Many Charter vessels often request bridge openings during late hours of the night; (see videos below.) The loud music and loud repeated horn blasts to open and close the bridge in the middle of the night disrupts the sleep and the peace and quiet of residents in this area of Collins Ave. and Indian Creek Drive.
Many of the Charter vessels causing the unnecessary bridge openings are operating illegally. "Licenses are required in order to legally carry passengers for hire. This includes charters for fishing, sightseeing, diving, transportation, teaching or any use which is considered a “passenger for hire” situation."
Charter staff often park illegally on the street blocking Collins Ave. traffic.
Guests crossing street from hotels to board charter vessels jaywalk regularly which is a safety concern.
Littering on the public grass swales is also a concern.
The MBNA supports Commissioner David Suarez's efforts to curtail illegal and out of control Charter Operations on the Indian Creek Drive Waterway and City Wide.
The MBNA supports Items R5 AE (Charter Vessels to return to their marina by 9:00 p.m.) and R5Y (termination of parking on grass swales off ICD.)
March 3, 2024 COMMISSION MEETING UPDATE: Thank you to Mayor Steven Meiner and all CMB Commissioners for unanimously approving the Ordinance restricting charter operations on Collins Ave. from 41st to 63rd street. Only Hotel guests of the Eden Roc and the Fontainebleau Hotel (hotels with more than 350 rooms), and City of Miami Beach Residents, will be able to charter a boat docked at their marinas. All other charters are prohibited on the Indian Creek Waterways.
VIDEO SHOWING TRUCK BLOCKING COLLINS AVE TO DROP OFF ITEMS FOR A CHARTER DURING RUSH HOUR:
2-19-24 TRAFFIC BACKING UP ON INDIAN CREEK DRIVE & 63rd STREET FOR BRIDGE OPENING FOR ONLY ONE CHARTER YACHT:
2-20-23 BRIDGE OPENINGS Below are timed video clipsshowing excessive bridge opening times, loud horn blasts, and traffic back-ups as a result. This inconconvenience to drivers and emergency vehicles, is many times caused just to open the bridge for one vessel. VIdeos were taken by Dr. Manny Corrales looking down from Akoya Condo.
January 14, 2024 at 3:28 a.m. Photo below shows bridge opening at 3:28 a.m. for only ONE charter vessel going southbound.
Photo below shows bridge opening again at 4:00 a.m. on same day, Sunday, January 14, 2024, for the same vessel going NORTHBOUND. (This demonstrates that they opened bridge for a Charter vessel to drop off guests at a Hotel and then turned around to leave northbound 32 minutes later.)
January 24, 2024 at 3:59 a.m. Video and pics below show bridge opening for just one vessel. The excessive loud horn blasts can be heard in background, disrupting the peace and quiet of neighbor communities.
WHAT IS THE CURRENT BRIDGE OPENING SCHEDULE? § 117.293 Indian Creek. The draw of the 63rd Street Bridge across Indian Creek, mile 4.0 at Miami Beach, FL, shall open on signal except that: (a) Each day from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., except Federal holidays, the draw need open only on the hour and half-hour; (b) From 7:10 a.m. to 9:55 a.m. and 4:05 p.m. to 6:59 p.m., Monday through Friday except Federal holidays, the draw need not open for the passage of vessels. (c) In February of each year during the period seven days prior to the City of Miami Beach Yacht and Brokerage Show and the four days following the show, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., the bridge need not open except for 10 minutes at the top of the hour. At all other times the bridge shall operate on its normal schedule.
WHAT CHANGES TO THE CURRENT SCHEDULE IS THE MBNA RECOMMENDING? (see edits in green) The draw of the 63rd Street bridge across Indian Creek, mile 4.0 at Miami Beach, FL, shall open on signal (on demand) except that: (a) Each day from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., except Federal Holidays, the draw may only open ONCE on the hour if there are vessels approaching that have requested an opening. (b) From 7:10 a.m. to 9:10 a.m. and from 4:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m., Monday through Friday, except Federal Holidays, the draw cannot open for the passage of vessels. The draw may only open on signal during these times if there is an emergency. (c) From 11:00 p.m. to 6:00 a.m. daily, noise decibels will be lowered and the amount of horn blasts will be reduced.
PAST PETITION On November 17, 2022, MB Resident Ellen Helman initiated the collection of online petitions. A total of 1,731 petitions were signed asking for the bridge to open on the hour only. Although the MBNA is not asking for signatures at this time, the MBNA supports that initiative.
WHO CONTROLS DRAW BRIDGES? The Coast Guard has jurisdiction over bridges which cross the navigable waters of the United States. Our authority relates to the location, clearances of bridges, bridge permits, construction activities, navigation lights and signals at bridges, and the regulations which govern the operation of drawbridges.
