A fatal accident on the Julia Tuttle Causeway early this morning caused traffic delays throughout Miami-Dade and even Broward County.
According to officials, around 4:30am a motorcycle collided with a scooter and then shortly after hit a second person who was reportedly fishing on the bridge.
Both the motorcyclist and the scooter driver were reported dead at the scene. A third person present on the bridge was taken to the Ryder Trauma Center at Jackson Memorial Hospital, where he was later pronounced dead.
The accident caused backups during morning rush hour traffic on multiple highways. The alternate route, eastbound State Road 836 was backed up for miles and Interstate 95 was delayed as far north as Broward County.
I saw Carmageddon today.#Miami traffic is at nightmare levels today. Cars still crawling downtown slower than I am biking there... pic.twitter.com/IGSG4u736h
— Grant Stern (@grantstern) May 23, 2017
If today's #miamitraffic isn't reason enough to start prioritize transit funding and bike infrastructure I don't know if we'll ever learn.
— Adam Old (@adamold) May 23, 2017
Miami traffic is just comical at this point. 11 accidents (on maps) btwn downtown & north Miami. Took me 25 min to drive a mile up Biscayne pic.twitter.com/sg9z0LzgtH
— dylan (@dylreich) May 23, 2017
Florida Highway Patrol spokesman Lt. Yosdany Veloz says that it took longer than usual to clear the scene because, when a death is involved, it goes from being an accident to a crime scene.
"Obviously, in an investigation, it's about evidence, and details and causes of the crash. So, a lot of measurements and pictures are taken. So, it's a more lengthy investigation. It's a more lengthy process."
Authorities swept the area, including the water, to determine no one else was involved or injured.
The Julia Tuttle Causeway reopened after 11 a.m.
FHP has not released the names of the victims at this time.
