ORLANDO, Fla. — The city of Orlando is rolling out additional safety measures in Downtown Orlando in response to a deadly shooting that occurred during Halloween last year, such as installing bicycle barricades down center lanes of Pine Street and Central Boulevard.

What You Need To Know

  • Downtown Orlando is expanding barricades along Orange Avenue, Central Boulevard, and Pine Street, starting this weekend at 9 p.m.

  • The barricades aim to enhance pedestrian safety and support downtown businesses, with restricted access to law enforcement only

  • The city’s end goal is to remove barricades once pedestrian safety standards are met and traditional operations can resume safely

  • The Halloween shooting left two dead and eight injured

Phase 2 of the initiative includes the expansion of barricades along Orange Avenue, an effort that began last November.

Starting this weekend, barricades will also be extended to Central Boulevard and Pine Street. According to city officials, these barriers will be installed by 9 p.m. on weekends and fully in place by 11 p.m. The barricades will line both sides of the center lanes, with additional security stationed at all entrances and exits.

David Barilla, executive director of the Downtown Development Board, said the goal is to gradually scale back the use of barricades as pedestrian safety improves.

“Over time, those will start to step back towards the sidewalks, so people will be encouraged to operate just like they do now,” Barilla said. “Once we see the community has fully embraced traditional operations, we believe that will be the safest point to reintroduce traffic.”

The barricades are part of a broader initiative to ensure pedestrian safety and support local businesses. It is another goal is encourage people to spend money in businesses rather than just come to downtown Orlando on weekends and hang out on the streets.

Other measures implemented in recent years include increasing the presence of code enforcement officers downtown.

For now, access to restricted areas will be limited to law enforcement personnel, ensuring a secure environment for visitors and businesses.

The new safety measures will go into effect starting this weekend.

Officials say once the city sees the community fully embrace traditional operations that will be the safest point to reintroduce traffic.

Jaylen Dwayne Edgar, 17, has been charged as an adult in connection with the Nov. 1 shooting in downtown Orlando that left two people dead and eight others injured.