First of Signature Bridge arches is finished

It’s official.

The first of six towering arches that will become a Signature Bridge hugging a rebuilt I-395 in downtown Miami is complete.

The I-395/SR 836/I-95 Design-Build Project is the massive undertaking of a partnership between the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) and the Greater Miami Expressway Agency and its contractor, the Archer Western – de Moya Group Joint Venture.

In a Tuesday email to Miami Today, Oscar Gonzalez, senior community outreach specialist for the project, wrote: “On the east end of I-395, where the signature bridge is being constructed, a major milestone was achieved in mid-June with the completion of the first arch that soars over Northeast Second Avenue just south of Northeast 13th Street.”

He said the arch was constructed using 48 precast segments, weighing approximately 90 tons each, and both sides of the arch were connected over Northeast Second Avenue with a cast-in-place concrete pour.

Mr. Gonzalez said work continues on the other five arches, including installation of arch segments on three of the arches and foundation work on the remaining two.

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 reports that work continues day and night on all three corridors within the project limits.

“Demolition of the old I-395 is ongoing, and approximately 90% of the structures have been removed from North Miami Avenue to the west of Northwest Third Avenue,” he said.

Daytime closures of Northwest 14th Street from Northwest First Place and Northwest Third Avenue are being implemented to remove the old steel girders over the roadway safely.

“Removing the structures allows the contractor to continue constructing the new mainline I-395, which will increase capacity and enhance safety,” wrote Mr. Gonzalez.

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

On July 31, a new traffic pattern began on the westbound MacArthur Causeway just west of Watson Island and on the ramp to SR 5/US 1/Biscayne Boulevard (Exit 2).

The merge on the right lane, just west of Watson Island, is being removed and the exit to SR 5/US 1/Biscayne Boulevard is being moved approximately one-quarter of a mile further to the east toward Watson Island.

The exit-only lane on the right is being separated with a temporary concrete barrier wall from the three lanes to the left that will continue west.
Signs, electronic message boards, and markings on the pavement will indicate that the right lane is for exiting traffic only and the three left lanes are for those drivers wanting to continue west.

The three lanes continuing west will merge to two lanes east of Biscayne Boulevard and continue west to I-395.

Concrete replacement on I-95 from Northwest 17th Street to Northwest 29th Street has been completed and crews are working on sections between Northwest Eighth Street and Northwest 17th Street. Work is also ongoing on the new westbound I-395 ramp to southbound I-95.

Mr. Gonzalez said, “Work on the new SR 836 double-decked roadway continues with the ongoing construction of foundations, columns, and bridge support structures. Progress has been made on the bridge support structure being constructed over the eastbound SR 836 lanes west of I-95.

“The concrete pour for the support structure was recently completed and once the concrete completely cures the formwork will be removed,” he wrote.
Nighttime full closures of eastbound SR 836 at Northwest 17th Avenue will continue as needed to continue the work and remove the formwork.

The massive 488-foot gantry currently located over NW 17th Avenue has completed the installation of bridge beams over Northwest 17th Avenue and caps east of the avenue.

The gantry is being prepared to be moved to the east to continue erecting beams and caps over the next span between columns.

Project completion is targeted for late 2027.

Details: www.I-395miami.com