Drivers leaving Key Biscayne experienced major delays Sunday, following road closures due to a pavement project.
Contractors shut down the flyover bridge on westbound SR 913/Rickenbacker Causeway connecting to southbound SR 5/US 1/South Dixie Highway and northbound SR 9A/I-95 while workers rehabilitate concrete pavement on the bridge decks, according to the Florida Department of Transportation.
The closures began on Sunday, April 14 and are scheduled to last for about two months.
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Drivers leaving Key Biscayne told NBC6 they had been stuck in standstill traffic for hours.
"It’s basically a parking lot. Imagine you’re at an event and you go to park and that’s what it is, it’s a parking lot," Daniel Avila told NBC6, after spending four hours on the Rickenbacker Causeway.
Key Biscayne Mayor Joe Rasco issued a statement after the standstill, assuring residents something will be done to help mitigate the issue.
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"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 ramps would be a serious problem, we were assured it had been studied and was under control," the statement said. "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."
The Village of Key Biscayne sent a separate response to NBC6 on Monday, saying FDOT's District 6 Secretary Miller has reached out regarding the traffic problems.
"She has committed to relieving the problem today by opening one of the lanes and will inform the Village, City of Miami, and Miami-Dade County as soon as decisions have been made about the entire project approach and timeline," the statement read.
Latest updates from FDOT can be found here or on its Instagram page.
The Village says it will also announce any updates on the Village Connect and through Instagram as well.
Tourist Max Bauer and his girlfriend were supposed to take the bus from Key Biscayne back to Miami, but the couple decided to walk the six miles instead, taking about 90 minutes.
"It’s crazy. We were just visiting Miami, so we had no idea that this was gonna happen. Otherwise, we would not have come," Bauer said.
Miami Police sent a statement to NBC6, saying officers were set to help with traffic flow.
"We are setting up a plan to assist with traffic leaving Rickenbacker. There is no event or incident that we are aware of," Miami PD stated early Sunday evening. "It appears that the ramp onto I-95 is closed due to work and it’s caused this traffic. We are trying to evaluate the issue and assist with this."
By late Sunday night, a petition already had 1,500 signatures calling for the project to be postponed until June when schools are out for summer.
Eastbound traffic will not be affected and access to SE/SW 26 Road, Brickell Avenue and South Miami Avenue will be maintained, FDOT's website stated. A map of the closure and detours is also available.
