Rickenbacker Causeway construction project led to hours long delays

MIAMI - On Monday, the Florida Department of Transportation partially reopened a flyover on the Rickenbacker Causeway after a construction project caused a traffic nightmare on Sunday as drivers reported being stuck in traffic for hours.

On Sunday, contractors for the Florida Department of Transportation closed the westbound flyover bridge that connects to US 1/South Dixie highway and northbound I-95. The closure, which will last about two months, is that workers can "rehabilitate" the concrete pavement on the bridge decks.

Eastbound traffic is not affected.

Driver heading to US-1/S. Dixie Hwy. drivers were forced to merge to the left onto SE 26 Road at the fork. They then had to make a left turn onto S. Miami Avenue and a right into US-1/ S. Dixie Hwy.

Drivers heading to northbound NB I-95 had to merge to the left onto SE 26th Road at the fork and then merge onto SW 26 Road. At the bend to SW 25 Road, they continued onto the NB I-95 entrance ramp. 

The flyover bridge closure and bottleneck caused by drivers having to merge left onto SE 26th Road led to major back-ups. Some drivers reported being stuck in traffic for hours.

A change.org petition was created in hopes to push back the timeline of the project until June when school is out.

But for visitors like Christina Hammoud, who sat for 9.5 hours on the causeway, she believes more permanent solutions need to be considered.

"I think they should probably have a ferry, the way they do on Fisher Island. Just have some sort of alternative."

Sunday, there was no alternative, forcing Hammoud and thousands of others to figure out how to make do while stuck.

"I was ready 100% ready to make my car my shelter."

She ended up parking her car and walking to the nearest grocery store to load up on essentials in preparation for spending the night on a bridge.

Key Biscayne Mayor Joe Rasco said the situation is not acceptable. 

On Monday morning, the Key Biscayne Chamber of Commerce posted an update for residents.

"The Florida Department of Transportation's District 6 Secretary Miller contacted the Village early this morning about the traffic being caused by the US-1/I-95 flyover construction project.

She has committed to opening the northbound flyover to I-95 today. She is meeting with her engineers this morning to discuss additional solutions for the southbound flyover to US-1. They will also be discussing the entire project approach and timeline.

FDOT is working to get the southbound flyover opened tomorrow and then regroup with the Village for a new project plan." 

By mid-morning, the northbound flyover to I-95 had reopened. 

The problem caught the attention of Miami-Dade Mayor Daniella Levine Cava who posted on X that they would reach out to their partners to address the traffic delays.

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• Traffic