Site Navigation Alabama Florida Georgia Louisiana Mississippi North Carolina South Carolina Tennessee     Don Shula (South Dade) Expressway Routing Florida 874 is the Don Shula Expressway, a diagonal route from the Homestead Extension of Florida's Turnpike (Florida 821/HEFT) northeast to Florida 826/Palmetto Expressway. It gives motorists a route from the Turnpike, South Dade, and Homestead to the Palmetto Expressway. While Florida 874/Don Shula Expressway generally travels southwest to northeast, it is signed as north-south. This is interesting, considering that the even number (874) suggests that the route would be signed as an east-west route. The entire freeway follows the South Florida Rail Corridor (SFRC). Naming The freeway was planned as the South Dade Expressway, but it was renamed in 1982 in honor of the National Football League's Miami Dolphins coach Don Shula. History Like many other freeways in the Miami-Dade region, Florida 874/Don Shula (South Dade) Expressway was first proposed in the 1969 Miami Transportation Study. This route would follow a diagonal routing from the West Dade Expressway (now known as the Homestead Extension to Florida's Turnpike, or HEFT) northeast to Florida 826/Palmetto Expressway. The 1969 plan listed the section of the Homestead Extension of Florida's Turnpike between U.S. 1 and Florida 874 as part of the South Dade Expressway, but plans changed to incorporate the southern portion of the route as part of the turnpike. As a result, the remainder of the South Dade Expressway that was not part of the turnpike became today's Don Shula (South Dade) Expressway. Future Aspirations Plans have been surfaced from time to time to extend Florida 874 southwest from the current interchange with Florida's Turnpike along the South Florida Rail Corridor (SFRC) all the way to Florida 997, Krome Avenue. However, each time those plans were raised, they were promptly denied by the regional planning agency. Currently, the Miami-Dade Expressway Authority (MDX) does not have a southwesterly extension of Florida 874 in its five-year work program. Many thanks to Justin Cozart and Jason Learned for the background information about Florida 874. See South Florida Roads (by Jason Learned) for more information. This information was originally posted on TropicalTurnpikes.com and is reproduced with permission by Justin Cozart. Florida 874 Northbound Florida 874 (Don Shula Expressway) breaks away from the Homestead Extension of Florida's Turnpike. The first exit on the nascent freeway is the junction with Killian Way, one-half mile. Photo taken 12/08/03. The Florida Turnpike Enterprise ends here, and the Miami-Dade Expressway Authority (MDX) takes over maintenance of Toll Florida 874 (Don Shula Expressway) northbound. Photo taken 12/08/03. Florida 874, like other freeways maintained by the Miami-Dade Expressway Authority, are signed with a typical Florida toll shield, along with an MDX banner below the shield. Photo taken 12/08/03. Toll Florida 874 earns its title upon reaching the Don Shula Expressway toll plaza. Photo taken 12/08/03. Another Toll Florida 874 shield assembly is placed after the toll plaza. Photo taken 12/08/03. The next exit along northbound is Florida 990, Killian Parkway. Florida 990 travels east to Pinecrest and west to Miami-Dade Community College, Kendall Campus. Photo taken 12/08/03. Northbound Toll Florida 874 reaches the offramp for Florida 990 (Killian Parkway). Use Florida 990 west to Florida 985 (S.W. 107th Avenue) north. The next exit along northbound is for Florida 94 (Kendall Drive). Photo taken 12/08/03. North of Florida 990, northbound Florida 874 is four lanes wide as it heads past the Killian Greens Golf Course and travels northeast toward Snapper Creek and Glenvar Heights. Photo taken 12/08/03. Florida 94 is a major east-west corridor, connecting Florida 997 in the west with U.S. 1 in the east via Kendall Drive (S.W. 88th Street). Photo taken 12/08/03. Northbound Florida 874 reaches the offramp for Florida 94 (Kendall Drive); the next exit is Florida 878 (Snapper Creek Expressway) east to South Miami. Photo taken 12/08/03. Florida 874 and Florida 878 prepare to split. Florida 874 continues northeast to join with Florida 826, while Florida 878 travels east to South Miami. Photo taken 12/08/03. The two right lanes exit only to Florida 878 east, while the two left lanes continue north on Florida 874. Photo taken 12/08/03. Florida 874 continues a short distance northeast before connecting to Florida 826 (Palmetto Expressway). Florida 878 travels a few miles east before ending at U.S. 1 near South Miami. Photo taken 12/08/03. View of the split between Florida 874 and Florida 878. Photo taken 12/08/03. This is the final reassurance shield for Florida 874 along northbound. The final interchange consists of a ramp to Florida 976 (S.W. 40th Street) and Florida 826 (Palmetto Expressway) north to Florida 836 (Dolphin Expressway) and Interstate 75. Use Florida 836 east to the airport, downtown Miami, and the beaches. Use Interstate 75 north to the Gulf Coast and to Florida's Turnpike. Photo taken 11/28/03. Northbound Florida 874 reaches the interchange with Florida 976, S.W. 40th Street (Bird Road). The right lane exits onto Florida 976, while the left lanes default onto northbound Florida 826, the Palmetto Expressway. Florida 826 is visible on the overpass in the distance. This marks the northern terminus of Florida 874. Photo taken 11/28/03. Page Updated March 23, 2005.