Get ready for a weekend of detours and delays, Miami! The Miami Marathon is coming, and it's bringing a wave of road closures and traffic changes that will transform the city's streets starting as early as Friday. While the race itself is on Sunday, the impact on your commute begins much sooner. But here's where it gets tricky: some of these changes might catch you off guard if you're not prepared.
The marathon’s route will cause significant disruptions, particularly along Biscayne Boulevard and its surrounding areas, throughout the weekend. And this is the part most people miss: the closures aren’t just limited to Sunday—they start as early as Friday morning and extend into the evening hours on Saturday. So, whether you’re a local resident or just visiting, it’s crucial to plan ahead.
Here’s a breakdown of what you need to know:
Friday at 10 a.m.: Biscayne Boulevard between Southeast Second Street and Northeast Second Street will shift to a counterflow pattern. Northbound lanes will be closed, while southbound traffic will remain open. If you’re entering Biscayne Boulevard at Chopin Plaza, you’ll be rerouted to the southbound lanes from Southeast First Street to Northeast Second Street, where things will return to normal. Controversially, this early closure might disrupt morning commutes more than expected—do you think the city could have handled this timing better?
Saturday at 9 p.m.: All northbound traffic entering Biscayne Boulevard at Chopin Plaza will be redirected westbound on Southeast Second Street. Southbound traffic will detour at Northeast First Street and continue south on Southeast Second Avenue. Biscayne Boulevard will be completely closed to vehicles between Southeast First Street and Northeast First Street. This late-night closure could impact weekend plans—how will you adjust your Saturday evening route?
Saturday at 10 p.m.: Biscayne Boulevard between Northeast Sixth Street and Northeast Ninth Street will close. Northbound traffic at Northeast Sixth Street will be rerouted westbound, while southbound traffic remains open. Port Boulevard will stay open eastbound on Northeast Fifth Street and westbound on Northeast Sixth Street.
Sunday at 2 a.m.: Biscayne Boulevard between Northeast Sixth Street and Northeast 13th Street will shut down. Southbound traffic at Northeast 13th Street will be redirected westbound, and all northbound traffic—including traffic from the Port of Miami—will be rerouted westbound on Northeast Sixth Street.
Sunday at 5 a.m.: Citywide road closures begin, expected to last until around 2 p.m. Most closures will reopen then, but the Biscayne Boulevard counterflow won’t return to normal until approximately 5 p.m. Is this extended closure period necessary, or could the city have minimized the impact on Sunday drivers?
Officials are urging everyone to seek alternate routes and allow extra travel time. Miami police officers and agency personnel will be stationed at closure points to assist, but it’s still wise to plan ahead. What’s your take on how the city is handling these closures? Do you think they’ve done enough to inform the public, or is there room for improvement? Let us know in the comments—we’d love to hear your thoughts!
