If you take I-395 west out of Downtown Miami toward I-95 south, your exit is moving.

Crews planned to switch traffic to a new westbound I-395 ramp to southbound I-95 overnight, with the ramp opening Thursday morning, according to the Florida Department of Transportation's project alert. The state set Wednesday, Nov. 11, as the backup date if weather delayed the work.

How the new lanes work

The new layout gives drivers four clear choices with no merge:

  • Left lane: the new ramp to southbound I-95.
  • Two center lanes: straight on to westbound SR 836, the Dolphin Expressway.
  • Right lane: northbound I-95.

The ramp starts about 500 feet earlier than the old one, so get in the left lane sooner than you are used to. The Miami Herald and Miami Today both called the switch a milestone for the project.

Closures to plan around

The weekly project update lists more work nearby, weather permitting:

  • Downtown Miami ramp to westbound I-395 at NE 1st Avenue: closed nightly, 10 p.m. to 6 a.m., through Friday, Nov. 6, and again Tuesday, Nov. 10.
  • NE 2nd Avenue: fully closed from NE 13th Street to I-395, 10 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 11, to 6 a.m.
  • NW 3rd Avenue: closed between NW 14th and 15th streets, Monday to Saturday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., through Nov. 20.
  • Biscayne Boulevard west sidewalk, NE 11th Terrace to NE 13th Street: closed 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. through Nov. 9.

The bigger project

The ramp is one piece of the $866 million I-395, SR 836 and I-95 rebuild by FDOT and the Greater Miami Expressway Agency, with the Archer Western and de Moya Group team as builder, according to the FDOT project page. The work includes the six-arch Signature Bridge over Biscayne Boulevard and a double-decked SR 836. The state expects it to be finished in late 2029.

For more, see our look at Miami's big projects to follow, including the Signature Bridge, and our guide to the I-395 underdeck and Overtown greenway. If you would rather skip the car, here is how to use the Metromover downtown.

Buying or selling in Downtown Miami? The Miami Lookout is founded by Joe Biscaha, a Miami real estate advisor with Compass.

Concrete arch segments of the I-395 Signature Bridge rising above Downtown Miami
Another view of the Signature Bridge work, part of the $866 million project. Source