Brickell Key Traffic Will Be a Nightmare Amid Construction Projects

If the Brickell Key baywalk is your favorite path, you should be aware of all the construction beginning this month that could impact the serenity of your hot girl walk.

The City of Miami will begin repairs this month on the Brickell Key bridge, impacting vehicle traffic and traffic entering and leaving the island. The 52-year-old bridge, which connects the mainland to the island, was last repaired in 2011. The scope of the project includes bridge deck repairs, sidewalk widening, restoration of damaged concrete and sealing of cracks, and seawall repair. The three-phase project, which the city estimates will cost $10 million, is set to end in December 2025 or early 2026.

Under phase one, which will begin in mid-July, the eastbound lane and neighboring sidewalk will be fully closed to allow for top layer removal, deck repairs, and sidewalk widening. Drivers will temporarily use the two westbound lanes — typically the lanes to get off the island— to leave and enter the island. Additionally, pedestrians will be able to walk on the westbound sidewalk. The eastbound closure will last eight to ten weeks.  For phase two, the two inner lanes will be closed to open space to widen the sidewalks by reducing the width of the median. There will still be one lane in and one lane out for drivers. This phase will take three to four weeks.  Phase three will close the westbound lanes and sidewalk to fix the deck and widen the sidewalks on that side. The closure will also last eight to ten weeks. Pedestrians leaving and walking onto the island will have to share one sidewalk.  Meanwhile, half of the Brickell Key baywalk will close on July 7 as the inner demolition of the Mandarin Oriental hotel begins. The path from the back of the shuttered Mandarin to the St Louis condominium building. It is the path to the west of the hotel.

The city has also issued a permit for that demolition so far. The hotel is set to be fully demolished in early 2026 to make way for a hotel and high-end residences. The two-tower Swire Properties development will offer a hotel and luxury-branded Mandarin Oriental Hotel residences.

The south tower, which will be 800 feet tall, will feature 228 condos ranging in price from $4.9 million to $100 million. The north tower, half the height of the first tower, will become the new North American flagship Mandarin Oriental Hotel. It will also house private residences—66 condos and 28 fully furnished units.

The new development is set to open in 2030.