Drawbridge on JFK Causeway malfunctioned, creating traffic snarls

Traffic across the western bridge of the John F. Kennedy Causeway stopped for about an hour late Friday afternoon due to a malfunctioning drawbridge, which created traffic snarls on both sides.

Cars backed up into Miami to the west and North Bay Village and Miami Beach to the east for about an hour.

“It was up, and then it came down, and then they couldn’t get the arms to go up,” said North Bay Village Manager Frank Rollason.

Looking out his office window in the village around 5:15 p.m., he said traffic was “horrendous” and several cars were turning around to go back to Miami Beach to take another route off the island.

News reports were saying traffic began flowing across the bridge again around 5:40 p.m.

This story was originally published January 8, 2016 at 6:09 PM with the headline "Drawbridge on JFK Causeway malfunctioned, creating traffic snarls."