MIAMI BEACH, Fla. – After a judge’s order, Miami Beach Mayor Steven Meiner was forced to reopen Ocean Drive to vehicular traffic.
The city had turned the iconic boulevard, known for its row of historic Art Deco buildings in South Beach, into a pedestrian promenade with bicycle lanes.
The Clevelander South Beach Hotel 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 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. City crews still have to repaint the bicycle lanes.