Lane closures and traffic shifts impacting I-395/I-95 interchange begin Sunday night

As if driving in Miami wasn’t already a test of the human limits of patience, it’s about to get stickier starting Sunday night where I-95 meets I-395 as the “Connecting Miami” project progresses.

The five-year, $802 million reconstruction of I-395, double-decking a section of State Road 836, repaving a stretch of I-95 and building a “signature bridge” over Biscayne Boulevard in downtown Miami will necessitate lane closures, traffic pattern shifts and detours.

Starting Monday morning, one lane on the southbound I-95 ramp to eastbound I-395 will be closed until mid-2023 to allow for construction of new bridges adjacent to the ramp as well as the new elevated spans of I-395. The ramp lane closure will extend to just east of Northwest First Avenue. One lane on the ramp will will remain open during peak travel times.

But the entire ramp will be closed on Sunday night, June 30, between 10 p.m. and 5:30 a.m. During those hours, drivers can follow this detour: Continue south on I-95, exit at Northwest Eighth Street (Exit 3B). Turn left on Northwest Eighth Street and continue east. Turn left at Biscayne Boulevard to access the A1A North/Miami Beach ramp. Or I-195 can be used as an alternate route to Miami Beach.

Starting Tuesday morning, traffic on the eastbound I-395 ramp connector road from east of I-95 to North Miami Avenue will be shifted to the south side of the road to allow for construction of new bridges. To implement the shift, one eastbound I-395 lane will be closed from east of I-95 to Biscayne Boulevard on Sunday, June 30 and Monday, July 1 between 10 p.m. and 5:30 a.m.

Starting Wednesday morning, the travel lane and shoulder widths on the single lane ramp from northbound I-95 to eastbound I-395 will be narrowed to allow for the construction of new bridges. Speed on the ramp will be reduced to 25 mph.

To implement this new pattern, the entire ramp will be closed on Tuesday night between 10 p.m. and 5:30 a.m. Drivers can follow this detour: Exit at the Northwest Second Street ramp (Exit 2B). Continue north on Northwest Third Avenue, then turn right and go east on Northwest Eighth Street. Turn left on Biscayne Boulevard to access A1A North/Miami Beach ramp.

Throughout the duration of the project, monitor the “Connecting Miami” website or call 511 or go to the Florida 511 website for construction updates.

Watch out for drivers who are even more confused than usual. Use mass transit. Take deep breaths.