Seven Mile Bridge Closes April 11 for Annual Race, Delays Expected

About 1,500 registered runners will take over the Seven Mile Bridge on April 11, shutting the span to vehicles from 6 a.m. to 9 a.m. for the annual 7 Mile Bridge Run. The race sends participants on foot from the bridge's west end eastward toward Marathon, and Monroe County officials are warning that the disruption will extend well beyond the three-hour closure window itself.

Monroe County Sheriff's Office spokesman Adam Linhardt is advising motorists who need to cross to be on the bridge before 6 a.m. or face being stranded on either the Marathon or Lower Keys side for the duration of the race. Once the closure begins, options to cross are essentially nonexistent.

The slow traffic recovery expected after the race ends at 9 a.m. pushes the practical end of delays closer to 10 a.m. or beyond. That math is particularly relevant for commuters, shift workers, and anyone with a delivery or appointment scheduled for Saturday morning.

Shuttle riders face their own adjusted window. The Lower Keys Shuttle's southbound service from Marathon will not resume until 9:21 a.m., and northbound service from Key West will not begin until 9:26 a.m., according to Key West spokeswoman Alyson Crean. The adjustments reflect the reality that even after runners clear the bridge, traffic normalization takes time.

The Seven Mile Bridge is the only vehicle crossing between Marathon and the Lower Keys; U.S. 1 offers no bypass. In a county where that single road links every community from Key Largo to Key West, a scheduled three-hour closure carries real consequences for households, emergency services, and businesses on both sides of the span. Officials recommend crossing before 6 a.m. or delaying travel until after 10 a.m. to avoid the worst of the post-race congestion.

The 7 Mile Bridge Run draws a mix of local and visiting runners each year to one of the more distinctive race courses in South Florida.