The eastbound Dolphin Expressway is bracing for significant shutdowns starting this Friday, as bridge construction goes into overdrive. This major highway artery will see closures from Northwest 17th Avenue to Interstate 95, NBC Miami reports. The disruptions commence at 11 p.m. on May 17 and will continue intermittently, with construction aims to bolster safer travel into I-95 and the 395 corridor.
The Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) detailed the overnight disruptions, highlighting that eastbound drivers should to prepare to reroute. These closures, starting at Northwest 17th Avenue, are due to the erection of a bridge support structure that will extend over the full expanse of the expressway, as WSVN outlines. “We’re going to start construction of the overhead structure on eastbound State Road 836, just west of I-95," explained FDOT spokesperson Oscar Gonzalez.
Here's the scheduling rundown for the closures: they kick off at 11 p.m. Friday, May 17 until 9 a.m. the following morning. The next round will start on Saturday, May 18, from 10 p.m. and will run until Sunday morning at 8 a.m. Furthermore, for the week starting May 19, drivers can anticipate nightly closures between the hours of 10 p.m. and 5:30 a.m., per NBC Miami's report. Subsequent updates on additional road closures will be given weekly until the completion of the bridge.
As for detours, eastbound SR 836 motorists will need to exit at NW 17th Avenue, and then heads south and east following a queue of turns through SW 1st Street and up South Miami Avenue before rejoining I-95. Signs and detour directions will usher drivers through the prescribed paths. These closures are just the tip of the iceberg, with FDOT promising more updates every Wednesday during the construction period, expected to span three months with a projected completion date in 2027, according to WSVN.
