Miami Beach Mayor Steven Meiner will not be forced to reopen Ocean Drive to vehicular traffic this weekend after an appeal court judge put a county judge’s order on a temporary hold Friday.

Miami Beach closed Ocean Drive to cars entirely during the pandemic in May 2020. The city moved to the current configuration in January 2022, with initial approval from the county for one-way southbound car traffic with a two-way bike lane and the pedestrian promenade at the north end of the street.

A judge initially ordered the city to comply by January 15, but a stay was granted, giving the city an extension.

MIAMI BEACH, Fla. – After a judge’s order, Miami Beach Mayor Steven Meiner was forced to reopen Ocean Drive to vehicular traffic. The city had turned the iconic boulevard, known for its row of historic Art Deco buildings in South Beach, into a pedestrian promenade with bicycle lanes.

Judge Beatrice Butchko Sanchez said the city was “trying to circumvent” her order to remove a pedestrian plaza at the north end of the road.

Miami Beach will remove the pedestrian plaza and bike lanes from Ocean Drive, returning two-way car traffic to the South Beach street for the first time in nearly five years. Why it matters: A judge ordered that the iconic tourist strip,

CBS News Miami's Chelsea Jones explains why the city doesn't want Ocean Drive to return to two-way traffic. The Trump administration evicted former Coast Guard Commandant Linda Fagan from her home with three hours of notice on Tuesday.

Ocean Drive will reopen to two-way traffic after the Clevelander sued the city of Miami Beach, alleging the barriers in place harmed its business.