Drivers see film crew as the real `Bad Boys'
By DAVID OVALLE, RICHARD BRAND AND NICOLE WHITE
nwhite@herald.com
It was predictable and it was even predicted, but the closure of a major highway through downtown Miami paralyzed traffic in all directions Monday, overheating cars and tempers.
For three weeks, signs posted along the highways warned that filming for Bad Boys 2, the Will Smith/Martin Lawrence sequel to their 1995 hit, would close the MacArthur Causeway for four days. The signs flashed detours, directing commuters north to the Julia Tuttle and Venetian causeways, but just getting to either one was a lesson in perseverance for some.
Two hours for David Quilleon, trying to get from his Coral Springs home to his office in downtown Miami. ''I was trying very hard to remain calm,'' Quilleon said. ``I didn't want to get road rage.''
So he sat in his black Toyota Corolla, listened to an extra hour of radio, rescheduled a meeting, and whispered to himself, ``Breathe . . . take deep breaths.''
''I'm an hour late for work,'' said Brianne Barco, a Port of Miami-Dade employee stuck in bumper-to-bumper traffic on Northeast Second Avenue and 11th Street. `It's OK for today, but I'm not sure if I can take this all week.''
OOPS
Around 11:30 a.m, the eastbound traffic on Interstate 395 got so backed up ''people were trying to turn around and go back to I-95,'' said Julio Pajon, a spokesman with the Florida Highway Patrol.
The problem: Miami police decided to block the ramp off I-395 at Northeast Second Avenue, forcing commuters who had already merged from three lanes to one to drive south through downtown Miami.
That closure, said Jeannie Cann, spokeswoman for the Florida Department of Transportation, was not according to plan, but was unavoidable because of flooding from a sudden mid-morning downpour.
''Today we had a learning curve; I think tomorrow it will be a lot easier on both us and on the community,'' said Cann.
According to Cann, traffic getting off I-395 at the Northeast Second Avenue exit today will be able to drive straight to Biscayne Boulevard, where drivers can turn north and go a few blocks to the Venetian Causeway.
Jeff Peel, director of the county's film office, said the county has done everything to mitigate the inconvenience the production is causing.
''It's four days of pain, but the economic benefit is tremendous,'' said Peel, who expects the area will see at least $20 million in economic benefit.
''This community has seen a period of economic recession, and this movie is a real shot in the arm,'' Peel said. ``It's a real positive that's going to be good for South Florida overall.''
Miami Beach Mayor David Dermer, who received 20 e-mails complaining about the traffic backups, agreed with Peel. ''The inconvenience that people will feel for a few days when weighed against the economic impact will be something that people will tolerate. In three, four days this will be nothing but a memory,'' he said.
But Monday's commuters weren't ready to forgive and forget.
''They put the whole city in chaos for a movie,'' said one county bus driver, who identified herself only as Beverly. ``I'm off schedule by 45 minutes to an hour; there is nothing I can do, and you have to try to explain it to passengers and they don't understand.''
More bottlenecks were taking place in Miami Beach.
It took 25 minutes to drive six blocks on Alton Road -- from 17th to 23rd Street -- and that was before the evening rush hour.
A Yellow Cab driver was forced to pull over to the side of the road at Alton and 17th Street. His car had overheated while sitting in traffic.
''It's horrible,'' Connor Sumter said. ``Three days more? Oh, my God!''
Another logjam occurred at the intersection of Interstate 195 and Alton Road. Three lanes of traffic converged into one as drivers scrambled to get south onto Alton.
Sergio Gonzalez, 37, who lives in Miami, was stuck in bumper-to-bumper traffic on the Venetian Causeway in the height of evening rush hour trying to get to Miami Beach. ``It's very bad, very bad. I need an airplane to fly over it, but I can't afford one.''
But by 7:30 p.m., traffic had thinned and was moving efficiently. Even the blockade off the State Road 836 exit to Biscayne Boulevard had been removed.
Columbia Pictures is spending about $500,000 to cover the costs of the MacArthur Bridge's closing. That includes hiring 85 to 105 officers from several police agencies to direct traffic while the causeway is closed from 5 a.m. to 9:30 p.m.
NO TOLL
Columbia also is picking up the tab for tolls along the Venetian Causeway, but late Monday, Miami police issued an alert urging motorists to use the Julia Tuttle Causeway, saying the Venetian Causeway can only handle a small amount of traffic flow.
Beach resident Lisa Koza was one of those who mistakenly thought the Venetian would be easier than the Tuttle.
She ended up spending 45 minutes in rush hour trying to get home.
''At least the tolls were free,'' Koza said.
Staff writers Mary Cuddehe and David Sylva contributed to this report.
By DAVID OVALLE, RICHARD BRAND AND NICOLE WHITE
nwhite@herald.com
It was predictable and it was even predicted, but the closure of a major highway through downtown Miami paralyzed traffic in all directions Monday, overheating cars and tempers.
For three weeks, signs posted along the highways warned that filming for Bad Boys 2, the Will Smith/Martin Lawrence sequel to their 1995 hit, would close the MacArthur Causeway for four days. The signs flashed detours, directing commuters north to the Julia Tuttle and Venetian causeways, but just getting to either one was a lesson in perseverance for some.
Two hours for David Quilleon, trying to get from his Coral Springs home to his office in downtown Miami. ''I was trying very hard to remain calm,'' Quilleon said. ``I didn't want to get road rage.''
So he sat in his black Toyota Corolla, listened to an extra hour of radio, rescheduled a meeting, and whispered to himself, ``Breathe . . . take deep breaths.''
''I'm an hour late for work,'' said Brianne Barco, a Port of Miami-Dade employee stuck in bumper-to-bumper traffic on Northeast Second Avenue and 11th Street. `It's OK for today, but I'm not sure if I can take this all week.''
OOPS
Around 11:30 a.m, the eastbound traffic on Interstate 395 got so backed up ''people were trying to turn around and go back to I-95,'' said Julio Pajon, a spokesman with the Florida Highway Patrol.
The problem: Miami police decided to block the ramp off I-395 at Northeast Second Avenue, forcing commuters who had already merged from three lanes to one to drive south through downtown Miami.
That closure, said Jeannie Cann, spokeswoman for the Florida Department of Transportation, was not according to plan, but was unavoidable because of flooding from a sudden mid-morning downpour.
''Today we had a learning curve; I think tomorrow it will be a lot easier on both us and on the community,'' said Cann.
According to Cann, traffic getting off I-395 at the Northeast Second Avenue exit today will be able to drive straight to Biscayne Boulevard, where drivers can turn north and go a few blocks to the Venetian Causeway.
Jeff Peel, director of the county's film office, said the county has done everything to mitigate the inconvenience the production is causing.
''It's four days of pain, but the economic benefit is tremendous,'' said Peel, who expects the area will see at least $20 million in economic benefit.
''This community has seen a period of economic recession, and this movie is a real shot in the arm,'' Peel said. ``It's a real positive that's going to be good for South Florida overall.''
Miami Beach Mayor David Dermer, who received 20 e-mails complaining about the traffic backups, agreed with Peel. ''The inconvenience that people will feel for a few days when weighed against the economic impact will be something that people will tolerate. In three, four days this will be nothing but a memory,'' he said.
But Monday's commuters weren't ready to forgive and forget.
''They put the whole city in chaos for a movie,'' said one county bus driver, who identified herself only as Beverly. ``I'm off schedule by 45 minutes to an hour; there is nothing I can do, and you have to try to explain it to passengers and they don't understand.''
More bottlenecks were taking place in Miami Beach.
It took 25 minutes to drive six blocks on Alton Road -- from 17th to 23rd Street -- and that was before the evening rush hour.
A Yellow Cab driver was forced to pull over to the side of the road at Alton and 17th Street. His car had overheated while sitting in traffic.
''It's horrible,'' Connor Sumter said. ``Three days more? Oh, my God!''
Another logjam occurred at the intersection of Interstate 195 and Alton Road. Three lanes of traffic converged into one as drivers scrambled to get south onto Alton.
Sergio Gonzalez, 37, who lives in Miami, was stuck in bumper-to-bumper traffic on the Venetian Causeway in the height of evening rush hour trying to get to Miami Beach. ``It's very bad, very bad. I need an airplane to fly over it, but I can't afford one.''
But by 7:30 p.m., traffic had thinned and was moving efficiently. Even the blockade off the State Road 836 exit to Biscayne Boulevard had been removed.
Columbia Pictures is spending about $500,000 to cover the costs of the MacArthur Bridge's closing. That includes hiring 85 to 105 officers from several police agencies to direct traffic while the causeway is closed from 5 a.m. to 9:30 p.m.
NO TOLL
Columbia also is picking up the tab for tolls along the Venetian Causeway, but late Monday, Miami police issued an alert urging motorists to use the Julia Tuttle Causeway, saying the Venetian Causeway can only handle a small amount of traffic flow.
Beach resident Lisa Koza was one of those who mistakenly thought the Venetian would be easier than the Tuttle.
She ended up spending 45 minutes in rush hour trying to get home.
''At least the tolls were free,'' Koza said.
Staff writers Mary Cuddehe and David Sylva contributed to this report.
