Yes, the Venetian Causeway reopens today after a nine-month rebuild of its westernmost bridge, and if the closed crossing to the mainland has mucked up you commute, that’s good news.
You might want to plan your first trip, though. The celebrations around the reopening may slow traffic.
There’s a ceremony (and ribbon cutting) at 11 a.m. The bridge is expected to be open to traffic around noon. (Originally, the county said festivities would start at 10 a.m., but hey, we have been waiting this long, right?)
Then, starting at 6 p.m., several South Florida running organizations have encouraged their members to participate in a “United Venetian Run” run. The idea is for groups to run from the Lulemon store on Lincoln Road on Miami Beach and from the Omni Metromover station near the Adrienne Arscht Center and meet for a group photo at the Venetian toll booth on Biscayne Island.
The Miami Beach group is to start running at 6 p.m.; the Miami group at 6:30 p.m. Organizers are from local run clubs and the Miami Marathon, which features the Venetian in its event, but had to route around it last month. They expect about 400 runners.
Cyclists are celebrating, too. More than 600 people have RSVPed for an event that starts at 5:30 p.m. at the Miami Bike Shop (18th and Biscayne), crossing the Venetian and ends around 7 p.m. for a happy hour. in downtown
So…..maybe Tuesday, we return to the causeway to head home at rush hour.