After years of abuse, Miami Beach is ending its relationship with spring breakers who treat the South Florida city like a playground for wild antics.
Ahead of the spring break rush, the city released its plan to curb drunken behavior in public, drug use, drinking and driving, trashing beaches and violence. “Miami Beach is breaking up with spring break,” the announcement read.
Every year in March, when the rest of the country still feels winter’s grasp, thousands of people flock to Miami Beach for spring break. Average high temperatures in Miami around mid- to late March are in the lower 80s, with between 2 and 2.5 inches of rain considered average for the entire month, which is typically the city’s fourth driest.
However, year after year, unruly spring breakers are causing increasing chaos. This year, Miami Beach says, “It’s not us, it’s you.”
The city isn’t ghosting its spring breakers but hitting them directly where it hurts: their wallets.
“Expect curfews, security searches and bag checks at beach access points, early beach entrance closures, DUI checkpoints, bumper-to-bumper traffic, road closures and arrests for drug possession and violence,” the city said.
For the entire month of March, high-impact parking prices will be in place for Miami Beach every Thursday through Sunday.
A flat fee of $100 for nonresidents will be in effect from March 7-10 and March 14-17 for the 42 Street garage between Royal Palm and Sheridan Avenues. There will be a flat $30 rate for the rest of the month for all city parking garages and surface lots in the Entertainment District.
Nonresidents who violate parking restrictions will be charged $516, double the normal rate for vehicles towed in South Beach. The city said it will enhance enforcement and towing with priority in residential areas.
WHY SPRING SHOULD ACTUALLY BEGIN ON MARCH 1
The parking and towing fees don’t apply to Miami Beach residents, access card holders, permit holders or employees.
DUI checkpoints will be in place along 5 Street on March 8-9 and March 15-16. Driving under the influence includes golf carts, scooters, mopeds and anything powered by a motor. Businesses that rent these vehicles will be suspended from operating from March 7-10 and March 14-17.
Miami Beach police will be using license plate readers coming into the city on MacArthur and Julia Tuttle causeways from March 8-10 and March 15-17. Other license plate reader details will be in place along the 5 Street corridor from March 22-24.
Over the next week as spring breakers begin arriving in South Florida, high temperatures are predicted to be in the upper 70s and lower 80s.