A Miami-Dade Circuit Court judge is demanding that Miami Beach comply with her order last month to reopen the iconic Ocean Drive strip to two-way vehicle traffic, accusing city officials of “trying to circumvent” her authority.
In a hearing Wednesday, Judge Beatrice Butchko Sanchez said the city needs to heed her Jan. 8 order to remove a pedestrian plaza at the north end of Ocean Drive and restore two-way traffic from Fifth to 13th streets, which would require the removal of bicycle lanes. Currently, there is only one lane of southbound traffic from Fifth to 13th, and the stretch from 13th Street to 14th Place is open only to pedestrians. That configuration also has a two-way bike lane running along the east side of the road.
Butchko Sanchez ruled Wednesday that the city cannot stall any longer as it awaits the outcome of an appeal of her January decision…