Southbound traffic on the Don Shula Expressway (SR-874) came to a standstill early Tuesday after a deadly crash in southwest Miami-Dade, choking the pre-dawn commute and leaving at least one person dead. The shutdown stretched between Killian Parkway and Florida's Turnpike as investigators and tow crews worked the scene and frustrated drivers in Kendall and nearby neighborhoods crawled through long backups trying to get back onto the expressway.
The collision, which involved a truck and a car, happened around 1:30 a.m. and resulted in at least one fatality, according to CBS Miami. The outlet reported that all southbound lanes were closed from Killian Parkway to Florida's Turnpike while crews worked the scene, and that delays had already started stacking up in the northbound direction as the closure spilled into the early commute.
"So, getting into Kendall northbound is going to be slow, and southbound is totally closed," CBS News Miami traffic reporter Austin Carter said, urging drivers to plan around the bottleneck. Carter told CBS Miami that the best detour is to stay on Florida's Turnpike from the Dolphin (SR-836) southbound toward Kendall. Officials had not released details about what caused the crash as of early Tuesday.
About the Don Shula Expressway
The Don Shula Expressway (State Road 874) is a short toll connector that links Florida's Turnpike with the Kendall area and the Palmetto Expressway, carrying heavy commuter traffic through southwest Miami-Dade. Because SR-874 is a primary artery for drivers who want to skip local streets, even a brief shutdown can shove congestion onto U.S. 1, Kendall Drive and surrounding arterials. For background on the route and its connections, see the Wikipedia overview.
What Drivers Should Know
Drivers headed through Kendall should expect serious delays and consider alternate routes until crews clear the scene and investigators wrap up their work. Check FL511 or the Turnpike's local maps for real-time closure updates and detour options; the Turnpikes.com exits page can help drivers route around the shut section. If you were in the area around 1:30 a.m., authorities are asking you to steer clear of the scene so emergency responders can work safely and to avoid making the gridlock even worse.
Recent Safety Context
This is not the first fatal collision to close the Shula this year. Hoodline's Fatal Single-Vehicle Crash report in January underscored how quickly incidents on SR-874 can send shockwaves through South Dade traffic patterns. This story will be updated if authorities release more information about the crash or identify the victims.
