The City of Orlando is preparing to lift the Local State of Emergency put in place downtown by Mayor Dyer last week following the tragic shooting deaths over Halloween weekend.
The State of Emergency will officially lift at 5 p.m. Thursday, November 7, along with the curfew, with downtown businesses being allowed to serve passed midnight once again. However, City Hall is now setting its sights on ending the street-party atmosphere downtown that they believe has “created consistent public safety issues.”
“Sadly, the street-party atmosphere in downtown has shifted from a fun, festive space to one that is dangerous and unsafe. Downtown and its streets, must operate differently to create a more welcoming place where our local businesses are patronized and supported.”
– DAVID BARILLA, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, DOWNTOWN DEVELOPMENT BOARD/CRA
Beginning Friday, November 15, the city will begin the process of gradually re-opening Orange Avenue and its side streets to vehicular traffic during late night hours on the weekends – which have traditionally been closed for pedestrians for years. In the early stages, the city will use barricades to keep pedestrians closer to the sidewalks, eventually reopening the thoroughfare to one lane of traffic, and then ultimately all three.
The City has been reluctant to open traffic on busier nights downtown as it was seen as a way to combat any possible drive-by shootings.
