LTC 425-2013 Art Basel 2013 Traffic Management Plan MIAMI BEACH
425-2013
LETTER TO COMMISSION
TO: Mayor Philip Levine and Members of the City Com ission
FROM: Jimmy L. Morales, City Manager
DATE: December 3ad, 2013
SUBJECT: ART BASEL 2013 TRAFFIC MAN EMENT PLAN
The purpose of this Letter to Commission (LTC) is to provide information on the development of
a comprehensive traffic management plan to be deployed during Art Basel Miami Beach 2013.
The City's Transportation Division has been collaborating with the Tourism and Cultural Affairs,
Police, and Communications Departments as well as with the Florida Department of
Transportation (FDOT), City of Miami, and Miami-Dade Transit to develop a traffic management
plan which is intended to manage congestion during Art Basel 2013.
As a result of various recent meetings with agencies, key stakeholders and elected officials,
including State Representative David Richardson and Mayor Philip Levine, a collaborative traffic
management plan has been developed that will maximize the use of the State's and City's
resources and help reduce the impacts of event traffic in an effort to improve the experience of
residents and visitors during Art Basel Miami Beach 2013.
The traffic management plan consists of six (6) elements which are further described below:
• Miami/Miami Beach Art Basel Trolley Service
• Traffic Monitoring Camera System cT-a
• Designated Event Access Routes
• Static and Dynamic Wayfinding Signage ;_-, mz
• Construction Activity Moratorium
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• Police Detail
The attached figure depicts the various elements of the traffic management plan. CD
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Art Basel Miami Beach-Miami Trolley Service
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The Cities of Miami and Miami Beach and the Miami Downtown Development Authority have
partnered to provide direct trolley service between Midtown Miami and the Miami Beach
Convention Center during Art Basel. The trolley service will operate free of charge from
Wednesday, December 4th through Sunday, December 8th between the hours of 11 AM and
10PM (8PM on Sunday). Two (2) trolleys will provide a direct shuttle service via either the Julia
Tuttle Causeway or the Venetian Causeway depending on traffic conditions at the time. The
designated trolley stops will be located at Midtown Boulevard/29th Street in Miami and at
Washington Avenue in front of the Fillmore at the Jackie Gleason in Miami Beach. Each trolley
will leave its destination every hour on the hour. Further, the Art Basel Miami Beach — Miami
trolleys will connect to the Art Basel Miami Week Loop providing service to art fairs located in
Midtown Miami, Wynwood, and Downtown Miami.
The attached figure depicts the Art Basel Miami — Miami Beach Trolley service. For more
LTC-Art Basel 2013 Traffic Management Plan
Page 2 of 3
information, please visit www.miamibeachfi.gov/scroll.asox?ID=69891.
Traffic Monitorim Camera Svstem
As part of a pilot program, the City has engaged the same traffic engineering firm performing
traffic monitoring services on the FDOT Alton Road Reconstruction project to install additional
traffic cameras during Art Basel 2013. Currently, as part of the Alton Road Reconstruction
Project from 5th Street to Michigan Avenue, FDOT has installed traffic cameras at the following
locations:
• Dade Blvd and Alton Rd
• Alton Rd and 17th St
• Meridian Ave and 17th St
• Dade Blvd and Meridian Ave
• N Michigan Ave and Dade Blvd
• N Michigan Ave and Alton Rd
• 5th St and Alton Rd
• 5th St and West Ave
• 8th St and Alton Rd
The pilot program to be deployed during Art Basel will consist of installing additional traffic
cameras at the following intersections:
• Alton Rd and 15th St
• Dade Blvd and Washington Blvd
• Washington Blvd and 17th St
• 41 st St and Pine Tree Dr
• Washington Blvd and 5th St
• Alton Rd and 41 st St
The traffic cameras strategically located at the above intersections throughout key
ingress/egress routes will allow the City's Police Department to view real-time traffic conditions
and deploy officers to manage traffic at congested areas. Additionally, through the use of
cameras providing real-time traffic information, the timing of traffic signals at critical intersections
can be adjusted to improve traffic flow and reduce congestion in the areas most affected by Art
Basel traffic. The data captured by traffic cameras, including travel time between any two
points, will be used to further refine the Art Basel traffic management plan as well as help in
developing event-based traffic plans for future major events in the City.
Designated Event Access Routes
Given current roadway construction, lane closures and detours in the City, the FDOT and City of
Miami Beach have identified routes that will provide the most effective means of access to/from
Art Basel. For traffic accessing Art Basel from the mainland and north of 1-195, the designated
route will be Julia Tuttle Causeway, Arthur Godfrey Road/41St Street, Pine Tree Drive, Dade
Boulevard, and Washington Avenue. The Miami/Miami Beach Art Basel Trolley service will
operate along this same route. For traffic accessing Art Basel from the mainland and south of 1-
395, the designated route will be MacArthur Causeway, 5th Street Flyover to Alton Road, and
17th Street. Although this route coincides with the ongoing detour established for the Alton
Road reconstruction project, it is anticipated that traffic will flow at acceptable levels in the
northbound direction since southbound Alton Road traffic has been detoured to West Avenue
and turning movement conflicts due to opposing traffic have been minimized for northbound
LTC-Art Basel 2093 Traffic Management Plan
Page 3 of 3.
Alton Road traffic.
Additionally, as a result of a recent meeting between City officials, FDOT officials, Mayor Philip
Levine and State Representative David Richardson, the FDOT re-opened northbound Alton
Road from 17th Street to Dade Boulevard and partially re-opened northbound Alton Road from
Dade Boulevard to Michigan Avenue on Monday, December 2"d. This segment of Alton Road
has been closed for some time due to the ongoing Alton Road reconstruction project. The re-
opening of this'section of Alton Road will be crucial in providing an effective means of access
to/from the Miami Beach Convention Center during Art Basel and reducing congestion at other
critical locations in the vicinity and along event access routes. Following Art Basel, FDOT will
intermittently close the re-opened lanes to work in the area. The detour through eastbound 17th
Street, northbound Meridian Avenue, westbound Dade Boulevard, and northbound Michigan
Avenue will remain signed for drivers who do not proceed north on Alton Road.
Static and Dynamic Wayfinding Signage
Approximately eleven (11) Digital Message Signs and numerous Art Basel wayfinding signs will
be strategically located along designated event access routes including 1-95, MacArthur
Causeway, Julia Tuttle Causeway, and at key intersections and decision points to guide event
traffic to/from the mainland and the Miami Beach Convention Center during Art Basel.
FDOT Construction Activity
As noted above, the section of Alton Road between 17th Street and Michigan Avenue will be re-
opened by FDOT by Monday, December 2nd in order to enhance access to/from the Miami
Beach Convention Center during Art Basel.
FDOT has advised that work will continue through Art Basel in the areas currently closed. No
new lane closures will be in effect during the event.
Police Detail
The Miami Beach Police Department has requested that FDOT assist with funding additional
police officers to monitor traffic conditions and manage traffic at critical intersections as
necessary during Art Basel.
The Miami Beach Police Department will be deploying police officers to key intersections to help
keep traffic flowing and avoid vehicles from blocking the box. Officers have been instructed to
take charge of the intersection and direct traffic on an as-needed basis.
Please feel free to contact me if you have any questions or concerns.
achment: Art Basel 2013 Traffic Management Plan Map
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