I-395 Signature Bridge (as part of the I-395 / SR 836 / I-95 Design-Build Project, aka “Connecting Miami”)

Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT), District 7 (in coordination with local governments)

• ITS maintenance
• 12 miles of fiber optic backbone
• 51 ITS Poles
• 74 ITS Cabinets
• 62 Microwave Vehicle Detectors
• 46 CCTV Cameras
• 98 Field Ethernet Switches
• 4 Layer 3 Ethernet Hub Switches
• 58 Uninterrupted Power Supplies
• 29 Dynamic Message Signs
• 10,678 Color Changing Aesthetic Lights
• 450 Light Poles

Accent and Flood Lighting to Highlight Form

• Lighting is intended to “celebrate the beautiful structure through carefully choreographed accent and floodlighting that reveals its form.”
• The lighting scheme will accentuate the arches and structural elements so that the bridge reads as a sculptural object at night, not just a functional roadway.

LED Lighting Up the Arches and Cabling

• LED fixtures will be deployed along the arches and down the stay cables to enhance the “fountain-like” aesthetic. Lighting will trace or emphasize those vertical and diagonal lines.
• There is to be multiple “levels of interpretation” in how the lighting is layered (i.e. different intensities, colors, or emphasis) across the arches and cables.

Controllable / Dynamic Lighting System

• The design includes controllability — the ability to dim, vary intensity, or change color across different parts of the structure and at different times of night.
• This allows flexibility to respond to context (ambient lighting in downtown Miami, adjacent buildings) so that the bridge is visually striking but not overly bright or intrusive.

Underdeck / Ground-Level Illumination

• Because the design reduces the number of columns (from ~800 to ~94) to open up under-bridge space, the ground-level area is intended to have generous illumination of the Underdeck / Heritage Trail areas, to make them safe, welcoming, and usable after dark.
• The Underdeck is part of the public realm: lighting there is critical for pedestrian, bicycle, and event uses, reinforcing the space as an inviting urban amenity.

• Congestion Relief & Capacity: Adds capacity to I-395 (three through lanes each direction), reduces weaving and ramp conflicts, and streamlines flows among I-95, SR 836, and I-395.
• Safety Improvements: Better geometries, elimination of left-hand ramps, separation of local vs through traffic reduce crash potential.
• Neighborhood Reconnection & Urban Renewal: Adds public open space (Heritage Trail / Underdeck), reconnects street grid under highway, restores access to Overtown and adjacent communities previously severed.
• Iconic Landmark / City Identity: The bridge’s artistic form (arches, lighting) aims to contribute to Miami’s skyline and civic branding.
• Improved Evacuation Route: The design supports enhanced route capacity from Miami Beach in emergencies.