Another Traffic Pattern Change On The Dolphin Expy.
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MIAMI (CBSMiami) – Drivers on the Dolphin Expressway (SR836) should be aware of a new traffic pattern starting this weekend.
Beginning on Sunday, drivers headed west on SR836 should take a different exit to get to West Flagler Street and NW 87th Avenue.
Anyone who wants to get off at 72nd, West Flagler Street, or NW 87th Avenue, will all take the same exit- the 72nd Avenue exit - but the 87th and West Flagler traffic will take a new temporary ramp on the left whereas drivers getting off at 72nd will stay to the right.
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The change is part of the ongoing, $560-million project to overhaul the interchange linking the Dolphin with the Palmetto Expressway (SR826) near Miami International Airport.
The change will be in place for about five months to allow workers to carry out other project work including demolition of a bridge.
"In order to try to mitigate the confusion, we're going to have messages posted on the overhead electronic message boards. We're going to have portable electronic message boards and all the static green signs will also be changed to reflect the new route," said Oscar Gonzalez with FDOT.
The new exit is marked with signs.
"After you pass 57th Avenue, you should be paying close attention to both the electronic message boards and the static green signage and you should have no problems," said Gonzalez.
Drivers may not be used to this new exit, but they're certainly used to changing traffic patterns with the 826-836 project.
Gonzalez explained, "Since we've started this project, there's been over 100 traffic pattern shifts, some of them minor, some of them not so minor as drivers are aware, but that's the only way we can build a project of this magnitude where there are 430,000 cars traveling through the interchange every day."
Major changes are expected again in September and October and the project is slated for completion early in 2016.