Heavy Delays in Coconut Grove and PortMiami Volume High for Presidents' Day

Morning Commute Overview

Today is Monday, February 16, 2026, and while many government offices are closed for the Presidents' Day holiday, commuters should not expect a quiet morning on the roads. In fact, a combination of major local events and a heavy cruise ship schedule at PortMiami means that certain corridors will see significantly higher volume than a typical Monday morning. While regional transit is running on a standard schedule, local street closures in the south and downtown areas will require careful navigation.

Coconut Grove Arts Festival Closures

The biggest impact on local traffic today remains the 62nd Annual Coconut Grove Arts Festival. Several major thoroughfares in the heart of the Grove are completely closed to vehicular traffic to accommodate the final day of the event. Drivers should avoid the following areas if they are not attending the festival:

• McFarlane Road
• South Bayshore Drive (from 27th Avenue to Darwin Street)
• Pan American Drive

These roads are expected to remain closed until early Tuesday morning, February 17. Traffic is currently being diverted to US-1 and 27th Avenue, causing heavy congestion in the surrounding residential streets. Organizers are strongly encouraging the use of rideshare services or the Metrorail to avoid the gridlock and limited parking availability.

High Volume at PortMiami

Travelers heading toward Downtown Miami or the MacArthur Causeway should prepare for delays near PortMiami. Six major cruise ships are in port today, including the Wonder of the Seas and Carnival Sunrise, with over 20,000 passengers expected to transit through the port. This will lead to intermittent heavy traffic on Port Boulevard and the surrounding downtown entrance ramps throughout the morning and early afternoon.

Highway Construction and Interchange Alerts

The I-395/SR 836/I-95 Design-Build Project continues to affect overnight and early morning commuters. While many lane closures were scheduled to lift at 5:30 AM, residual delays remain on the southbound I-95 ramp to eastbound I-395. Additionally, lane closures on SR 836 (Dolphin Expressway) near NW 17th Avenue have transitioned into active work zones, so drivers should remain alert for merging traffic and construction vehicles.

Public Transport and Transit Schedules

In a departure from typical holiday operations, Miami-Dade Transit has confirmed that Metrorail, Metromover, and Metrobus routes are operating on a regular weekday schedule today. This is intended to support the high number of visitors moving through the county for the holiday weekend. However, the City of Miami Trolley is operating on a modified holiday schedule from 8:00 AM to 8:00 PM. Commuters using the trolley should check their specific route as the Overtown route may end earlier at 7:00 PM.