LTC 518-2022 Update - Ocean Drive Pedestrian Plaza Pilot MIAMIBEACH
NO. LTC# 518-2022 LETTER TO COMMISSION
TO: Honorable Mayor Dan Gelber and Members of the City Commission
FROM: Alina T. Hudak, City Manage
DATE: December 13, 2022
SUBJECT: Update - Ocean Drive Pedestrian Plaza Pilot
The purpose of this Letter to Commission (LTC) is to provide an update on the permitting status
of the Ocean Drive pedestrian plaza located between 13 Street and 14 Place.
Pursuant to the Miami-Dade County (the "County") Home Rule Charter and Code, the County's
Department of Transportation and Public Works has jurisdiction over traffic control on all local
(non-federal or state)public roads and alleyways, including within incorporated municipalities. As
such, the closure or reconfiguration of a portion of Ocean Drive for a pedestrian plaza and the
use of the 14 Place/Ocean Court alleyway as a detour route requires Miami-Dade County
approval.
At the October 27, 2021 City Commission meeting, as part of a discussion item on the
reconfiguration of Ocean Drive, the Commission supported the Administration's recommended
option to introduce a southbound vehicular travel lane with on-street parking on the west side of
the street and two-way protected green bike lanes on the east side of the street. Furthermore,
the City Commission requested that the Administration explore the implementation of a
pedestrian plaza in the vicinity of the 1400 Block of Ocean Drive.
At the December 8, 2021 City Commission meeting, the Commission directed the Administration
to proceed with the implementation of a temporary pedestrian plaza pilot on Ocean Drive from
13 Street to 14 Place. Pursuant to Commission direction, the City's Transportation and Mobility
Department developed the corresponding pavement marking, striping, and signage plans in
December 2021 and submitted the draft plans to the County for review and approval. The
Administration's stated commitment to the City Commission and residents was to implement the
desired reconfiguration of Ocean Drive on an expedited basis in January 2022.
In January 2022, the Administration completed implementation of the interim reconfiguration of
Ocean Drive, including the temporary pedestrian plaza. At that time, the County had approved
the new southbound lane configuration and protected bike lanes; however, the design plans for
the pedestrian plaza had not yet been approved as City staff was working to address various
technical comments and concerns from the County on the plaza design. In particular, the design
of the plaza necessitated reversing the flow of traffic along the Ocean Court alleyway between
13 Street and 14 Place to utilize the alleyway as a detour route for traffic entering Ocean Drive
from 15 Street to travel southbound and exit Ocean Drive through the alleyway. The City worked
closely with the Ocean Drive Association and installed regulatory and wayfinding signage at
strategic locations on the affected streets to deter unnecessary vehicular traffic from entering
Ocean Drive via 15 Street and to inform drivers of the new southbound traffic pattern and the
pedestrian plaza.
As of today, the County has denied the approval of the pedestrian plaza citing the use of
the 14 Place/Ocean Court alleyway as a vehicular detour route for the pedestrianized
portion of Ocean Drive as the basis for the denial. Via a letter to the County dated June 21,
2022 (Attachment A), the City emphasized that the 14 Place/Ocean Court alleyway is the only
viable alternative route for Ocean Drive traffic entering through 15 Street to by-pass the plaza
given u-turns are not feasible once a southbound vehicle reaches the existing access gate at 14
Place. The County responded via a letter dated October 25, 2022 (Attachment B) reaffirming its
concerns with the use of the alleyway as a detour route for general traffic and welcoming further
discussion with the City on this matter.
The Administration acknowledges that there are operational challenges associated with the use
of the alleyway as a detour route for Ocean Drive traffic, albeit as a temporary condition, given
the essential and frequent back-of-house services for the businesses and hotels in the area;
services that cannot currently occur in this section of Ocean Drive due to the pedestrian plaza.
We also note that at least one hotel within the pedestrian-only area has threatened litigation
related to the as yet unapproved road closure.
Pursuant to the County's recent letter, the Administration has scheduled a meeting with Miami-
Dade County Transportation and Public Works staff to occur on December 21, 2022 to discuss
this outstanding issue in further detail and hopefully reach consensus on a path to secure County
approval. The Administration will provide an update on the outcome of the meeting via LTC.
Please feel free to reach out to me if you have any questions.
Attachments
A: Letter to Miami-Dade County
B: Response Letter from Miami-Dade County
ATH/RW/JRG
M I AM I BEACH Attachment A
City of Miami Beach, 1 700 Convention Center Drive,Miami Beach,Fonda 33139,www.momibeachfl.gov
OFFICE OF THE CITY MANAGER
Tel:305.673.7010
June 21, 2022
Eulois Cleckley
Chief Executive Officer and Director
Miami-Dade County Department of Transportation and Public Works
701 NW 1st Court
Miami, FL 33128
RE: Ocean Drive Pedestrian Plaza(Application No.2022001803)
Dear Mr. Cleckley:
I am writing to formally request the Department of Transportation and Public Works' (DTPW)
approval for the Ocean Drive pedestrian plaza which extends between 14 Place and 13 Street on
Ocean Drive in the City of Miami Beach. As you may be aware, based on discussions with your
staff, the City submitted traffic control plans for the pedestrian plaza in the DTPW system in
December 2021. Since that time,we have been working with your DTPW staff to secure approval
of the plans. At this time, the only outstanding comment from DTPW pertains to the use of a
portion of the Ocean Court alleyway as a vehicular detour for the pedestrian plaza.
Given the location of the pedestrian plaza, vehicles entering Ocean Drive from 15 Street to travel
southbound along Ocean Drive are being diverted at 14th Place through the Ocean Court alleyway
to 13 Street where vehicular traffic can access Ocean Drive and continue to travel southbound.
The re-routing of vehicles through the Ocean Court alleyway is the only option available to deter
vehicles from entering the pedestrian plaza, thereby ensuring the safety and integrity of the plaza
and the pedestrians therein. It is important to note that the volume of vehicles being re-routed
through the alleyway at this time is relatively minor as we have strategically placed digital
message signs along northbound and southbound Collins Avenue to discourage drivers from
using 15 Street to enter Ocean Drive due to the presence of the pedestrian plaza.
By way of this letter,we are seeking DTPW's approval and final determination as to the pedestrian
plaza as currently configured. Please feel free to contact me if you have any questions or
concerns regarding this matter. Thank you in advance for your assistance and consideration of
this issue.
Sincerely,
fc jf, (4-z(c-i ___
—
Alina T. Hudak
City Manager
cc: Eric T. Carpenter, P.E., Deputy City Manager
Lester Sola, Assistant City Manager
Rafael Paz, City Attorney
Jose R. Gonzalez, P.E., Transportation and Mobility Director
Attachment B
Transportation and Public Works
MIAMFQADE Office of the Director
701 NW 1st Court • 17' Floor
COUNTY Miami, Florida 33136
October 25, 2022
Alina Hudak, City Manager
City of Miami Beach
1700 Convention Center Drive
Miami Beach, Fl 33139
Dear Ms. Hudak
This letter is in response to your June 21, 2022 request for authorization from the Miami-Dade
Department of Transportation and Public Works(DTPW)to convert a portion of Ocean Drive into
a pedestrian plaza. The City submitted DR 2022001903 on December 20, 2021, for
"Implementation of a plaza on Ocean Drive between 13th Street and 14th Place". The proposed
project included diverting southbound traffic on Ocean Drive from 15th Street to Ocean Court
(alleyway) between 14th Place and 13th Street. DTPW denied this permit application as well as
subsequent resubmittals as a result of the alleyway presenting several geometric and safety
constraints such as impacts to lateral offsets, vertical clearance, sight distance, and substandard
turning radii. In addition, our review identified hazardous conditions which include utility conflicts,
pedestrian connectivity and lack of emergency vehicles access. The alleyway is not adequately
designed to support the vehicular traffic which the closure would generate.
Miami Dade County Department of Transportation and Public Works understands your position
and desire to reconfigure the public right-of-way in this portion of the City of Miami Beach to
encourage pedestrian accessibility and enhance safety. We are eager to engage you and your
team in the context of a larger plan to effectuate such an improvement in manner consistent with
Miami-Dade County Code and traffic standards. We will make ourselves available to meet and
discuss this initiative at your convenience.
Should you require additional information, please contact myself, or Mr. Josenrique Cueto, P.E.,
Deputy Director
7Sinc rely,
ulois C ckley, D or
Depa ent of ansportation and Public Works
c: Josenrique Cueto, P.E., Deputy Director& Chief Project Delivery Officer, DTPW
Miguel Soria, P.E., Assistant Director, Highways, DTPW
Yamilet Senespleda, P.E., Chief, Traffic Engineering Division, DTPW