What was once envisioned as a $802 million infrastructure marvel for South Florida has become a symbol of delays, legal disputes, and rising costs. The Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) in 2017 aimed to complete a smoothly flowing interchange where I-95, I-395, and SR-836 meet, including a 1,000-foot-long “signature” bridge over Biscayne Boulevard, by 2021.
Now, nearly a decade later, the project’s centerpiece, dubbed “The Fountain” by its builders, is far from finished, with a completion date projected for 2029. The Archer Western-De Moya Joint Venture (JV), chosen by FDOT to lead construction, claims design errors and defective concrete have cost it more than $400 million, according to lawsuits reviewed by NBC6 Investigates.
Drivers navigating the congested interchange say they’ve been left in the dark about why traffic snarls persist. “It’s horrible,” Jasmine Whitfield told NBC6. “So what I had to do was get off of the highway to get back on to avoid at least 100 cars at this point.” Another driver added, “It’s a mess.”…