Going to or leaving downtown Miami during Ultra? Here are key detours, street closures

Ultra doesn’t just refer to the plethora of DJs on showcase at this weekend’s three-day Ultra Music Festival in downtown Miami at Bayfront Park.

Ultra could also refer to the humongous traffic jams it will bring to the immediate area as well as other destinations beginning with Thursday’s street closures.

For starters, the Friday-Sunday run of Ultra, could add to already daunting delays in getting to South Beach via the MacArthur Causeway for the last week of spring break or the Miami Beach Fitness Festival on the sands off Ocean Drive Saturday and Sunday.

Miami police will close streets and set up barricades around parts of downtown Miami Thursday night to prep for the Ultra thousands set to descend on Bayfront Park Friday through the weekend. Police officers will also be stationed throughout downtown Miami to help control and direct traffic.

At least “My Fair Lady” doesn’t open at the nearby Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts on Biscayne Boulevard until March 28 — two days after Ultra’s end on Sunday.

READ MORE: New agreement allows Ultra Music Festival to stay in downtown Miami through 2027

Detours, street closings

These are the street closures and detours you need to know about in downtown Miami.

▪ Starting at 9 p.m. on Thursday, March 23, all Biscayne Boulevard northbound traffic will be rerouted to the southbound lanes at Southeast First Street and will route to the normal trajectory at Northeast Fourth Street.

▪ All Biscayne Boulevard southbound traffic will be rerouted westbound at Northeast Sixth Street. There will be no southbound traffic on Biscayne Boulevard from Northeast Sixth Street. All southbound traffic will be detoured to Northeast Second Avenue and North Miami Avenue.

▪ Access to PortMiami will remain open throughout the event on Northeast Fifth Street. The police have a tip, though: Use the PortMiami Tunnel that can be accessed from Interstate 395.

▪ The barricades will be removed at 10 p.m. on Sunday and traffic will resume regular patterns, said Miami police spokesman Officer Michael Vega.

Questions? Ultra’s community hotline for info regarding the festival is 786-767-7272. Or visit the Ultra web page at ultramusicfestival.com.

Miami-Dade Transit

Service hours: Metrorail and Metromover service hours have been extended for Ultra. Service will begin at 5 a.m. and run through 2 a.m. the following morning on Friday and Saturday. On Sunday, service will end at midnight.

Parking: Parking at any Metrorail garage or surface lot is $4.50 for the day. Parking garages will remain open until the following day. Transit riders can pay for parking at Metrorail garages and surface lots at the ticket vending machines or via mobile devices with the PayByPhone app.

Rider info: Take Metrorail at $2.25 for a one-way trip or $5.65 for a one-day pass to the Government Center station. From there, transfer to Metromover’s free Omni Loop or Inner Loop and get off at the College/Bayside, First Street or Bayfront Park Metromover station.

Metrobus routes serving Omni, downtown Miami and adjacent areas may be delayed.

For questions regarding Miami-Dade Transit bus reroutes contact 311 or visit www.miamidade.gov/transit/.

Parking

▪ The College Station garage at 190 Northeast Third St. has about 600 spaces. Parking is a $30 flat rate all day, no in and out.

▪ Lot 92, at 233 Northeast Fifth Street (the Miami Dade College lot) has 225 spaces. Parking is a $50 flat rate all day, no in and out. Lot 92 is across the street from Ultra’s stages.

“Both facilities are within walking distance from the Ultra event,” said Margarita Rohaidy Delgado, spokeswoman for Miami Parking Authority.

Ultra schedule

▪ Friday, March 24: Gates open at 4 p.m. until midnight.

▪ Saturday, March 25: Gates open at noon until midnight.

▪ Sunday, March 26: Gates open at noon until 10 p.m.

Weather

There is no rain expected through Ultra’s weekend run. Expect highs in the mid-80s and lows in the mid-70s Saturday and Sunday in Miami.

When is it going to rain again in South Florida? Here’s what the forecast says