MIAMI BEACH, Fla. – Miami Beach Mayor Steven Meiner will not be forced to fully reopen Ocean Drive to vehicular traffic this weekend after an appeal court judge put a county judge’s order on a temporary hold Friday.
The city turned the iconic boulevard, known for its row of historic Art Deco buildings in South Beach, into a pedestrian promenade with green bicycle lanes.
On Friday night, there was a line of cars traveling southbound. The northbound lane was still designated for bicyclists.
The Clevelander Ocean LLP filed a lawsuit claiming that closing the two lanes to vehicular traffic during the pandemic had hurt business.
Miami-Dade County Circuit Judge Beatrice Butchko Sanchez issued the reopening order on Jan. 8, but city officials asked for extensions.
On Friday, only one lane from Fifth Street to 15 Street was open to vehicular traffic, but not for long. City crews didn’t get to repaint the bicycle lanes.
Attorneys representing the city appealed the county court’s ruling and filed an emergency motion with the Third District Court of Appeal.
The court granted the motion for a temporary stay while the appeal is pending.