MIAMI – Fifteen-year-old Paul Perez said he and his family had a beautiful beach day at Crandon Park.
Paul said they didn’t know the Florida Department of Transportation was closing a flyover bridge on Sunday.
Rickenbacker Causeway drivers could not get to ramps to U.S. 1 southbound or Interstate 95 northbound.
“One guy just honks on his horn and it starts a whole chain, everyone honking on their horn, they are protesting,” Paul said on Monday.
Crandon Boulevard turned into a parking lot. A video shows a group of people decided to get out of the car and dance.
“It got so crazy that people were losing their minds that someone pulled out a domino table,” Paul said.
Babies were crying. People were complaining that they didn’t have access to water. Christina Hammoud said what made the situation more frustrating was not knowing what was happening.
“There was very limited cell service,” Hammoud said. “We had this fear of the unknown.”
Some drivers worried that they were going to have to sleep on the road unable to leave the Key.
“I was ready to make my car my shelter,” Hammoud said.
Some found refuge at the Winn-Dixie supermarket in the village.
“In the grocery store, people were arguing over deli items and baby formula,” Hammoud said.
There was a tournament at the Crandon Golf at Key Biscayne. Hammoud was working there for a friend. She said it took her about 9 hours and 30 minutes to get home to Midtown.
Winn-Dixie reported experiencing “an unexpected demand” on Sunday, but workers restocked early Monday morning.
The FDOT partially re-opened the flyover bridge Monday. Drivers were able to get to I-95, but not to U.S.-1. The FDOT announced that access to U.S.-1 will be available again on Wednesday.
The department released the following statement Monday: “The Department has heard and understands the community’s concerns and, based on the feedback we’ve received, has taken prompt action as follows:
- Today, the Department has re-opened northbound lanes of the Causeway flyover today.
- By Wednesday morning, the southbound lanes will fully reopen to allow time for the installation of guardrails today and tomorrow. While this installation occurs, surface streets should be utilized.”