The Florida Keys Off Limits Now as Checkpoints Are Set Up

In light of the ongoing coronavirus crisis that has made the U.S. one of the hardest hit nations in the world, Florida Keys authorities decided to set up checkpoint in an effort to keep tourists aloof, The Miami Herald reports.

Monroe County Friday morning opened two checkpoints to keep tourists from driving into the Florida Keys. Later that afternoon, Keys officials in several cities, who lobbied for the checkpoints to block the spread of the novel coronavirus through the island chain, learned the roadblocks could come down Sunday night, and they are angry.

They learned the news in a conference call Friday afternoon and were given an undated directive from county Emergency Management stating the plan from the beginning was to only keep the roadblocks on the 18 Mile Stretch of U.S. 1 and County Road 905 up until Sunday.

That plan, however, will be evaluated daily, county officials said, meaning, the checkpoints could stay up longer.

That news was a shock to officials in Marathon, Key Largo and elsewhere. Several officials in incorporated areas of the Keys said they also didn’t see the document before Friday afternoon.

Islamorada Village Councilman Ken Davis said on a Facebook post Saturday morning that county officials, on a teleconference meeting with city managers and mayors Friday afternoon, said the decision on the checkpoints would be made unilaterally by two county officials.

The checkpoints were put in place as part of the county’s effort to slow or stop the spread of COVID-19, the disease caused by the novel coronavirus. County officials said publicly they were not in favor of erecting the roadblocks, but ultimately did so at the urging of municipal officials in Marathon and Islamorada.

According to the information posted on The Miami Herald, two municipal officials say the emergency directive stating the checkpoints are to close Sunday was released to them Friday afternoon around 3 p.m.

The county issued a press release Tuesday saying that the checkpoints were coming, but the statement never mentioned how long they would be in place.