduce congestion by providing a bus or trolley system within Islamorada for residents and visitors.


FDOT has been providing Islamorada funding through a “Transit Development Grant” which has been paying 50% of the $553,330 of the Village’s contract with Freebee to provide an on demand rideshare service.  Some would argue that the Freebee program, while beneficial to riders, is not decreasing congestion in Islamorada.


DRAFT 2023 TRAVEL STUDY RELEASED

U.S. 1 through all of Monroe County was rated a Level of Service D (LOS D).  Surprise… Islamorada traffic is the worst of all.

Arterial Travel Time and Delay Study is done by the County’s professional traffic engineering consultant. They monitor traffic volumes and travel speeds of U.S. 1 and on each of the 24 study segments on U.S. 1. This review has been conducted annually since 1992 and every two years since 2013.

The 2023 draft study indicates that the overall LOS for the entire length of U.S. One has fallen from LOS C to LOS D.  There is no reserve capacity for additional trips.

No new permits?

This could mean that local governments may not permit new development, other than single-family homes, unless the proposed development’s traffic impact is mitigated. 

There are 23 traffic segments throughout the County.  Islamorada has the only segments under LOS C. Upper Matecumbe and Windley Key (LOS E) and Plantation Key (LOS D).  

Click here to see the chart. Click here to read more details on County website.

The Monroe County BOCC will discuss the 2023 draft study at the regularly scheduled Sept. 20, 2023, BOCC meeting.



Our vision

To enhance the community of Islamorada by preserving the quality of life of the residents as well as the beauty and vitality of the native ecosystems and to stop any further degradation of our community from over-development.

Mission statement

To provide the Islamorada residents with information about events occurring in our community that will impact our quality of life, preservation of our native ecosystems, land development, lawful and transparent governance.

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Contact Us

ICA.in.Keys@gmail.com

Islamorada Community Alliance

P.O. Box 1507

Tavernier, FL  33070-1507





 

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