Miami Beach parking garage closures cause confusion, frustration as visitors react to spring break safety measures – WSVN 7News | Miami News, Weather, Sports

MIAMI BEACH, FLA. (WSVN) – The City of Miami Beach has begun stepping up security ahead of what is expected to be one of the busiest weekends of the year, but some visitors in town for spring break don’t approve of all the new safety precautions.

7News cameras captured drivers being turned away at the entrance of the parking garage on Collins Avenue and Seventh Street, Thursday afternoon.

Parking is a problem for visitors coming to South Beach. From Thursday at 6 a.m until Monday at 6 a.m., over the next two weeks, the city’s garages and surface lots will only be open to residents and city employees.

Visitors David, Samuel and Ike weighed in on the parking restrictions while strolling off Ocean Drive, where barricades were already put up on Thursday.

“Uber is definitely going to make a lot of money,” said one of the visitors.

The young men said they were already aware of the stepped up security and opted against driving themselves to South Beach.

The safety precautions are part of the city’s “Spring Break Breakup” measures. The city posted a video online about the steps they’re taking to keep the peace this year.

Last March, two people were killed and police arrested 573 people, so the city is working to curb the chaos.

The towing rate is doubling for non-residents to $516. There will also be license plate readers on the causeways to Miami Beach, a DUI checkpoint along Fifth Street.

Along Ocean Drive, sidewalk seating will close at restaurants for the weekend, but “goodwill ambassadors” will be in the area providing helpful information.

From Ocean Drive, visitors are only allowed walk to the sand from the Fifth, 10th and 12th street entrances, and all beaches will close to the public at 6 p.m.

“I like the laws that they put in place. Obviously, it would be nice to still have some fun, but have fun safely,” said David.

“The rowdiness in the crowds has kind of died down, so we like it, being three girls traveling alone, we kind of feel like it’s kind of deterred some of the negativity away,” said a visitor who identified herself as Natalie.

To keep deterring that negativity, there will be an enhanced police presence, along with 60 additional state troopers in South Florida. Forty-five of these troopers will come straight to South Beach.

“We think it’s, like, safer, feel very comfortable, just three girls walking around,” said Natalie’s friend.

If things get out of hand, city officials said, they plan to enforce curfews, as well as bag checks at beach access points and security checks around the area..

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