After years of crime and chaos during the spring break season in South Beach, Miami Beach city officials are looking to implement the toughest safety measures yet.
At Wednesday’s Miami Beach commission meeting, almost all commissioners agreed on tougher measures, with only a few concerns raised when it comes to the effect they would have on businesses and traffic.
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"We're shutting the door on spring break once and for all," Commissioner Alex Fernandez said. “Lawlessness will not be tolerated in Miami Beach.”
The city commissioners' main focus is two "high-impact" weekends in the middle of March — Friday, March 8 through Sunday, March 10 and Friday, March 15 through Sunday, March 17 — which are the busiest weekends of the spring break season. But some of the following measures will be put into place for the entire month:
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- The MacArthur Causeway and Julia Tuttle Causeway are expected to see license plate readers installed and DUI checkpoints that will reduce traffic to one lane. On top of this, commissioners are asking Miami-Dade County to close off public access to the Venetian Causeway.
- When it comes to a curfew, city officials will have the power to implement one, “if needed.” Further details weren’t discussed.
- Beach entrances along Ocean Drive will be limited and staffed with security.
- If it’s approved next month, parking at a municipal garage in Miami Beach is going to cost a flat rate of $100 during those two high-impact weekends.
- For the entire month of March, a towed vehicle will cost $516 – double the normal price.
- You can also expect many side streets in the entertainment district to be restricted, and a heavier police presence than prior spring break seasons. In fact, the Florida Highway Patrol and other municipalities will be joining forces with Miami Beach to help patrol the city.
“Ultimately, we’re looking to reduce the crowds because that’s part of the problem,” said Miami Beach Mayor Steven Meiner. “This is going to be better for our businesses because we won’t have the tarnishing of our brand that happens when we have the incidents during March.”
A chaotic 2023 spring break in Miami Beach saw two deadly shootings and 488 arrests — more than 230 of which were felony offenses, according to Miami Beach Police. More than 100 firearms were seized. Scenes of the chaos along Ocean Drive appeared in national news shows.
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However, some business owners expressed concern over the strict measures for 2024. Joey Morrissey, the vice president of Club M2 in Miami Beach, says it’s not about losing business; he fears the restrictions will backfire as large crowds try to navigate through South Beach.
“If you treat them like animals they’re going to act like animals,” he said. “You push them here; it pops out there. If you shut down the town that’s when they get mad and that’s when stuff happens.”
He believes rideshare drivers won’t come to South Beach, as massive backups are inevitable from the lane restrictions on the two main causeways. The ripple effect could mean more crowds “trapped” in South Beach and frustration.
“I believe it will hurt the town more if I’m not open. If these kids don’t have a place to go,” Morrissey said. “You can’t stop it. These kids booked hotel rooms. They’ve spent money. They’re coming here. Now you’re going to create the chaos.”
Some of these items could be modified at a second reading during a commission meeting on Feb. 21.
