Update 1 p.m. 4/15/24: Tish Burgher, communications manager for Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) District Six, which includes Miami and Key Biscayne, sent New Times the following statement in response to our inquiries:
Yesterday, FDOT began work on the Rickenbacker Causeway flyover bridges in Miami-Dade County. While the original maintenance of traffic plan was developed with all appropriate factors considered, it was overwhelmed with the volume of vehicles ingressing and egressing from Key Biscayne yesterday. The Department has heard and understands the community's concerns and, based on the feedback we've received, has taken prompt action as follows:New Times is continuing to cover this story.
• Today, the Department has re-opened northbound lanes of the Causeway flyover today.
• By Wednesday morning, the southbound lanes will fully reopen to allow time for the installation of guardrails today and tomorrow. While this installation occurs, surface streets should be utilized.
The work is part of a rehabilitation project to [repair] the bridges which are nearly 50 years old and is imperative to the structural integrity of the bridges and the safety of the traveling public. While this phase of work was expected to last approximately 2 months, the Department is re-evaluating the traffic management plan to maintain safety, while also ensuring the continued movement of people and goods from Key Biscayne to the mainland.
Moving forward, the Department will continue coordination with local officials, including local law enforcement, on revised traffic management plans and signalization coordination. While this project will inevitably cause disruption to typical travel patterns for commuters, the Department reinforces our commitment to workshopping any revised plan with community stakeholders prior to being implemented.
Update 10:45 a.m. 4/15/24: Late Sunday evening, Key Biscayne Mayor Joe Rasco posted the following message to his Instagram account:
Village residents are rightfully frustrated and upset about the traffic situation we are facing, as am I. Although we stressed to our partners at FDOT that a total closure of the ramps would be a serious problem, we were assured it had been studied and was under control. Clearly, it is not. I have already spoken to our State Representative Vicki Lopez and have a scheduled call with FDOT District 6 Secretary tomorrow morning. What happened today is not acceptable for our KB residents nor for those who enjoy visiting our island. We will fight to regain reasonable access to and from the Rickenbacker Causeway.And earlier this morning, the Village of Key Biscayne posted this update on the fiasco to its own Instagram account:
The Florida Department of Transportation's District 6 Secretary Miller contacted the Village early this morning about the traffic being caused by the US-1/1-95 flyover construction project.The original story continues below:
She has committed to opening the north-bound flyover to 1-95 today. She is meeting with her engineers this morning to discuss additional solutions for the south-bound flyover to US-1. They will also be discussing the entire project approach and timeline.
As soon as they reach out to us, we will share the latest updates.
For the latest from FDOT, please visit southflroads.com and follow @myfdot_miami on Instagram.
The Village will announce any updates on the Village Connect and through @VillageofKeyBiscayne on Instagram.
Drivers leaving Key Biscayne on Sunday report that they've been sitting in hours of standstill traffic following the closure of the Rickenbacker Causeway bridge as part of a Florida Department of Transportation FDOT project.
On April 14, FDOT closed the flyover bridge to South Dixie Highway and northbound I-95 to improve the concrete pavement on the bridge decks. The closure is expected to last two months, according to the department.
After the closure took effect, many have taken to social media to share how long they have been stuck at a standstill trying to get to the mainland. One woman reported she'd already been trapped in traffic on Key Biscayne for five hours.
At 10:25 p.m. one man wrote that he had been stranded on the island with his family since 2 p.m., and that "thousands of families are in too."I've been trapped here 5 hours now........... A complete negligence!!!
— Daniela (@_rojasrivers) April 15, 2024
An hour earlier, Jason Katz, writer and founding editor of Islandia Journal, tweeted that his sister had been stuck in the car with her 2-year-old for nearly three hours.Me and my family are stranded in key biscayne since 2pm, thousands of families are in too pic.twitter.com/3zQGM4Y3yX
— Renato Vieira (@RenatoGVieira) April 15, 2024
As the jam dragged on, some were considering sleeping in their cars, including Law360 journalist Carolina Bolado and her family.My sister has been on key Biscayne with her 2 year old in the car for almost three hours so far with no explanation. Wild stuff.
— Jason Katz (@jaylandia_) April 15, 2024
"We are still on the island, in the town because we didn't want to be stuck in Crandon Park with nowhere to go," Bolado wrote on X at a little before 9 p.m. "But at this point it's looking like we're going to have to sleep in the car with the kids and wait it out. What a nightmare." (Around 10:15 they decided to try to escape.)
Another man said he's camping out in the Winn-Dixie shopping center on the island.We are still on the island, in the town because we didn’t want to be stuck in Crandon Park with nowhere to go. But at this point it’s looking like we’re going to have to sleep in the car with the kids and wait it out. What a nightmare. https://t.co/kfespJvtez
— Carolina Bolado (@CarolinaBolado) April 15, 2024
"I feel for those stuck on the road with kids," he wrote, then pointed out, "This is going to become unsanitary."
Other families reported that they were wandering around the island with their children. And a little before 10 p.m., an Instagram user posted video of cleared-out grocery shelves.Same here. Luckily we got a spot in the Winn Dixie shopping center. I feel for those stuck on the road with kids. This is going to become unsanitary…
— Jose L. Go (@JoeLuisGo) April 15, 2024
According to FDOT's website, the planned closure was announced on March 28. A follow-up press release that was distributed Friday, April 12, is embedded at the bottom of this story.
Still, people have taken to social media to say the closure caught them completely by surprise.
"This is horrible!! Isn't anyone responsible for alerting people in Miami about this?" a user wrote on X. "Where are our representatives when you need them? What if there's an emergency? This state is really a disaster!
As many vented their frustrations, Miami Mayor Francis Suarez made clear that his city had nothing to do wth the ramp closure.This is horrible!! Isn’t anyone responsible for alerting people in Miami about this ? Where are our representatives when you need them? What if there’s an emergency? This state is really a disaster!
— Rafael (@RafaeBernie59) April 15, 2024
"The city did not shut down the flyover bridge," he declared on X. "That is not correct. The flyover bridge was shut down by the Florida Department of Transportation. We are doing everything we can do to flush the traffic out of Key Biscayne."
[Editor's note: We'll follow up on this slow-motion debacle as soon as we find someone who can explain (or who has already explained somewhere) how no one foresaw this outcome.]The city did not shut down the flyover bridge. That is not correct. The flyover bridge was shut down by the Florida Department of Transportation. We are doing everything we can do to flush the traffic out of Key Biscayne.
— Mayor Francis Suarez (@FrancisSuarez) April 15, 2024
