Traffic alert: Miami Beach closes roads for Memorial Day stretch. Here are the changes
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There are many reasons to head to South Beach this Memorial Day weekend.
There’s the Hyundai Air and Sea Show, a showcasing of technology from five U.S. military branches featuring performances, military displays and fireworks and a Kids Fun Zone with activities like rock climbing and bungee jumping.
There’s a weather forecast that calls for plenty of sun to lounge on the sand and dip into the ocean.
There’s also a reason to avoid South Beach this weekend: traffic backups.
Here’s what to know about what’s happening on the streets this weekend in Miami Beach during Memorial Day activities.
Traffic changes
MORE: When are worst times to drive for Memorial Day? Take a look at Florida traffic forecast
▪ Expect delays heading into Miami Beach as one lane of eastbound traffic will be closed on both the MacArthur and Julia Tuttle causeways, starting at 8 p.m. Saturday and Sunday.
▪ Traffic can only enter Ocean Drive through 13th Street and exit through 5th Street. There will be no access to other entry or exit points.
▪ Traffic on Collins and Washington avenues will only flow northbound and southbound, with no access from east or west except at 5th and 16th streets.
▪ Flamingo Park and South of Fifth residents should use Alton Road to enter and exit their neighborhoods. Barricades will restrict traffic and officers will be on hand. Miami Beach calls this a “residential protected zone.”
▪ Traffic will be restricted along Washington Avenue and Fifth Street, where residents and visitors should be prepared to show identification or advise where they are going. These entrances will be staffed by security personnel to restrict cut-through traffic in residential areas.
▪ Drivers can expect fixed license plate readers around the city and mobile license plate readers along the Fifth Street corridor and the Julia Tuttle Causeway.
READ MORE: Think Miami Beach is hard to drive in now? Wait till Memorial Day weekend. What to know
Keeping kids safe
Once you are on South Beach with the family you want to make sure no one gets lost during the busy Air & Sea Show — the little ones may want to play in the Kids Fun Zone, for instance.
Miami Beach police will run the K.I.D.S. program, aka Kid ID Station, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday and again Sunday at Lummus Park on 8th, 10th and 12th streets. The officers will hand out free wristbands for children and adults with special needs. These wristbands would include the guardian’s name and contact information and could help reunite anyone who gets lost in the crowd.
Spot a B-1 bomber
Want to see one of the Air and Sea Show B-1s fly over head without having to head to the Beach?
One of the military air craft B-1s will be flying over Miami International Airport around 2:30 p.m. Saturday and about 2 p.m. Sunday. If you’re around the area look up and react quickly with your smart phones to take a picture. Consider using the “burst” mode on your camera phone so as to have multiple shots so you can select the clearest image.
MORE: Are Costco and Publix open? Mall hours? What to know about shopping on Memorial Day
