Motorcyclist killed in crash. Highway leading to Florida Keys closed for four hours
A fatal crash stopped traffic on the major highway leading into the Florida Keys Thursday morning, halting the expected heavy flow of New Year’s Eve revelers into the island chain.
The person who died was riding a motorcycle, according to the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office.
The crash happened around 11:30 a.m. at mile marker 114 on the 18 Mile Stretch of U.S. 1, which is on the Miami-Dade County side of the highway, the sheriff’s office said in an alert.
At 11:45 a.m., police diverted all traffic into the Keys to Card Sound Road, the other road leading to and from the island chain.
Police reopened the southbound lane of the 18 Mile Stretch around 3:30 p.m., but the sheriff’s office reported that traffic was still very heavy around 5 p.m.
The Florida Highway Patrol is investigating the crash. There was no immediate information on the motorcycle rider’s identity.
U.S. 1 in the Keys had already been the scene of congested traffic and traffic jams this week as people made their way to Key West during the holidays.
This report will be updated as more information becomes available.
This story was originally published December 31, 2020 at 12:02 PM.
