Do South Florida traffic jams drive you crazy? There are ways to get around gridlock

For 15 years, Reno Grant has helped guide South Florida drivers through the worst traffic jams.

The traffic anchor and reporter for iHeartMedia Total Traffic & Weather Network grew up in South Florida. He knows the roads — and the frustration drivers feel with the region’s bumper-to-bumper traffic.

“I’ve been driving these roads for a long time and it seems like no matter how many years backward I think in time, the Palmetto has always been extremely congested,” Grant said.

“I’ll tell you, it’s not a lot of laughs being stuck out on the Palmetto during rush hour.”

The Palmetto, also known as State Road 826, is one of several packed highways cursed by commuters. Grant and the rest of the Total Traffic crew monitor it all — Interstate 95, the Dolphin Expressway, Florida’s Turnpike — watching for crashes, detours, congestion and shutdowns that make a driver’s life miserable.

Total Traffic has access to hundreds of traffic cameras across South Florida, Grant said. The staff uses websites like Florida 511 to track traffic headaches and are in contact with public agencies including the Florida Department of Transportation and the Miami-Dade Expressway Authority.

People can hear Grant and other Total Traffic reporters give periodic updates on TV and radio, including through the iHeartMedia app. On Twitter, @TotalTrafficMIA posts real-time traffic updates to 17,000 followers.

Anyone who lives in South Florida knows traffic is a big deal. And while congestion is unavoidable at times, you can cut your chances of getting caught in gridlock.

Here are some tips:

Learn alternate routes

Everyone has their go-to route for school and work. But one day you’ll find yourself in a traffic mess, so it’s best to have a game plan.

Learn alternate routes to locations you frequently visit like your work, child’s school and home. That way, when traffic is at a standstill on I-95, you can take the nearest exit and make an escape.

Knowing different routes will also help you stay calm if you have to take a detour because, @%$#@!*, the Brickell bridge to downtown Miami is stuck in the up position again.

However, before exiting the highway to zigzag across local streets, consider what type of delay you’re seeing. Are lanes closed? Is it a major crash that has stopped traffic? A car with a flat tire? Sometimes, alternate routes will take longer than braving the slowdown.

Example: “If there’s a crash northbound along I-95 and Griffin Road, traffic is backed up to Hollywood Boulevard — well, that’s three miles of backup. It may actually take less time to work your way through those three miles of delays, say, as opposed to heading east to Federal Highway to get between Hollywood Boulevard and Griffin Road or west to U.S. 441,” Grant advised.

Another tip: Try leaving your house at different times to see when traffic is the lightest for you. Sometimes leaving 10 to 15 minutes early can make a difference or give you wiggle room for potential delays. This is especially important when it rains.

Real-time traffic apps and websites to use

Navigation apps including Google Maps, Apple Maps and MapQuest aren’t just for directions. They can also give you a heads-up on traffic jams and help you avoid them.

One of the most popular apps to use for traffic is Waze. The free app lets users post real-time traffic information on accidents, hazards like construction, and police sightings. It also lets users say if traffic is heavy.

Florida also has a real-time traffic app called Florida 511 that provides information for interstate highways and toll roads, including the turnpike, and lets you sign up for customized alerts.

Similar to its website, the app offers directions to your destination, with travel times and alternate-route options. It also provides information on crashes, congestion, construction and closures. Dial 511 to get info if you’ll rather use a phone.

When in drive mode, the app will also provide alerts as incidents occur along the route.

TIP: If you create a free account, you can set up customized alerts for your most frequent routes and will be able to pick the times and days you want to receive roadway updates by email or text. You can also sign up for alerts on “events,” which include incidents, construction and road or bridge closures.

The Florida Department of Transportation has a website that updates every five minutes with incidents that the Florida Highway Patrol is responding to and can provide basic details, including the location of where it occurred and if there are any roadblocks.

Pay attention to the digital signs on the road and listen to traffic reports

The digital signs you see on the highway don’t just have “buckle up” seat-belt reminders. The signs also flash updates on expected drive times to certain exits and alert drivers to upcoming lane closings or crashes.

Also pay attention to traffic reports, which are periodically given on local TV and radio news. Grant, for example, gives South Florida afternoon traffic updates on WIOD-610 AM and on WSVN-Channel 7. The Miami Herald also writes about major traffic crashes, closures and delays.

Social media accounts for real-time traffic alerts

Here are some of the Twitter accounts to follow to get traffic alerts:

▪ Total Traffic Miami @TotalTrafficMIA. This account provides updates on the most heavily traveled roadways and highways in Miami-Dade and Broward counties. You can also follow their reporters. Grant’s Twitter is @RenoGrant.

▪ Florida’s Turnpike @fl511_Turnpike

▪ FL511 Southeast @fl511_southeast provides updates for South Florida.

▪ FL511 Statewide @fl511_state

▪ The Florida Highway Patrol sometimes posts updates on crashes or incidents that will cause heavy delays. You’ll want to follow @FHPMiami and @FHPPalmBeach.

▪ For people planning to visit or leave the Florida Keys, the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office usually posts traffic updates for the island chain on @mcsonews.

▪ Follow the traffic reporters of your local TV news station including Miami Herald news partner CBS Miami’s Austin Carter @AustinCarterTV, NBC6’s Kelly Blanco @KellyNBC6 and Kristin Sanchez @KristinNBC6 and Local10’s Alexis Frazier @AFrazierWPLG. Follow @MiamiHerald as well for traffic alerts.