Miami's Signature Bridge Has The First Arch CONNECTED! | Year 3 Update

2022 update: • Miami's CRAZY $840 Mil...
2023 update: • What's New in Miami's ...
In this video, we check out the latest in the I-395/I-95/SR 836 project, which includes a Signature Bridge with six arches and a full reconstruction of I-395. This is the 2024 update comparing progress over the last year and as far back as 2022.
The project still has a budget of $840 million with estimated completion in 2027.

[@joesf351]

This bridge project is a breath of fresh air. Beautiful things don't get built often enough anymore. Appreciate your coverage of it.

[@edwincancelii2917]

Even though I don’t live in Miami, I love progress.

[@dannyaguado]

Since I don't frequent to that side of town, I had no idea the arches were being constructed. Looks really cool! Thanks for keeping us informed!

[@Islandpandemonium]

wait another year. Almost finished???

[@WrekonizeTheMusic]

Thanks for the update! I hope this isn't the same company that handled the FIU pedestrian bridge!

[@johnmayerislovee]

Just recently sold my Miami "horse-country" home from the area of SW 118 Avenue & Bird (south of hospital) for over three million which was bought 25 years ago for 400k. Retired and moved to a small town in northern Florida and living my remaining years like a king. THANKS CRAZY MIAMI real-estate market.

[@JustSayN2O]

Just wait until you get your capital gains tax bill. Sorry to burst your bubble. I'm about 5-7 years behind you, in a similar situation my friend. Sorry to burst both our bubbles.

[@johnmayerislovee]

@@JustSayN2O thank you for your reply and do you seriously believe on a real estate transaction nearing 3.5 million, I didn’t have all the legal assistance needed to minimize my tax obligations?

[@floridiantv]

Papi. 25 years ago house were selling for $100k that means you area is prime areas.

[@rayo1371]

@@johnmayerislovee excuse me just wondering but capital gains only on investment property; primary residence gets 500g exemption if couple and you add to it with improvement costs ... did your tax adviser perform miracles ? if so, would like name .. congratulations and enjoy

[@johnmayerislovee]

@@rayo1371 greetings - Professional tax advise should not be obtained from KZbin and I strongly suggest that you consult your own tax professional to respond to your inquiries.

[@raph485]

Miami is taking "one more lane bro" to another level.

[@commanderrussels2612]

yeah what's the end game here? they just dump the traffic into miami beach two lane roads lol?

[@tonyodoul5679]

@MrGriff305-j7s Nice cop-out, telling people to abandon their country instead of improving it (voting for politicans that agree with decent urbanism). Stupid. I think America should build more transit and less ugly concrete double decker highways instead, how about that. And I don't give a crap what Chyna is building.

[@Johnny.Fedora]

@MrGriff305-j7s, walkable? The roads are going to be choked with traffic quickly, which is what always happens in Miami-Dade (the L.A. syndrome). The streets of Miami Beach are already choked with traffic, and South to Mid-Beach in gridlock for a lot of the day. You can walk in MB, but then, a lot of pedestrians get hit by cars, and now we have lots of electric motorized vehicles on the sidewalk (and the police don't care -- at all).

[@Distress.]

​@@commanderrussels2612 the end game is this removes a choke point at the 395/i95 interchange which used to have only 1 lane for each direction coming from a 4 lane highway. It also makes room for a park underneath

[@accumapmodels]

Agree with some comments here... this is great for the short term but unless transportation habits change and more folks near downtown use ride-share or rail, in 25 yrs, we'll need yet another lane in every direction. I suspect several areas around this new bridge have been bought by developers and will continue to add high-rise bldgs, which will again increase traffic in this area.

[@MrMarcantaya]

Every great city has an Iconic bridge. This will be a Miami icon

[@xoxxobob61]

It would be more Iconic if this was over actual Water and not land.

[@danmcclaren5436]

@@xoxxobob61 exactly its so dumb. Rather spend that money form the arches to go underground on 395

[@thedirtybubble9613]

@@MrMarcantaya It's hideous.

[@MrMarcantaya]

@@thedirtybubble9613 you wish boring tampa had a bridge like that

[@thedirtybubble9613]

@@MrMarcantaya I'm not from Tampa but I certainly can't knock it. "Boring" because Tampa is growing at a faster rate than Miami is now and it's where most of your young professionals are choosing to live over steamy hell hole Miami.

[@number4of7]

Awesome video and commentary...you keep it simple, concise and very relatable. Well done!

[@ninehundreddollarluxuryyac5958]

Haven't been to Miami in a few years and amazed at this.

[@TammyStratoree]

Super great video!! Thanks for all these update vids. Your commentary is fantastic.

[@miamijohn6810]

Great updates. Would be cool to see the transformation of the Golden Glades interchange.

[@biglou9776]

But a Nightmare Monday thru Friday

[@JustSayN2O]

I didn't know that was slated for renovation. It's fine as-is. Anyway, here is my idea. Just make a large roundabout. Will save a lot of money.

[@smileybesmilin]

@@JustSayN2O you would trust Miami drivers with a giant roundabout? That’s a bold stance 😅

[@JustSayN2O]

@@smileybesmilin Yes. Can't drive off a bridge that way, like somebody just did in the middle of yesterday afternoon, from I-95 in the middle of downtown. Search the internet for the following: " Driver, passenger OK after SUV falls off I-95 overpass in Miami, lands on Flagler Street fence "

[@thedirtybubble9613]

What transformation? The Golden Glades is a massive interchange.

[@georgedoolittle9015]

Amazing content amazing how ambitious Miami is about being a World City no doubt and this is clearly a critical aspect in becoming just that😊

[@DroOnTheGO]

Great vid, nice aerial shots.

[@terrancesampson5141]

KEEP MAINTAINING BROTHA.I was born & raised in one of the miami metropolitan area cities,West Palm Beach.That arch is going to put an even more Global notification on the city of Miami.There is another area within the metro that's doing the same thing.West Palm has so many highrise's going up right along side some older highrise's building 's it's even making another Global notification by building a tall building that has a round Clock on on it facing east towards the intercostal.

[@tmazac11]

Miami is so dense actually. Metro rail and mover extensions are need. AAA backs up downtown and local roads. Such a waste of funds.

[@RedKnight-fn6jr]

Nice Freeways with a very interesting bridge!

[@scottyshipbuilder]

Love your drone footage 👍🏼

[@RickJ04040]

Miami residents: We need more rail transit! Miami: Gotcha, here's a bridge for cars!

[@nickeldiming8241]

Brightline has entered the chat

[@RickJ04040]

@@nickeldiming8241 for residents not wealthy snow birds and tourists

[@Johnny.Fedora]

@@nickeldiming8241, Miami-Dade needs something more localized.

[@joejoe6949]

We all be dead by the time that second level gets done

[@letsdoitforjohnny5066]

Thanks for sharing!

[@Ryanrock2]

For what reason on earth are they building this?

[@thedirtybubble9613]

Kickbacks from private developers.

[@snowman7992]

Great update video - good work here

[@rayo1371]

thanks great service to those of us wondering how this would be ..

[@denkobommel9823]

Thank you very much, I love such projects

[@user-rx8yt3tm2f]

thanks for making these videos☝

[@accumapmodels]

Really great video and narration... thank you!

[@danmcclaren5436]

Its going to be so dark underneath all those lanes, there is no way its going to be a "welcoming park". They should have recessed all those lanes and added the park above it. Literally every great city has buried their highways to avoid splitting the city. Look at Barcelona, Boston, Philly, etc

[@nickeldiming8241]

The park underneath will have artificial lighting, not to mention the arches themselves will be lit

[@scubanplz]

If you try to bury the highway in Miami, it would become a tunnel underwater. In that area where the bridge is being built, on days when there’s either a high tide or a rainstorm, it’s common to see 3 feet of flooding.

[@stonerrocky]

I guess the arches are primarily ornamental. Do they serve a function in any way other than looking so cool? They should be given a name like the "Golden Arches" or something. And even have a mascot name Ronald Miami! All kidding aside, it looks fantastic. Thank you for the update on all the changes to Dolphin expressway and it's connection to 395 if that's what it's all about.

[@nickeldiming8241]

The roadway will be suspended from the arches by stay cables, making room for a large park underneath.

[@stonerrocky]

@@nickeldiming8241 Incredible!

[@scubanplz]

The best parks are found under the highway overpass. Except for Central Park in New York City, and Boston Gardens, and Golden Gate Park, and Hyde Park…

[@Valfam]

Those arches do. Nothing to improve traffic. Terrible

[@deebee4575]

Who said they were for improving traffic, child mind? Nice sentence btw.

[@thedirtybubble9613]

But at least they make it look pretty!

[@VirginiaDominguez-ty8fr]

Waste of money.

[@JustSayN2O]

Miami resident here. I don't see a benefit of this huge infrastructure project. Will east-west traffic move faster? I doubt it. What Miami needs is an elevated expressway directly over US-1, an extension of I-95, down to Dadeland. Only needs one exit, at Sunset Plaza area. Knock down useless, blighted Sunset Plaza for it. US-1 traffic is a nightmare between the current I-95 terminus and Dadeland, and it's getting exponentially worse with every humongous apartment complex added along its path.

[@maxpowers3732]

Completely agree with you. US-1 traffic is terrible and the new buildings south of the Trader Joes and Range Rover place are way too close to the road

[@cvillain2677]

Agree 100%!! This is pointless and will cause more traffic as people will slow down to look at it. This money for this pointless thing could have been used elsewhere

[@onethousandtwonortheast8848]

I moved away from miami. I don’t miss it. Not one ounce of it.

[@thedirtybubble9613]

While I am 100% pro-transit and pro-train extension, converting the MDX expressway complex into a I-95/I-395 loop overtaking the Palmetto/Dolphin/Snapper creek expressway complex would be an ideal solution. Besides, MDX cannot get out of their own way. They have done nothing to improve the situation other than adding tolls.

[@thedirtybubble9613]

@@onethousandtwonortheast8848 Everyone says that about big cities nowadays who get tired of the hustle and bustle so they move to the country and say the same rhetoric "I won't miss it".

[@thedirtybubble9613]

We need Metrorail expansion, not frivolous projects like this. Do better City of Miami and State of Florida.

[@jamiegrasso4365]

I meant Dallas has a iconic bridge as well, it has to be done because millionaires that buy condos in that area like artsy bridges.

[@thedirtybubble9613]

@@jamiegrasso4365 You can't be serious. It's a total waste of money for nothing.

[@thedirtybubble9613]

@@jamiegrasso4365 It does absolutely nothing to improve the situation. I think at this stage in Miami's history they ought to start thinking of projects that will actually improve it because it is going to sink one day. Won't miss it either.

[@danlowe8684]

Nice work on the vid and commentary! Where is the casting yard for the arch sections? Do they barge them in? FYI, the finish they apply to the end product is called 'special surface finish' and is basically a mix of cement, pigment and bonding agent. It is tough as nails. Also, a cofferdam is used in a body of water. In this case it would simply be called 'sheet piling' or 'sheeting' for short. At 10:54, I assume that green truss is a crane being used to lift the concrete beams into place on the piers below?

[@JoelFrancoVlogs]

I was using the term FDOT uses in their monthly updates: “Arch 6 - sheet pile installation for foundation cofferdam” - strange but maybe because of the high water table? As for the arch sections, they are made not too far from the site (also 836 double deck bridge caps). I’ve got the coordinates here (25.7757523, -80.3177015) - roughly 7-8 miles west of the arches.

[@danlowe8684]

@@JoelFrancoVlogs Thank you!! And you are probably correct about the water table - I never thought of that! Again, great stuff!

[@JoelFrancoVlogs]

Sure thing. Thanks for watching!

[@lac2275]

If brightline built an entire train line from Miami to Orlando in around a year, it makes lots of sense they would need 1 year for one arch made of a couple cement blocks. Amazing job

[@philipmarsh3522]

So glad that they've solved the massive traffic issues in Tampa, Orlando and Jacksonville so that a couple $ billion could be freed up for an arts project in downtown Miami!

[@michaeldonnelly]

The more lanes you add more cars will be added to the system. Doesn’t solve crap!!!

[@thearchedpromise3271]

Exactly!!! Palmetto, I 95 , etc all were revamped for no reason. I wonder where else are they going add extra lanes now!!!

[@thedirtybubble9613]

Exactly. It's called spacial mathematics.

[@ShawnMKouri]

Yeah, right. They say it’s expected to be completed by late 2027, but I can already see it not being completed before 2030 and I think it’ll be completed sometime in the 2030s. I mean, let’s be honest they keep delaying the construction several times. First, one delay at first was over just a little sewer tank and sewer line removal and replacement/reconfiguration. But then the second and third delay. They are using events and weather. I mean, weather is one thing, but events is no excuse. But then all the other delays they announced were for no reason whatsoever. No reason whatsoever. So I can already see it being completed sometime in the 2030s.

[@Hobbies305]

This is a good update and as far as comparing this to the bridge in Los Angeles I would say that this project is much more ambitious and I wonder if they will keep the same speed limit across the highway. You seem to like the construction projects and I wonder if you majored in architecture or anything similar because of the way you made the narration while piloting the drone

[@laingman0727]

That interchange needs to have a name like golden glades does

[@gabrielbarianos3556]

Best 800 million ever spent. Said no person who drives this area. SMH

[@vincefineartsephemera]

What’s the function of the arches ? Will they support anything ???

[@BrandtAbsolu]

AeStHeTiCs

[@JustSayN2O]

Hide kokaine inside. It's Miami.

[@JustSayN2O]

@@BrandtAbsolu i aGrEe

[@nickwalters1149]

Call me crazy but this is going to strand a lot of people if Mother Nature 🌬️ says hello

[@Ludwing730]

Arches and shit and we still stuck in traffic

[@abztract1]

Once again Miami is giving its residents an overpriced thing they don't need.

[@xaosify]

Why you hating on some concrete

[@joesf351]

You're right. Everyone in South Florida should just get $50 instead. That's inspiring.

[@abztract1]

@@joesf351 Miami doesn't need this atrocious waste of money.

[@patrickwhelan5703]

What do the arches do?

[@thedirtybubble9613]

I fail to see how this will make Miami a more productive and overall "better" city. Waste of state funds.

[@smileybesmilin]

How is improving traffic to and from the beach not good for Miami?? We used city funds not state funds….

[@thedirtybubble9613]

@@smileybesmilin It's state funds look it up. FDOT just wasted our money over absolutely nothing to improve the situation.

[@graciasthanks4771]

@@smileybesmilin The arches per se are very expensive. They weren't required to expand capacity. The purpose is mainly looks. IOW, you could have either spent the same money and improve traffic more or spend much less money to achieve whatever traffic improvement is claimed to be happening.

[@smileybesmilin]

@@graciasthanks4771 aesthetics is a big part too. To have an iconic bridge just makes Miami all the more beautiful. More tourism, because the world sees a city that is growing with demand and cares about its appeal. I think it’s great despite your pessimism.

[@thedirtybubble9613]

@@graciasthanks4771 Regardless, our state FDOT just wasted billions of dollars over a useless "pretty" project meant to "clean up" that part of Miami. Some private developer got in bed with the FDOT. It's gentrification without any benefit to the people. Welcome to Florida.

[@VicenteP-p7n]

I hope they are 100% hurricane proof

[@erikjohnson9931]

What do these arches do? Do they support walkways? Are these just for looks?

[@xploration1437]

What is it for?

[@MM-fe9mz]

Not sure that i95 i395 ramp is being replaced, are they just adding a direct connection to the express lanes like they've been building elsewhere

[@Lirio.Branca]

What is the purpose of the arches?

[@nickeldiming8241]

The roadway will be suspended from the arches by stay cables, making room for a large park underneath.

[@ClemtonianGrizball]

Great video. Luv this project even tho it’s a bit of a copycat of the new LA river bridge buts that’s ok. Good stuff man.

[@retheisen]

It's a bridge over another bridge. Like that movie ... Intersection.

[@deletedaccountdnd]

3 years?!

[@laingman0727]

I think at this point you should start doing 6 months updates

[@mohammedcohen]

...will these arches have any structural use (i.e. - supporting a bridge) or are they merely ornamental....for show only??? I haven't driven in downtown Miami in close to 30 plus years...nothing looks familiar anymore...

[@carlosalenduran4630]

I'm sorry to say that those arches are going to fall mark my words

[@jessed3029]

What a complete waste of space and resources. Usually for projects like this but pointless

[@tonyodoul5679]

@MrGriff305-j7s screw china. Go live there if its so great. We all know you won't though.

[@SuperMnunez]

Says the man from Mississippi

[@EdwardM-t8p]

​@MrGriff305-j7s The fact that it's just car infrastructure and they've condemned a 500 foot wide swath of land to build it? Other countries build lots of fantastic awe inspiring infrastructure for public transportation, airports and railways, not just highways.

[@jessed3029]

@MrGriff305-j7s it’s literally a bridge over nothing (land).

[@jessed3029]

@@SuperMnunez false

[@thephotoroad]

To be truly a great city, you need great public transportation.

[@Waltaere]

Joeel 😃

[@gabem6362]

I think the money could have been used more wisely., A since it's going up looks pretty cool

[@drinny26]

Florida has such a huge budget surplus. Instead of wasting the money, the state should give rebates or property tax cuts back to the people who live there.

[@russellarmer-ml1ir]

but how will these structures hold up in a cat 4 hurricane

[@onethousandtwonortheast8848]

I have been watching miami highways be under construction for 47 years. It never ends. It’s almost a joke.

[@martinbusler7416]

Are the just decorative?

[@7728abbott]

Great!

[@TheViper6575]

Take a shot every time Joel says arch

[@JoelFrancoVlogs]

😂 alcohol poisoning

[@JohnHuitema]

lol we are all on the floor 🫠🫠🫠

[@Johnny.Fedora]

McDonald's appreciates the nod.

[@markrichards6863]

Who sold the city on that hot mess? I'm guessing there was no design competition.

[@ViceCityNightcrawler]

It’s been too damn long, they need to finish already

[@joelrebollar7055]

Why didn't they invest the money in expanding metrorail?

[@richwiskey]

So miami dade will spend the bucks to put up a monstrosity mega waste of space art but let I95 deteriorate after shortening it to put in express lanes so they can take.more money. Horrible

[@AAbreu004]

How about they build a monorail from homestead up the coast to downtown

[@MM-fe9mz]

Kinda scary that they built that one arch hanging over the road before the other side its suppose to meet up with has even been started. Do the arches actually support the bridge or are they purely decorative

[@Basic-Grunge]

A waste of 890 million dollars . Oh wells

[@markeast9221]

What is all this for ? So not needed ! All this money could go to helping people ! Or so many other things ! I hate it , its Waste !

[@harperwelch5147]

Art is not required to be functional or profitable although it does often accrue value over time. The giant St. Louis arch is a landmark that defines the city and represents St. Louis as a gateway to the West. Building projects that add function and good, dramatic design are worth building. It’s what makes European cities so much more enjoyable than American cities.

[@tedharrison4109]

I think those arches are a huge waste of money.

[@nickeldiming8241]

It's either arches or pier columns every hundred feet. Both options will be expensive, at least here you get aesthetics and space for a large park. SW10th St project coming soon to Broward will be $1.5B... whatever you build today will be ridiculously expensive

[@EdwardM-t8p]

Is the state highway department converting the whole of Rt. A1A MacArthur Causeway to the Beach to I-395 too? Because this quadruple roadway highway looks tailor made for it! 🤔

[@Johnny.Fedora]

It would take an enormous amount of money to modify/rebuild the McArthur causeway to interstate highway standards. The Palm/Hibiscus and Star Island folks, much less, the Fisher Island folks, would NEVER tolerate a big interchange nearby.

[@EdwardM-t8p]

@@Johnny.Fedora Except there's a new freeway tunnel that splits from the causeway to the Port Miami on Dodge Island and a huge interchange is not needed to access Star Island and Fisher Island - just a two-lane, two-way access road from the splits or Parrot Jungle to the ferry slip for Fisher Island or Alton Road.

[@Johnny.Fedora]

​@@EdwardM-t8pI trust you understand the technical requirements that an interstate highway has to meet. And now you're suggesting cutting those islands off from the causeway/interstate and build another causeway for back-door access to those islands? Where Fisher Island (a separate island connected by ferry) residents alone have the political to stop a rapid transit line on the McArthur? There is no money available for such a thing. To the extent that money is available, it ought to go toward a rapid transit link between Miami and Miami Beach.

[@ericgrant4498]

6 not 12

[@nestorjs]

And in the meanwhile, no bridge can be constructed to connect FIU (crossing over 8st SW) to the buildings where the student apartments are... 🤔

[@martylynchian8628]

Hurry up and finish

[@aguyinmia]

2027??🫣😭

[@Johnny.Fedora]

If everything goes perfectly between now and then.

[@Buzzmonkey24]

Dang the only arches I know are McDonald's. Until now...........

[@thedirtybubble9613]

Also, get rid of the MDX tollway and convert the expressway complex (Palmetto Expressway/Dolphin Expressway) into a I-395 loop connecting to I-95/Golden Glades so that the expressway is a loop around the city and let the USDOT manage it. Get rid of the tolls. MDX is a corrupt enterprise anyhow.

[@leeriffee4606]

Seems like a lot of time, effort and money for something that is mostly for looks. A plain old concrete bridge/overpass would have done the same job.

[@SailingBiscayneBay]

Technically is not even a real bridge. Just a bunch of arches.. what a way to waste tax payers money... The overpass "bridge" was already there. Adding one lane. SMH

[@draedenramsay5467]

Will the double decker highway support two way traffic or will it only be one way

[@JoelFrancoVlogs]

Two way traffic

[@VirginiaDominguez-ty8fr]

Dont get the point or reason for these arches. We have roads that are in need of repairs from deep pot holes, and I dont see that happening with this waste of money.

[@andrelukin6364]

Crazy! Waste of money. Car dependency in Miami is another level

[@joejoe6949]

Such a waste of money for nothing

[@Islandpandemonium]

WHAT A GIANT WASTE OF TIME AND $$$$..

[@carlosalenduran4630]

I don't like the modern Miami I like the 90s Miami

[@jackurbani5851]

This unnecessary $BILLION bridge would have paid for a transit line to the beach. Getting cars across the causeway was not the problem. The problem is at 5th Street and Alton Road. THERE'S NO MORE ROOM FOR MORE CARS ON THE BEACH! More "Lexus Lanes" will not help.

[@lindahuffman6329]

Such a waste of money. Unbelievable.

[@customledandfiberopticsinc2756]

Here's another way to piss away money. if you stand on the sea wall behind where the old Miami Herald building is you can easily drop hundred dollar bills into the bay. I'll bet you could drop 50 to 100 thousand dollars a day

[@mixchifius]

That is where the money to build a real metro web is going. How many years have we been oaying sales tax for the metro? This is exactly what happens in third world countries, the Money goes to project presented by contractors that give back. Oh no not to the community.

[@aaronlugo8783]

All that money for some stupid arches. Could of used that money for traffic distribution

[@JaeJ-zb5rc]

Can't praise a project that is now years behind schedule and $40 million overbudget. Along with that, the Underdeck (park beneath the bridge) isn't funded. This City is a joke sometimes.

[@imtired1696]

Year 3. LMFAO

[@denialphasebitcoin5639]

Tax dollars for jobs, Also condo repair jobs on the beach.

[@hunterbutler5081]

what a effing mess