Commuters faced a snarl on the Palmetto Expressway earlier today as two separate crashes led to significant gridlock, affecting both northbound and southbound traffic. According to NBC Miami, one collision shut down the southbound express lanes at NW 103rd Street, while another incident to the north compounded delays at the same street.
The chaos began when vehicles collided in the southbound express lanes, causing authorities to close them to traffic. As emergency services addressed the chaos, another accident occurred on the northbound side, adding to the congestion. These incidents prompted warnings for drivers to find alternate routes and to exercise caution around the responding teams from the Florida Highway Patrol as indicated by the hashtag #MoveOver promoted by Total Traffic Miami's X post.
DOUBLE TRUBLE ON THE PALMETTO!
— Total Traffic Miami (@TotalTrafficMIA) December 12, 2023
Two seperate crashes on The Palmetto NB and SB at NW 103rd, we're seeing big backups and the SB Express Lanes are CLOSED. Please remember to #MoveOver For @FHPMiami pic.twitter.com/fjHaUrnimj
As crews worked to clear the accident sites, long lines of vehicles stretched behind the blockage with frustrated drivers looking for any possible detour to avoid the standstill. The traffic jam worsened during what is traditionally one of the busiest commuting hours of the day.
Authorities have not released details regarding any injuries, but the impact on morning traffic was clear, with backups reported for several miles and continued warnings in place urging drivers to steer clear of the expressway until further notice, as updates on the situation and the reopening of the express lanes remain on hold.
