Will you get caught in the next Rickenbacker ramp shutdown? Take note of changes on road

Adlai Coleman
·2 min read

Do you drive on the Rickenbacker Causeway? You’ll want to plan for extra traffic this summer.

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

Closing the ramps earlier this year for the work created chaos on the road, with drivers stranded for hours. Now, the Florida Department of Transportation has made some changes to try to keep things moving this time around.

Here’s what to know:

When will the Rickenbacker ramps close?

  • Southbound ramp to U.S. 1/South Dixie Highway: Closed from 1 a.m. Monday, July 8, until 6 a.m. Saturday, July 20.

  • Northbound ramp to I-95 North: Closed 10 p.m. Sunday, July 21 to 6 a.m. Saturday Aug. 3.

Why are the ramps closing?

  • The ramps are being closed for construction that “is necessary to extend the service life and maintain the structural integrity of the bridges,” said FDOT District 6 Secretary Stacy Miller.

What happened during the last ramp closures?

  • Last April, the transportation department closed both ramps at once, causing massive delays and stranding thousands of drivers on the causeway for hours.

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

What is Florida doing to prevent a repeat logjam?

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

  • Police officers will direct traffic every day of the ramp shutdowns from 2 to 10 p.m.

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

  • The department has been doing “extensive outreach” to warn drivers about the closures so that they can “make an informed decision,” Cabrera said.

Will there still be delays?

  • Drivers should expect “heavy traffic and delays,” FDOT says.

Are there detours?

  • FDOT has mapped out detours.

Southbound closure:

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

Northbound closure:

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

Could the detours change?

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

What if there is an emergency?

  • FDOT, working with the Miami Police Department, has a plan to close the inner lane of the eastbound Rickenbacker causeway to allow emergency vehicles to avoid traffic backups.