Miami Beach officials over the weekend announced a curfew in the evening at 8 p.m. to curb the overwhelming amount of spring break that has crowded the area for several weeks. The main eastbound lanes leading to Miami Beach on the MacArthur, Julia Tuttle, and Venetian Causeways were also closed to traffic from 10:00 p.m. to 6:00 a.m. The Miami Beach City Commission elected yesterday to keep the ordinance in effect every Thursday through Sunday through April 12th.

On Saturday night, Miami Beach interim city administrator Raul Aguila declared the city a state of emergency and issued a curfew at 8 p.m., four hours earlier than the current night curfew at midnight that has been in place in Miami-Dade County since last year. The affected neighborhoods are located in the „High Impact Zone” and extend from Fifth Street to 16th Street, including popular tourist areas such as Collins Avenue, Washington Avenue and Espanola Way.

Terrace restaurants and sidewalk cafes, the majority of which were created due to COVID-19 regulations, also have to close at 8 p.m. Restaurants in the zones are still allowed to deliver until 6:00 a.m. As for the dams, Miami Beach residents and hotel guests, along with staff from local businesses, are tax exempt on the closings of the Tuttle and MacArthur Causeways, but The Venetian only stays resident from 10 p.m. to 6 a.m.

These new measures follow weeks of massive crowds, disorderly behavior, violence and even fatality Shootings in the region in the past few weeks, much of which was documented on social media every evening. Legendary Party Spot The Clevelander Hotel is at the center of activity on 10th and even Ocean Drive announced on Friday that it would temporarily close its doors, saying they are „increasingly concerned about the safety of our dedicated employees and valued customers and the city’s ability to maintain a safe environment in the area.”

Popular taqueria Taquiza reopened the doors at its South Beach location last weekend after it had been temporarily closed since July 2020.

„The parking situation is terrible and the crowd around is more unruly than you are used to,” said Christine Martinez, operations manager at Taquiza. „I’m used to Miami being a little crazy, but that was the next level.”

She adds, however, that there has been a noticeable difference since the new orders were introduced: „You can tell it has become safer, by the end of the week it didn’t feel uncomfortable,” noted Martinez.