Miami’s most notorious avenue
Krome Avenue may possibly be the most notorious road in South Florida. From haunting stories, to major crashes, this highway is quite dangerous and not for the faint of heart. While visiting Miami or South Florida, any dangerous road enthusiast would do well to take a ride along this road, especially at night for some people watching, as it is popular for young folks to drag race and generally ride along this area for star gazing, etc.
In order to travel to the United States from places like the UK, you need an ESTA. An ESTA is similar to a visa, except it is easier to apply for and there is no need to visit a consulate or embassy to obtain one. Having an ESTA is handy because it is valid for 2 years, which means you can not only visit Krome Avenue in Miami, you can then head to other parts of the country to visit other unique roads.
About Krome Avenue
Krome Avenue is located in the western part of Miami, for a long time it was basically the end of “civilization” as it was usually the last avenue you would cross before entering the everglades. Over the years, the growth of the city has meant that the wilderness on the western side of the road has now become developed and home to many inhabitants, although it is still one of the last major avenues you cross before entering the solitary everglades.
It is also known as State Road 997 and runs North/South through the western part of Miami Dade county. It runs about 59 kilometres north-south. Miami is very easy to navigate because it is mostly a numbered grid system. Krome Avenue runs from north western Miami Dade down to Homestead / Florida City which are the last cities before you take the bridge to the Florida Keys.
Krome begins in Homestead and heads north through the Redlands, which is a rural neighbourhood and continues north for approximately 10 kilometres. As you continue north you pass through suburban neighbourhoods such as Kendall and West Miami. Eventually Krome Avenue reaches another famous road in Miami called Tamiami Trail (in some parts considered S.W. 8th street). Tamiami runs along Miami in an East – West direction and is one of the only 2 or 3 possible ways to cross the Everglades to the West Coast of Florida.
After Tamiami Trail, Krome passes the Miccosukee Indian Casino, and runs along the Indian territory for some time. From this spot it runs adjacent along the Everglades boundary until turning Northeast after approximately 14 kilometres. Ultimately Krome Avenue ends upon reaching another large road, US 27.
Rumours and Cold War Base
Up until 2015, there was an old cold war base and missile silo located along Krome Avenue that added an additional air of mystery and intrigue to the already notorious area. The cold war base was built in the 60s in response to the Cuban Missile Crisis. The location was eventually repurposed into a refugee camp during the influx of immigrants in the 1980s. There were reports of mistreatment and violence, including instances of riots, murder and suicide. The building was eventually abandoned.
After being abandoned, the sordid history of this facility allowed for rumours to run amuck. The most common rumour was that it had been a secret mental asylum and ghosts and murderers were still wandering the halls of the abandoned building. To this day there are still supposed sightings of ghosts along the side of the road.
For years, visiting this facility was a right of passage for most teenagers, especially around Halloween. Unfortunately, visiting this facility is no longer possible but the location is still notorious as it is now the location of an ICE Detention facility.
Accidents along Krome
While there are other highways and roads where accidents are more common in Miami, accidents that happen along Krome Avenue tend to be the deadliest. It is a long straight road where many feel that they can travel at high speed, and there is no median separating the north and south lane. This leads to head on collisions being the most common form of accident that happens on this highway. The road is commonly referred to by locals as “Killer Krome” since it seems as though every few weeks there is a local news story of at east one fatality on this road.
There has always been a bit of a controversy as to whether or not to update and renovate the road. Many living in the more rural parts of South Florida, in the Redlands for example, want to keep the rural nature of their area intact and fear that widening and modernizing the road would actually create more traffic in these areas. The farmlands down south also fear that more lanes would minimize their foot traffic, as many of the farmers sell their produce on the side of the road.
However, it has become increasingly impossible to ignore the fatal accidents that occur so often. So indeed there have been some renovations to many parts of the road. This makes visiting soon a good idea, in order to experience the road as many have been able to for so long.
Travel with an ESTA
In order to travel to Miami, you need an ESTA. You can apply for an ESTA online, and the ESTA is usually approved rather quickly. An ESTA allows you to travel to the USA without having to obtain a visa. Usually anyone from Europe or the UK needs an ESTA in order to fly. The ESTA is digitally linked to your passport, so it makes travelling easier. There is rarely a need to have the ESTA printed, as most airlines will be able to see that you are authorised to travel by checking your passport number.
Travelling with the family or other fellow road and driving enthusiasts is also easy because you can apply as a group. With a group application, you only have to fill in a majority of the information once. Even if you do not live in the same household as long as you are living in the same country, you can apply as a group. With group applications, the ESTAs are approved individually, so each application is checked by customs and border protection one by one.
An ESTA is generally valid for 2 years, which is handy for returning to the USA to visit other parts of the country and different roads throughout the country. In Florida alone, there are several roads that are worth making a trek for. From taking the Overseas Highway all the way to Key West, driving along the Everglades on Tamiami Trail, or even taking US1 up the entire Eastern coast of Florida, there are plenty of options for a great drive just in Florida alone.