West Venetian Causeway Bridge

The 1927 drawbridge at the Miami end of the Venetian Causeway, a low, slow crossing over Biscayne Bay toward the islands.

Checked October 2026

Good for a free walk or ride over the bay with the downtown skyline at your back. The trade-off: the lanes are narrow, the structure is old, and a long rebuild is coming.

The crossing

This is the first of 12 bridges on the Venetian Causeway, the 1927 link between Miami and Miami Beach that hops across a string of islands in Biscayne Bay. Two of those bridges are bascule drawbridges that lift, and this one sits at the Miami end. It's open 24 hours, it costs nothing to walk onto, and it holds a 4.7 from about 540 Google reviews, which is a lot of love for a bridge. Both cities list the causeway's bridges as historic landmarks. The draw is the low angle: you're close to the water, not soaring over it.

Bikes, feet and tight lanes

Plenty of people use the causeway as a walking and cycling route rather than a fast way across. Even the county admits the current bridges are too narrow to comfortably fit cars, pedestrians and cyclists together, so keep that in mind. Ride single file, walk on the edge, and don't expect a wide promenade. Since it's a drawbridge, it may lift for boats, so build a little slack into your timing if you're heading to an appointment on the other side. Early or late in the day is the easier time to stop and look at the bay.

What's changing

The bridges were built for a 50-year life and have been patched many times, so Miami-Dade and FDOT are replacing 11 of the 12, including the eastern drawbridge. Final design was expected to wrap up by summer 2026, with construction bidding next, depending on permits. The new spans will be 16 feet wider, sit higher to handle sea-level rise, and are meant to echo the original look. The county says traffic will never be fully cut off, with temporary bridges and open lanes keeping things moving. Some spoil islands along the route will be restored too.

Good to know

When construction starts, the county says the causeway won't fully close: expect temporary bridges and lane shifts instead.

Questions people ask