Is Sixmile Bend safe?
Belle Glade, Florida · safety score updated nightly
Be careful — go in daylight and stay on the busier streets.
VibeLoco rates Sixmile Bend as “Caution”.
Gogo's take on Sixmile Bend
“Go with care. Sixmile Bend is an isolated rural crossroads dominated by sugarcane farming, agricultural processing, and high-speed highway corridors. Visitors passing through will find minimal tourist services, darkness at night, and heavy truck traffic that requires heightened road awareness.”
Recent roadway safety projects along the State Road 80 and US-27 corridors have focused on reducing high-speed commercial collisions in the Glades area.
About the area
Located just east of Belle Glade in western Palm Beach County, Sixmile Bend serves primarily as a rural transport and agricultural junction between US-27 and State Road 80. The area consists mainly of vast sugarcane fields, drainage canals, and light industrial equipment yards. Most visitors experience it simply as a waypoint while traveling between the Lake Okeechobee region and coastal Palm Beach County.
- Rural Agricultural
- Car-Dependent
- Highway Corridor
- Industrial / Farming
Walking and biking in Sixmile Bend
Walk score: 8/100 · Bike score: 22/100
There are no bike-share facilities or dedicated bike lanes, and cycling on the high-speed shoulders of US-27 or SR-80 is hazardous.
Reasons to go, and reasons to think twice
Pros
- Lower violent crime frequency directly at the crossroads compared to denser downtown urban cores
- Essential transit link connecting coastal Palm Beach County to Lake Okeechobee via US-27 and SR-80
- Expansive open landscapes with excellent birdwatching opportunities along nearby agricultural canals
Cons
- High-speed commercial freight and tractor-trailer traffic poses significant vehicular hazards
- Part of the broader Glades economic area marked by poverty rates exceeding 30% and under-resourced public services
- Virtually non-existent pedestrian infrastructure, sidewalks, and street lighting
- Extreme isolation with limited nearby emergency medical facilities
Homelessness: Visible homelessness is minimal in the immediate Sixmile Bend agricultural junction, though unhoused individuals and social support services are located a few miles west in central Belle Glade.
What Sixmile Bend is like at each time of day
- Morning · 5a – 11a
- Active with early agricultural trucks, farm workers, and commuters under good daylight visibility.
- Afternoon · 11a – 5p
- Characterized by heavy freight traffic, strong sun exposure, and high highway speeds along the shoulder.
- Evening · 5p – 10p
- Quiet as field shifts end, though diminishing light creates visibility challenges on unlit roadways.
- Late night · 10p – 5a
- Pitch-black and highly isolated, making roadside stops or nighttime travel risky in the event of vehicle breakdown.
Transit, parking and getting around
Palm Tran provides regional bus service to the Glades via Route 47 and Route 48 connecting Belle Glade to West Palm Beach, but direct stops at Sixmile Bend are minimal and there is no passenger rail.
Surface parking is free and unmetered at local fuel stations and commercial lots, with ample space for large trucks; there are no parking garages or paid meters.
Things to do in Sixmile Bend
- Drive the scenic rural corridor of State Road 80 through the historic Everglades Agricultural Area
- Spot native wading birds, raptors, and alligators along the perimeter agricultural canals
- Head west toward Torry Island and the Lake Okeechobee Scenic Trail for freshwater fishing and airboat tours
Local favorites
- Dixie Boy Restaurant · Diner · 4.3★ (430)Long-running local institution serving hearty Southern comfort breakfast and lunch specials.
- Banyan Tree Cafe · American Restaurant · 4.5★ (260)Casual nearby cafe known for home-style sandwiches, salads, and friendly small-town hospitality.
- Handy Food Store · Convenience Store · 4.0★ (85)Highway-side convenience outpost providing fuel, snacks, and cold beverages for agricultural workers and commuters.
Scores are safety-driven — recent reported crime and local news plus Census income, poverty, housing, education, household and access data — refreshed nightly. Walk and bike scores are shown separately and do not affect the safety score. A guide, not a guarantee — conditions change street to street.