KEY BISCAYNE, Fla. – Driving onto the Rickenbacker Causeway toward Key Biscayne is usually problem-free outside of peak times.
But residents are growing more frustrated over travel times when attempting to leave the island.
5 p.m. report:
“Very frustrating because you’re supposed to leave in 12 minutes and it takes like 45 minutes, one hour sometimes,” said Key Biscayne resident Jorge Vega. “Once it took four hours.”
Even emergency vehicles have been caught up in the mess, like last April when the Florida Department of Transportation shut down a flyover bridge that connects the causeway to US-1 for repairs.
The traffic disruption was an all-out nightmare for longtime residents and visitors just trying to get to their destination.
The problem is complicated during high volume events nearby on Virginia Key and the Miami Marine Stadium.
“Especially when they have an event,” said Key Biscayne resident Allen Wong.
Added Vega: “They should do something about it. It’s only one way in and out.”
Now there’s a petition floating around with more than 2,000 signatures, urging village managers to keep residents first in mind for a possible solution, and they demanded change during a meeting on Tuesday night.
“This isn’t simple to solve,” said Key Biscayne Mayor Joe Rasco. “If it had been simple, we’d have solved it already.”
Michelle Estevez spoke about the backlog of cars at times along the Rickenbacker Causeway.
“We are hostages on weekends and during special events on Virginia Key and Crandon Park. It’s too much,” she said.
Estevez delivered the petition to village hall that details how the village and county leaders can curb the traffic issue.
“When they have special events, they should have a special lane for residents,” she said.
