For years, the midday rush sent hungry customers through the doors of Sagrado Café, located at 900 Biscayne Blvd., just north of the MacArthur Causeway, the main road to South Beach.
Today, many customers drive by, slow down, circle the block and keep going.
They can’t find a place to park and are intimidated by the multi-million dollar construction nearby that has transformed the area into an almost permanent traffic snarl.
Egui Vienna, who is manager at Sagrado Café, said visitors who once popped in for a quick meal now hesitate when they see traffic caused by the nearby I-395 construction and the limited places to park.
(Yaelis Pena)
Customers enter Sagrado Cafe near the I-395 construction zone.
“For customers stopping by, it’s become less predictable,” said Vienna. “Most of the time, it ends up that they make a decision that they don’t have enough time to stay.”
The $866 million I-395 Signature Bridge is perhaps the region’s most contentious transportation issue. State officials say the planned double-deck bridge will improve traffic flow and safety, but critics argue the massive highway expansion has only increased traffic, noise, and parking and is also over budget and behind schedule.
“I’m pissed,” said Jorge Ramirez, who moved into 900 Biscayne Bay condominiums in September 2025, attracted by the magnificent views of Bayfront Park and the downtown skyline. “Construction begins between 5 and 7 a.m. You wake up and the construction is already going on.”
From his balcony, Ramirez can see cranes and equipment stretching along the I-395 corridor.
“The view of Bayfront Park is amazing,” Ramirez said. “But when you look out toward Edgewater now you just see the construction.”
(Yaelis Pena)
Downtown Miami's I-395 Signature Bridge is still under construction.
The I-395 "Signature Bridge" project is part of a wider redesign of the intersection between I-395, State Road 836, and Interstate 95, one of Miami's busiest highways. Construction began in 2018 and is anticipated to continue through 2029.
But for many locals, the frustrations go beyond noise and traffic.
The Signature Bridge project has been the subject of several lawsuits, with claims of design flaws and defective materials which have contributed to delays and escalating costs.
The joint venture in charge of the project claims that these issues have resulted in over $400 million in additional costs and have delayed the project years beyond its original completion date. These lawsuits also claim that there were early miscalculations in the design of the project, such as wind resistance.
Those issues translate into daily frustrations for commuters.
“It’s annoying driving around here, especially during the weekdays,” said Joseph Linares, an Uber driver from Brownsville. He adds how he often rolls his eyes when he gets a ride request near the construction zone because he knows traffic will be difficult.
While the project promises transit improvements, businesses and residents along Biscayne Boulevard say the construction phase is already affecting their everyday structures.
Cynthia Turcios is a communications specialist with the Florida Department of Transportation. She described the project as “one of the most complex engineering projects in the country” and said it will enhance connectivity and serve the region for decades.
Transit advocates say the investment reflects a continued focus on highway expansion instead of public transportation.
“These are our tax-dollars being actively funneled towards highway expansion and maintenance instead of mass transit expansion,” said Cathy Dos Santos, executive director of Transit Alliance Miami. “Transit moves more people than cars.”
For businesses along Biscayne Boulevard, the effects are already being felt.
Tan, manager of The Nail Venue, located at 900 Biscayne Blvd., said clients often mention the difficulty of finding parking in the area before arriving for their appointments.
Some clients call ahead asking about parking availability before choosing whether to make their appointment.
The impact extends beyond small businesses.
At The Grayson Hotel Miami, front office manager Daliana Tabares said guests frequently notice the construction and increased congestion surrounding the hotel.
“Traffic in the surrounding area has increased significantly, which does impact arrival times to the hotel,” Tabares said.
The loud and disturbing construction noise during morning hours when families are still asleep is a huge concern.
“Construction noise can be noticeable during daytime hours, particularly in the mornings when some guests are still resting,” she said.
Certain times hotel staff move guests to rooms farther away from the noise. “We have accommodated room moves to relocate guests farther from the construction side of the building,” Tabares said.
Tabares said not every single guest is equally affected, but the construction has created noticeable challenges that staff often realize.
Back at Sagrado Café, Vienna said the loss of convenient parking has become one of the biggest challenges for the business.
“One of our biggest problems is parking,” Vienna said, explaining that many customers stop by during short breaks from work. “It’s not like they have a lot of time.”
If drivers cannot find a place to park quickly, he said, they often decide to skip stopping altogether.
For now, homeowners and business owners along Biscayne Boulevard say they are learning to deal with the daily disturbances while the bridge steadily rises over downtown Miami.
Like many of his neighbors, Ramirez worries how long construction will continue and whether delays will prolong further.
“You just wonder if it’s going to keep getting pushed back,” he said.
He also questioned whether the project will completely deliver on prior expectations, particularly plans for the park beneath the bridge.
“If the park underneath isn’t happening anymore, it makes you wonder what the point of the whole project was.”