The Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) is closer than ever to final plans to improve I-395 and build a new signature bridge spanning Biscayne Boulevard in downtown Miami.
If the current timetable unfolds without unexpected detours, work on the massive project should begin within 12 months, according to FDOT.
The project, which includes improvements to I-95 and S.R. 836, has an estimated cost of $800 million and will be accomplished through a team effort.
The bulk of the project is to rebuild 1.4 miles of I-395 from the I-95/Midtown interchange to the west channel bridge of the MacArthur Causeway in Miami.
The freeway to be rebuilt is part of S.R. 836, known as the Dolphin Expressway. The portion between I-95 and the causeway is designated as I-395 and takes traffic to and from Watson Island and Miami Beach.
The total project consists of four components: the I-395 reconstruction; improvements to Miami-Dade Expressway Authority’s S.R. 836; I-95 pavement reconstruction; and the westbound connector.
The project includes building a signature bridge over Biscayne Boulevard and enhancing streetscape design under the bridge.
All of the work is to be completed in five years, according to the state.
