I-395 Signature Bridge taking shape

The soaring concrete arches extending high above a new I-395 expressway are already adding to the City of Miami’s ever-changing skyline.

The vast highway improvement project downtown is moving steadily forward, reports the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT), as the new I-395 Signature Bridge takes final form.

The I-395/SR 836/I-95 Design-Build Project is the massive undertaking of a partnership between FDOT and the Miami-Dade Expressway Authority and its contractor, the Archer Western – de Moya Group Joint Venture. Completion now is due late in 2027.

In an email to Miami Today, Oscar Gonzalez, senior community outreach specialist for the years-long project, said FDOT and its contractor continue to make progress on major enhancements to the three major corridors.

The $818 million project includes the Signature Bridge over Northeast Second Avenue and Biscayne Boulevard, an upper deck of traffic built over State Road 836 and the Miami River, and the addition of one lane to the northbound entrance to I-95.

The goal is to add capacity, enhance the flow of traffic and safety, and improve access along I-395, SR 836 and I-95.

Mr. Gonzalez wrote, “Concrete pavement replacement on I-95 within the project limits from Northwest Eighth Street to Northwest 29th Street has been substantially completed. The section from Northwest 17th Street to Northwest 29th Street has been completed and is currently undergoing inspections for the handover to FDOT.”

Concrete pavement work continues on the southern section from Northwest 17th to Northwest Eighth streets.

Mr. Gonzalez also reports construction on the new State Road (SR) 836 double-decked roadway continues from Northwest 17th Avenue to I-95.

He wrote, “The second level roadway will provide drivers with a direct connection to the MacArthur Causeway that is free of local entry and exit traffic.

“The existing SR 836 roadway (lower level) and bridges will serve as a collector-distributor system that allows drivers to enter and exit from the current local roads and I-95.

“This collector-distributor system will reduce the existing weaving movements resulting in enhanced safety and better traffic operations on SR 836,” said Mr. Gonzalez.

His latest email offers more details on the status of the work:

The contractor completed the new eastbound SR 836 connection to the new I-395 bridges and opened up new areas for construction.

The contractor has completed the auger cast pile installation between Northwest 12th Avenue and I-95.

Foundation construction is ongoing and will be followed by pier construction.

Pier and foundation construction is mostly completed from Northwest 12th Avenue to 17th avenues.

“Crews have also completed the installation of drilled shafts for foundations and the pier on the west bank of the Miami River and are currently working on the pier in the east bank,” wrote Mr. Gonzalez.

Construction of foundations and piers at the core of the SR 836/I-95/I-395 Interchange is also ongoing.

Total reconstruction of the I-395 corridor continues with ongoing construction of the signature bridge that will span over 1,000 feet from just west of Northeast Second Avenue to east of Biscayne Boulevard.

The new eastbound and westbound bridges that will carry traffic to local roadways and connect with SR 836 and I-95 were opened to traffic late last year, allowing the contractor to demolish existing bridges on I-395 to begin the construction of the center section.

Mr. Gonzalez said, “Signature bridge work continues with the construction of the six signature bridge arches. A total of 62 arch segments have been erected to date at two of the arches. All 48 of the precast arch segments for one of the arches have been erected and the remaining gap will be completed with a cast in place pour.”

Foundation for four of the six arches has been completed and crews are preparing to start on the last two arch foundations. It will take 345 precast arch segments to construct the six arches.

The massive center pier structure between Northeast Second Avenue and Biscayne Boulevard just north of I-395 continues to take shape with completion of multiple concrete pours.

Crews are now placing reinforcing steel and forms for additional concrete pours that will serve as connection points for all six arches.