Dodge Repair: Overheating., temperature gauge, dodge intrepid

Question
QUESTION: Hi, thank you very much for taking the time to read this!!! I have a 1995 Dodge Intrepid. It is a 3.3L engine. Last night after driving my car for less than 20 minutes, parking and shutting off my car, it starting smoking. I was only smoking on the passenger side. It was not driving any different and it did not do it earlier in the day. When I drove my car today, it did not smoke but the temperature gauge kept going up. It had gotten to the line right below hot when I pulled into a parking lot and shut my car off. When I started it up again and started driving, it went up to the middle line between hot and cold. After a few minutes it went back up to the line below hot so I parked and did the same thing. I noticed when I push on the gas it the temperature goes up faster. When I slow down or push on the brake, it goes back down but never below the middle line. During all of this it never started smoking again. It only happened that one time, last night. My question is, what could be causing it and is it safe to drive about 20 minutes to the repair shop? I just had the oil changed a few weeks ago. Thank you again for any help and advice!!!

ANSWER: Hi Amber,
Was the smoke on the passenger side coming from under the hood (and thus visible when standing outside the cabin) or was the smoke noticeable inside the cabin?  And was the smoke like water steaming, or was it more like something burning such as engine oil?
Have you checked the coolant overflow bottle to see if there is some coolant still in the bottle? There should be coolant in the bottle up to the level that it is between the min and max lines on the bottle, so add if necessary.
So long as the gauge doesn't go the H, or that you see smoke coming out from under hood, then it should be safe to go to a shop. Carry along a bottle of water or 50/50 mixture of coolant and water so as to add if necessary on the way to the shop.
Please 'rate' my answer (see below).
Thanks,
Roland

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: It was visible when I was standing outside of my car. It didn't smell like anything burning. It looked like the steam that comes out when you boil water. The antifreeze was almost empty so I filled it up after it stopped smoking. Since then the gauge has been going up passed the middle line. Thank you very much for your time.

Answer
Hi Amber,
Going past the middle line, in an of itself, is not of concern. I would be concerned if it went above 3/4 line and kept rising further to near the H. That is the point to stop and check things out. The radiator fan should be running by that point and if not that may explain the higher temperature. Up to 3/4 scale is acceptable so just make sure that there is coolant in the bottle on a regular basis, between the min and max marking, before you drive the car.
Please "rate" my answer (see below).
Thanks,
Roland