Miami Beach Takes Extra Measures to Ensure a Safe Spring Break

(Miami Beach, FL) Mar 15, 2019 -

Miami Beach is once again welcoming large numbers of visitors for spring break this year. In preparation, the city has been implementing a comprehensive and coordinated plan to ensure visitors are able to enjoy the beaches, while maintaining safety and resident quality of life.

During the weekends starting on Friday, March 15 and Friday, March 22, 2019, Ocean Drive will be closed to all vehicular traffic beginning at 7 a.m. to provide a safe, open walkway for guests.  Ocean Drive will remain pedestrian-only until the following Monday at 3 a.m. Additional safety measures include the use of barricades along the perimeter of the cafés. Cafés will continue to operate as normal, within their approved sidewalk café footprint and are not allowed to extend. However, should the need arise; the Police Chief has the approval by the City Manager to call for a temporary suspension of sidewalk cafés. If the Police Chief determines to suspend them, at any time, the City Manager may decide to continue the suspension for the following Saturday and/or the following weekend. The city has the support of the Ocean Drive Association, who will assist with communications with operators throughout the weekends.

This year, based on spring break schedules, March 1 through April 2, 2019 has been identified as a high impact period for Miami Beach, and the city is taking the following measures:

  • Coolers, inflatable devices, tents, tables and similar structures on the beach will not be permitted.
  • The limitation of live or amplified music.
  • The limitation of traffic routes to prohibit vehicular access to non-residents, and permit access only for residents and those patrons and employees of businesses located in the specific area where traffic routes have been limited.
  • The establishment of occupancy limits for different segments of beach property, and prohibiting access to those areas that have reached those occupancy limits, in order to protect the health, safety, and welfare of the general public.
  • The prohibition of any direct or indirect consumption of alcohol on the beach property.
  • Continued enforcement of the prohibition of smoking marijuana
  • The implementation of a license plate reader police detail, which may be utilized on eastbound traffic lanes of the MacArthur and Julia Tuttle causeways.
  • Depending upon crowd size and in the interest of public safety, the Miami Beach Police Department may close Ocean Drive or a portion thereof between 5 to 12 streets during peak hours.
  • Deployment of Goodwill Ambassadors on the weekends to provide tips and assistance to beach-goers.

“We look forward to hosting hundreds of thousands of visitors who choose to spend their vacation in the fun and sun capital of the world, and we hope these proactive measures will ensure a safe and enjoyable experience for all,” said City Manager Jimmy L. Morales.

The city has also launched a multi-tiered marketing campaign encompassing traditional media, digital, social and out of home advertising to communicate these additional measures. For more information, visit www.mbspringbreak.com.