Miami Beach Memorial Day Weekend Traffic Guide

The streets are lined with metal barricades and there’s floodlights on every corner.  This can only mean that it’s Memorial Day Weekend in South Beach, aka that time of year where every resident of the Beach either gets out of town or holes up in their apartment like it’s the zombie apocalypse. Which, we guess, a couple years ago it kind of was.

For the dumb, the brave, or the blindly curious who venture out to South Beach this weekend: Be careful. There might be a liiiiiiittle bit of traffic, and the streets won’t be running like they usually are.  Here’s a quick guide to what to expect if you’re venturing over, or stuck there yourself

I-395 (MacArthur Causeway) - Not only will you have a DUI checkpoint from Friday at 7 p.m. to 5 a.m. Saturday, there’ll be license plate readers checking every car headed out to the Beach. So get that bench warrant for unpaid parking tickets taken care of before you head out.

I-195 (Arthur Godfrey Causeway) - Same as 395. Don’t go over there if there’s anything on your record.

Venetian Causeway - Will be accessible to those with Miami and Miami Beach IDs ONLY. No hotel room keys, no licesnes you didn’t bother getting updated that have you living in Boca. No New York IDs. Dade County ZIP codes only.

Washington Ave. - Will be running one way southbound all weekend from 7 p.m. to 7 a.m. between 5th and 17th streets. This creates a sort-of traffic loop through the main party district, allowing those with rims worth more than their cars to show them to passers-by for 12 hours nonstop.

Collins Ave. - Will be running one way northbound all weekend from 7 p.m. to 7 a.m.  between 5th and 17th streets. And don’t even think about parking on the street.

East-West Streets 5-17, Between Washington and Collins - Will have limited access, only to those with proper residential decals.

Alton Road - Will be the same torn up clusterf**k that it’s been for the last year or so. So taking it to avoid Washington and Collins will still be a bad idea.

Ocean Drive - Will be shut down completely from 7 a.m. Friday to 7 a.m. Tuesday.

Residential areas - Between 5th and 17th Streets, from Washington Ave. to Alton Road, police will be stationed on every corner checking IDs and only allowing in residents of that area. This will also be in place on the north side of Dade Blvd. at Washington Ave.  If you have just moved (or still have your old ID) bring a bill, car registration, or SOMETHING that proves you live there along with valid photo ID, or you may find yourself taking a very long walk to your friend’s house on the mainland.

Parking - Normal parking rules and rates (except as noted above) will be enforces, with the exceptions of the municipal lots at South Pointe Park, Nikki Beach and 46th St.

Here’s a handy map of all the traffic changes courtesy of the Miami Herald.

Related Categories: Miami: Local News, Miami: Travel News, About the Author: Matt Meltzer is a featured columnist at Miami Beach 411. See more articles by Matt Meltzer. See more articles by Matt Meltzer Was This Post Helpful? Please Share It With Others! Tweet

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