By Coral Gables Gazette staff

School traffic returns to Coral Gables next week, bringing buses, drop-off lines, pedestrians, cyclists and thousands of University of Miami students back to streets that have been considerably quieter during the summer.

Miami-Dade County Public Schools begins the 2026-27 academic year Thursday, Aug. 13. New University of Miami students begin moving into campus housing Monday, Aug. 10, returning students may begin arriving Aug. 13 and fall classes start Monday, Aug. 17.

Private and parochial schools in and around Coral Gables also begin reopening during the coming week, although calendars vary by school.

For drivers, the practical message is familiar but important: allow more time, slow down near campuses and expect the greatest congestion during morning arrivals and afternoon dismissals.

This year’s return also comes with two additional safety issues in the background. Coral Gables has hired a vendor for a future school-zone speed-camera system, although the city has not announced when or where it will begin operating. And the city’s prohibition on electric bicycles on sidewalks remains in effect as University of Miami students return to the neighborhoods surrounding campus.

Public schools return Thursday

Miami-Dade public school students report for the first day of classes Aug. 13, one day earlier than last year’s Aug. 14 opening.

The change will restore regular school-zone activity around Coral Gables Senior High School and other public schools serving city residents. Drivers should expect crossing guards, reduced speed limits, school buses and heavier traffic beginning early Thursday morning.

Coral Gables Police Chief Edward J. Hudak Jr. urged motorists to adjust their driving as the school year begins.

“We remind all drivers to slow down, remain alert, and obey posted school zone speed limits,” Hudak said. “The safety of our students and pedestrians is a top priority as the new school year begins.”

School-zone speed limits apply only during the hours posted on signs and flashing signals. Motorists should pay particular attention to changing limits when approaching schools, even on familiar routes.

UM move-in begins Monday

Traffic connected to the University of Miami will begin building before the public school year starts.

New students are scheduled to move into university housing beginning Aug. 10. Returning students may begin arriving Aug. 13, and the fall semester starts Aug. 17.

Move-in typically brings family vehicles, rental trucks and rideshare traffic to the campus and surrounding streets. Congestion may be most noticeable near entrances along Ponce de Leon Boulevard, Stanford Drive, San Amaro Drive and other roads serving residential colleges.

The return of students also increases pedestrian and bicycle traffic around the campus. Drivers turning across sidewalks, bike paths and crosswalks should check carefully before proceeding, particularly during the first weeks of the semester when students are adjusting to new routes and schedules.

Stop for school buses

Florida law requires motorists to stop when a school bus displays flashing red lights and extends its stop arm.

Drivers must remain stopped until the signal is withdrawn and the bus begins moving again.

On a two-lane road, traffic in both directions must stop. The same generally applies on multilane roads unless opposing lanes are separated by a raised barrier, an unpaved median at least 5 feet wide or another qualifying physical divider.

Painted lines and paved center turn lanes do not create that exception.

Drivers also should avoid blocking crosswalks or entering intersections when traffic ahead prevents them from clearing the crossing. A vehicle stopped across a crosswalk can force children and other pedestrians into moving traffic.

E-bikes remain prohibited on sidewalks

The return of University of Miami students will also test Coral Gables’ recently adopted restriction on electric bicycles and other motorized bicycles.

The City Commission voted unanimously in February to prohibit them from operating on city sidewalks. That local ban remains in effect.

A separate state proposal would have required e-bike riders to slow to 10 mph whenever they came within 50 feet of a pedestrian. Gov. Ron DeSantis vetoed that legislation this summer, but the veto did not affect Coral Gables’ sidewalk prohibition.

The distinction matters for riders returning to campus: the proposed statewide speed limit did not become law, but riding an e-bike on a Coral Gables sidewalk remains prohibited.

The university area figured prominently in the city’s discussion. Residents described encounters with students riding quickly along sidewalks while traveling to and from classes, creating conflicts with pedestrians.

Cyclists and e-bike riders should use the roadway or designated bicycle facilities where permitted, follow traffic signals and yield to pedestrians at crossings.

Speed cameras are not yet part of the commute

Coral Gables has taken another step toward automated school-zone speed enforcement, but the city has not announced that cameras will be operating when classes resume.

City records show Coral Gables signed a three-year contract with Jenoptik Smart Mobility Solutions for a School Zone Speed Detection System. The agreement runs through September 2028 and includes two optional one-year extensions.

The city has not publicly identified proposed camera locations, an installation schedule or an enforcement date.

Under Florida law, a municipality beginning a camera program must conduct a public-awareness period before issuing fines. During that introductory period, motorists receive warnings rather than citations.

Once activated, the systems may issue $100 civil penalties to vehicles recorded traveling more than 10 mph above the applicable limit during authorized school-zone hours. Those violations do not add points to a driver’s license.

Until Coral Gables announces a launch, school-zone speeding will continue to be enforced through traditional police activity.

Planning for the first weeks

The greatest disruptions generally occur during the opening days of school, when parents, students and bus drivers are settling into new routines.

Drivers can reduce delays by leaving earlier, avoiding school-front streets during arrival and dismissal when possible and following the directions of police officers, crossing guards and school personnel.

Parents using drop-off lines should follow each school’s designated circulation pattern rather than stopping on nearby streets or allowing children to exit from moving traffic lanes.

Pedestrians should use marked crossings where available and avoid stepping between stopped vehicles. Cyclists and e-bike riders should remain visible, follow the direction of traffic and assume drivers may not see them when turning.

The first week back rarely moves smoothly. With public schools, private campuses and the University of Miami all returning within days of one another, Coral Gables residents should expect heavier traffic beginning Monday—and plan accordingly.