Significant Weekend Closures on Miami's Dolphin Expressway and I-395: Key Information

Motorists in Miami should prepare for major disruptions on Saturday and Sunday as two of the county's busiest highways will experience significant closures, according to Local10/WPLG.

The closures are necessary to facilitate the installation of a steel reinforcement structure for a bridge support over the Dolphin Expressway (State Road 836). This operation was rescheduled from the previous weekend due to operational issues and is expected to proceed this Saturday and Sunday, weather permitting.

These efforts are part of the ambitious Connecting Miami project (I-395/SR 836/I-95), which is one of the most expensive road infrastructure projects in the city's history. The project involves the reconstruction of approximately 1.4 miles of the corridor between the I-395/SR 836/I-95 interchange and the MacArthur Causeway. It also includes the construction of the Signature Bridge, a striking six-arched cable-stayed bridge over Biscayne Boulevard, with its main arch reaching about 330 feet in height.

Dolphin Expressway Eastbound Closure

Starting at 10:00 p.m. on Saturday, two eastbound lanes between Northwest 17th Avenue and Interstate 95 will be closed. An hour later, at 11:00 p.m., the closure will extend to all eastbound lanes at Northwest 17th Avenue. The roads are scheduled to reopen by 10:00 a.m. on Sunday.

Drivers heading east on SR 836 should exit at Northwest 17th Avenue, head south across Northwest Seventh Street, turn left onto Southwest First Street, and then right onto South Miami Avenue to access the northbound or southbound I-95 ramps.

For those traveling to Biscayne Boulevard or the MacArthur Causeway, continue east on Southwest First Street, make a left on Biscayne Boulevard, and access the MacArthur Causeway via Northeast 11th Terrace.

Westbound I-395 Closure

All westbound lanes of I-395 connecting to SR 836 will be closed at I-95 from 11:59 p.m. Saturday until 7:00 a.m. Sunday. However, ramps linking I-395 with northbound and southbound I-95 will remain open during this period.

The recommended detour for those needing to reach westbound SR 836 is to take southbound I-95, exit at Southwest Seventh Street/Brickell Avenue (exit 1B), turn left on Southwest Eighth Street, re-enter northbound I-95, and then take the exit for westbound SR 836.

Miami River Drawbridge Adjustments

The construction will also temporarily impact the drawbridges on Southwest First Street and West Flagler Street over the Miami River. On Sunday, from 6:00 a.m. to 10:00 a.m., these bridges will only open on the hour and half-hour. Exceptions will be made for U.S. public vessels, tugs, and vessels in distress, which may pass at any time. The Coast Guard will inform mariners of these changes.

Delayed and Over-Budget Project

The project is being executed by the joint venture Archer Western–De Moya Group Joint Venture. Initially started in January 2019 with an original budget of $802 million, costs have soared to over $866 million due to modifications, supply chain issues, and multiple lawsuits alleging structural and design flaws.

The completion date, initially set for 2021, has been postponed several times and is now slated for 2029. In January of this year, six workers were seriously injured when a formwork beam collapsed during an overnight operation near Northwest 3rd Avenue, causing them to fall approximately 30 feet.

As of the end of September, four of the six arches of the Signature Bridge—arches 1, 2, 4, and 5—have been completed, signaling progress on a project that, despite delays, continues to redefine the skyline of downtown Miami.