Drivers call Ives Dairy Road, I-95 interchange ‘chaos' as crashes, congestion raise concerns

Drivers who regularly travel through the Ives Dairy Road and I-95 interchange in northeast Miami-Dade County say congestion and crashes have made navigating the area increasingly difficult.

“Well, it's murderous sometimes. Sometimes of the day. And it's very scary,” said Loretha Coachman-Ambrose, who has lived in the area for three and a half years.

Jonathan, an eight-year resident, described the traffic more simply: “It's chaos.”

Rosa, who was born and raised in South Florida, said she has watched traffic worsen over the years.

“Over the years, they have just completely progressed, like the traffic has been horrible,” she said. “What would normally take us back in the day like ten minutes to get from here to North Miami now takes us about like 30 minutes to 40 minutes.”

Number of crashes reported

Residents’ concerns extend beyond congestion.

Information from the Florida Highway Patrol shows 70 crashes were reported at the Ives Dairy Road and I-95 interchange from August 2025 to August 2026. Of those crashes, 59 were classified as non-injury crashes, nine involved possible injuries and two involved injuries.

“Every time we come through, it's an accident, an accident,” Coachman-Ambrose said. “Often the car's flipped over, so it backs traffic all the way up.”

NBC6 has previously reported on serious crashes in the area, including a crash that shut down I-95 southbound at Ives Dairy Road.

The area experiencing the most crashes near Ives Dairy Road and I-95 isn't on the highway itself, according to the data, but on the entrance and exit ramps. The southbound exit ramp, where drivers traveling south on I-95 get off at Exit 16, stands out.

An FDOT study found that a lack of capacity on Ives Dairy Road, along with spillback from other interchanges north and south of Exit 16, impacts traffic operations in the area.

Residents point to construction

Several residents also pointed to construction in and around the area when describing the traffic problems they encounter.

“The construction being completed,” Jonathan said when asked about the congestion.

Coachman-Ambrose similarly pointed to construction farther south.

“The construction farther down. Once you pass like the 183 exit, it's causing all the congestion and the backup,” she said.

“With all of the remodulations that they have been doing, the traffic have been in peak hours like crazy,” said Moises Morgenstern, a 15-year resident.

One major project underway nearby is the Golden Glades Interchange project, located two exits south of Ives Dairy Road. According to FDOT, construction began in March 2024 and is estimated to be completed in 2031. Learn more about the Golden Glades Interchange project.

Potential solution still years away

There are currently no construction projects listed by FDOT or Miami-Dade County's Department of Transportation and Public Works specifically aimed at mitigating traffic at the Ives Dairy Road and I-95 interchange.

However, plans for a much larger overhaul are moving forward.

An FDOT study that began in 2021 examined potential improvements along I-95 and proposed changes to the Ives Dairy Road interchange and express lanes. The latest version of the project includes two potential alternatives designed to address traffic and congestion.

View FDOT's presentation on the proposed alternatives.

But any changes are still years away.

The project is currently in the final design phase, which is expected to be completed by 2030. If the project continues moving forward, construction is expected to take five years.

See FDOT's project page

According to FDOT's website, funding has already been allocated for future phases of the project.

For drivers dealing with the interchange today, however, the congestion remains an everyday concern.

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