Expect traffic madness for the big Scotland-Brazil World Cup match. Here’s help
Scotland’s Tartan Army, thousands strong in kilts and clutching replicas of the gold World Cup Trophy, marched into Miami ahead of Wednesday evening’s World Cup game against Brazil at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens.
The Scots aren’t alone. Scores of fans of five-time World Cup champion Brazil’s men’s national team partied alongside them.
And nearly all of these fútbol fans — and residents who couldn’t care less about soccer — will be on the roads leading to, and surrounding, the stadium and its satellite site, Fan Festival, at downtown Miami’s Bayfront Park. And Wednesday commuting traffic isn’t easy to begin with in South Florida.
Need a reminder of what the festivities and events mean for traffic and road shutdowns and detours? Here’s what to know:
Several streets and highway exits will be shut down near the stadium in Miami Gardens and the fan festival in downtown Miami ahead of the 6 p.m. match Wednesday. Keep in mind: There’s also a match at 7:30 p.m. Saturday for Portugal vs. Colombia.
The roads around the stadium will be closed from 5 a.m. to 11 p.m. on match days, according to Hard Rock Stadium. Starting at 2 p.m., only those with official FIFA parking passes may cross through these road closures, including Florida’s Turnpike 2X exit ramps. Neither Miami Gardens residents nor anyone else will be able to pass through these road closures until 11 p.m. on match days without an official FIFA parking pass for that day’s match, according to Miami Gardens.
The road closures are:
- Florida’s Turnpike Exit 2X: Closed 5 a.m.-11 p.m.
- 199th Street from 14th Court to 27th Avenue: Closed 5 a.m.-11 p.m.
Some ramps in the Golden Glades Interchange, post-event only, will temporarily be re-routed as bus-only. These ramps would include those connecting Florida’s Turnpike and the Palmetto Expressway (SR 826) onto the Golden Glades.
Fútbol fans also gather for daily FIFA-related celebrations at the Fan Fest event at downtown Miami’s Bayfront Park, 301 Biscayne Blvd., for these matches and through July 5.
The venue, where Ultra is held every year, hosts interactive fan experiences, live match broadcasts, food and musical performances.
Downtown traffic is a snarl and parking isn’t easy even on routine days.
There are several traffic-calming measures such as detours and lane closures that may happen depending on attendance as Fan Festival approaches. Here are some of the details.
Downtown Miami traffic operations are expected to continue with minimal disruptions for this week’s matches. You can still expect increased travel times and to plan accordingly if you’re traveling through the downtown area, police suggest.
All primary northbound and southbound travel lanes are expected to remain open to regular traffic with support from law enforcement and traffic management staff.
Contingency lane closure, as needed, would see Miami police temporarily close the northbound right lane on Biscayne Boulevard directly in front of Bayfront Park to improve crowd circulation, and enhance safety conditions near event entrances and gathering areas. The remaining northbound travel lanes will continue operating normally.
READ MORE: Traffic alert: Which Miami streets will be shut down for World Cup? Check details
Weather forecast
Scattered showers and isolated storms are in Wednesday’s forecast. CBS News Miami meteorologist Lissette Gonzalez forecasts a 30% chance at match time and a temperature of 89 degrees.
And there’s a slight chance of showers for Saturday’s match, according to the National Weather Service in Miami.
