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Will You Be Caught in the Upcoming Rickenbacker Ramp Closure? Take Note of the Changes on the Road

Posted on by angelo

Driving on the Rickenbacker Causeway? Expect extra traffic this summer.

During two stretches in July and August, roadwork will again close ramps connecting the westbound causeway between Virginia Key and Key Biscayne and the Miami mainland.

The ramp closures earlier this year for construction created chaos on the road, with drivers stranded for hours. Now, the Florida Department of Transportation is making some changes to try to keep things moving this time around.

Here’s what you need to know:

When will Rickenbacker Ramps close?

  • Southbound on-ramp to US 1/South Dixie Highway: Closed from 1am on Monday 8th July until 6am on Saturday 20th July.

  • Northbound ramp to I-95 North: Closed from 10pm Sunday July 21 to 6am Saturday August 3.

Why are the ramps closing?

What happened during the last ramp closures?

  • Last April, the Department of Transportation closed both ramps at the same time, causing massive delays and stranding thousands of drivers on the roadway for hours.

  • The old plan was based on previous “traffic data” that didn’t account for this weekend’s traffic, according to Mario Cabrera, FDOT District 6 construction engineer.

What is Florida doing to avoid another blockage?

  • FDOT plans to work on each ramp one at a time to minimize delays.

  • Police will direct traffic every day the ramps are closed from 2 p.m. to 10 p.m.

  • FDOT to monitor traffic remotely and “will adjust signals in real time,” Cabrera said.

  • The department has conducted an “extensive awareness campaign” to warn drivers of the closures so they can ““Make an informed decision,” Cabrera said.

Will there be further delays?

Are there any detours?

Closure in southbound direction:

Map of detours and alternate routes during the Rickenbacker Causeway southbound ramp closure, July 2024.Map of detours and alternate routes during the Rickenbacker Causeway southbound ramp closure, July 2024.

Map of detours and alternate routes during the Rickenbacker Causeway southbound ramp closure, July 2024.

Closure in northbound direction:

Map of detours and alternate routes during the Rickenbacker Causeway northbound ramp closure, July 2024.Map of detours and alternate routes during the Rickenbacker Causeway northbound ramp closure, July 2024.

Map of detours and alternate routes during the Rickenbacker Causeway northbound ramp closure, July 2024.

Could the detours change?

  • “This is a dynamic plan,” Cabrera stressed, specifying that adjustments would be made based on feedback from people “on the ground.”

What to do in an emergency ?

  • FDOT, in conjunction with the Miami Police Department, plans to close the inside lane of the eastbound Rickenbacker Causeway to allow emergency vehicles to avoid traffic congestion.