LTC 159-2023 Ocean Drive Pedestrian Plaza Pilot - Update #3MIAMI BEACH
OFFICE OF THE CITY MANAGER
LTC# 159-2023 LETTER TO COMMISSION
FROM: Alina T. Hudak, City Mana e
DATE: April 11, 2023
SUBJECT: Ocean Drive Pedestrian Plaza Pilot -Update #3
The purpose of this Letter to Commission ("L TC") is to provide an update on the permitting
status of the Ocean Drive pedestrian promenade located between 13 Street and 14 Place
and to provide information on a potential modified operational plan and methodology for
the temporary promenade as required by Miami-Dade County Department of
Transportation and Public Works ("DTPW"). L TC # 107-2023 dated March 4, 2023, is
attached herein for background and reference (Attachment A). Included in Attachment A,
is a letter to DTPW dated March 3, 2023, outlining the proposed modified operational plan
and methodology for the temporary promenade.
DTPW responded via a letter dated March 28, 2023 (Attachment B), reaffirming its
concerns with the high southbound traffic volumes along Ocean Court alleyway as a result
of no vehicular access onto Ocean Drive within the promenade. DTPW identified two (2)
acceptable alternatives that would limit general traffic along 14 Place/Ocean Court
alleyway. Both alternatives proffered by DTPW would allow vehicles to access the
promenade from 6 a.m. to 11 a.m. The Administration is evaluating the advantages and
disadvantages of both alternatives and will host a community meeting with Ocean Drive
stakeholders to obtain input on the alternatives prior to making a final recommendation on
the selected alternative. Once an alternative is selected, DTPW recommends a 90-day
pilot project implementation.
Furthermore, City staff will work with DTPW to jointly develop a methodology for analysis
of the pilot. Upon completion of the pilot, the City must submit a signed and sealed report
documenting the results. The findings will be utilized to determine whether the pilot is
effective or further adjustments are required. The Transportation and Mobility Department
has reached out to one of its rotational traffic engineering consultants to prepare a scope
of services and price proposal for the traffic analysis required by DTPW for a modified
configuration of the promenade on a pilot basis.
The City Administration will continue to provide updates on the permitting status of the
Ocean Drive Pedestrian Plaza via L TC.
If you have any questions regarding the foregoing, please do not hesitate to contact me.
Attachments:
A: L TC # 107-2023 dated March 4, 2023
B: Response Letter from Miami-Dade County dated March 28, 2023
ictJ�-i& ATH/RW/JRG
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Attachment A
MIAMI BEACH
NO. LTC# 107-2023 LETTER TO COMMISSION
TO:
FROM:
DATE:
Honorable Mayor Dan Gelber and Memb ers of the City Commission
Ans T. oat. or erase (" £, d a
March 4, 2023
SUBJECT: Ocean Drive Pedestrian Plaza Pilot - Update #2
The purpose of this Letter to Commission ("LTC") is to provide an update on the permitting status
of the Ocean Drive pedestrian promenade located between 13 Street and 14 Place and to provide
information on a potential modified operational plan and methodology for the temporary
promenade as required by Miami-Dade County Department of Transportation and Public Works
("DTPW"). L TC # 518-2022 dated December 13, 2022 is attached herein for background and
reference (Attachment A).
On December 21, 2022, the City Administration and DTPW staff met to discuss DTPW's
concerns with the current configuration of the promenade and associated operational challenges.
During the meeting, DTPW staff expressed that a permit for the promenade as currently
configured would not be approved and required that the City submit a modified plan to address
the operational challenges as well as a traffic methodology to evaluate the effectiveness of the
modified plan for DTPW's review and approval. The continuation of the promenade on a pilot
basis would be contingent upon the County's approval of the modified plan. In more recent
communications, DTPW requested that the City submit a modified plan and methodology
with the deadline of March 3, 2023. Included herein is a letter to DTPW dated March 3, 2023
outlining a modified operational plan and methodology for the temporary promenade as required
by DTPW (Attachment B).
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. It
is also important to note that at least one hotel within the pedestrian-only area has threatened
litigation related to the as yet unapproved road closure.
Over the past few months, City staff from various departments, including Police, Fire,
Transportation and Mobility, Parking, Public Works, and Facilities and Fleet Management have
worked together to develop a modified operational plan for the promenade that balances the
needs and desires of the affected residents, property owners, businesses, stakeholder groups,
City emergency services, and visitors, and which addresses the concerns expressed by DTPW
staff both verbally and via letter dated October 25, 2022.
The modified operational plan consists of allowing vehicular traffic to access Ocean Drive via
arm gates at 14 Place from 6 a.m. to 11a.m., Monday - Saturday, which aligns with the time
periods when most deliveries and services for the affected businesses occur. Smaller size trucks
(no more than 33' long) would be allowed to access the alleyway at Ocean Drive and 14 Place
only if required for "back-of-house" services. This operational plan is expected to drastically
reduce the volume of delivery trucks and service vehicles which currently cannot access Ocean
Drive within the promenade portion and must therefore perform their services from the alleyway.
As such, by reducing the number of trucks and service vehicles during the early morning hours
D o c u S ig n E n v e lo p e ID : E F E 8 B 12 1-B F D 9 -4 9 9 7 -B 5 E C -D 2 F E 14 A 1 E C 3 1
w h en the bulk of this activity typically occurs, w e be lieve this operational change w ill address
D T P W's con cer n reg ardin g the vo lum e of vehicl e s using and potentially blocking the alleyw ay
a n d th e challeng e s asso ci a te d w ith that operation.
W ith respe ct to a m e tho d olo gy to evaluate the effectiveness of a m odified operational plan fo r
th e te m p o rary pro m ena d e, the C ity proposes to collect traffi c data at 13 Street, 14 Place, and 15
S tre e t along O ce a n D rive to docum ent the existing conditions w ith respect to traffi c volum es. If
the m od ifi e d op e rationa l pla n is ap proved by D T PW fo r im plem entation on a pilot basis, C ity staff
is pre p a red to co lle ct an d an a lyze po st-traff ic da ta and provide to DT PW fo r use in determ ining
th e eff ective ne ss of the m od ified pilo t. In add ition, C ity staff w ill conduct observ ations and garn er
fe e d b a c k fr o m aff ected re sid ents, prope rt y ow ne rs, businesses, patrons, visitors, and w orkfo rce
w ith re g a rd to the m o d ifi e d pilo t. A s contem pla ted , the City, in collaboration w ith DTPW , will use
th is da ta and fee db a ck to evaluate the pilot and de term ine if any additional changes to the pilot
a re w a rra nte d to ad d ress the C ounty's co nce rn s.
C ity staff ha s m e t w ith O ce a n D rive stake ho lders to share the details of the m odified operational
p lan an d m e tho d o lo g y fo r the tem porary pro m ena de prior to subm itting to D TPW fo r review and
a p p ro v a l. A s so m e sta ke hold ers have expressed concern s w ith allow ing vehicl es in the
pro m ena d e, alb eit in the ea rly m orn ing hours, and w ould prefer to m aintain the integrity of the
cu rre nt pe d e strian ize d enviro nm e nt, im p lem entation and evaluation of the m odified operational
plan w ill req u ire co ntin u e d co m m unity dia logue. W hile the C ity has dem onstrated a com m itm ent
to pe d estria n ize a port io n of O cean D rive thro ugh the im plem entation of a tem porary pedestrian
pro m en a d e, ultim a te ly the C ity and M ia m i-D ade C ounty w ill need to determ ine an operational
plan tha t is m utua lly ag re e a b le.
T he A d m in istration w ill co ntinue to pro vid e up dates on the C ounty's response and perm itting
sta tu s of the O ce a n D rive te m p o rary pede stria n pro m enade via L TC .
P lea s e fee l fr ee to re a ch ou t to m e if you ha ve any questions.
A tt a c hm ents
A: L T C # 518 -2 0 2 2 dat e d D ecem b er 13 , 20 22
B : Le tte r to M iam i-D a d e C o unty D T P W da ted M arch 3, 2023 .: : " ATH/RW/JRG
D o c u S ig n E n v e lo p e ID : EF E 8 B 1 2 1 -F D 9 -4 9 9 7 -5E C -D 2F E 1 4 A 1 E C 3 1
MIAMI B E A C H
NO. LTC#
TO :
FRO M :
DATE:
518-2022 LETTER TO COMMISSION
Honorable Mayor Dan Gelber and Members of the City Commission
Alina T. Hudak, City Manag~
December 13, 2022 [//''
SUBJECT: Update - Ocean Drive Pedestrian Plaza Pilot
The purpose of this Letter to Commission (L TC) 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 Cy 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
DocuSign Envelope ID : EF E 8B121-BFD 9-4997-B 5E C-D 2FE 14A 1E C 31
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 L TC.
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
...49
DocuSign Envelope ID: EFE8B 121-B F 9-4997-B5E C-D2F E 14A 1 EC31
MIAMI BEACH Attachment A
City of Miami Beach, 17OO Convento Center Dnve, Mom Beach, f ondo 33139, www.miorbeachfl. gov
OFFICE OF THE CITY MANAGER
rel 305673 7010
June 21, 2022
Eulois Cleckley
Chief Executive Officer and Director
Miami-Dade County Department of Transportation and Public Works
701 NW 1" 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 14" 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.
5.44 °- • City Manager
cc: Eric T. Carpenter, P.E., Deputy City Manager
Lester Sola, Assistant City Manager
Rafael Paz, City Attorney
Jos~ R. Gonz~lez, P.E., Transportation and Mobility Director
DocuSign Envelope ID: EF E8B 121-FD9 -4 997-B5E C-D2F E 14A1EC31
Attachment B
MIAMI-. EEE
Transportation and Public Works
Office of the Director
701 NW 1st Court » 17% Floor
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 co nnectivity and lack of emergency vehicles access. The alleyway is not adequately
designed to support the vehicular traffic which the closure would generate.
Miami Dade Co unty Departm ent of Transportation and Public Works understands your position
and desire to reco nfigure the public right-of-way in this portion of the City of Miami Be ach to
enco urage 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 co ntact myself. or Mr. Josenrique Cueto, P.E.,
Deputy Director
Sin rely
.
ule" y, Djy tor
of ansporta tion and Public Works
c: Josenrique Cueto, P.E., Deputy Director & Chief Project Delivery Office r, DTPW
Miguel Soria, P.E., Assistant Director, Highways, DTPW
Yamilet Se nespleda, P.E., Chief, Traffic Engineering Division, DTPW
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MIAMI BEACH
City of Miami Beach, 1700 Convention Center Drive, Miomi Beach, Florida 33139, www.miamibeachfl.gov
OFFICE OF THE CITY MANAGER
Tel: 305-673-7010
March 3, 2023
Eulois Cleckley
Chief Executive Officer and Director
Miami-Dade County Department of Transportation and Public Works
701NW 1" Court
Miami, FL 33128
RE: Ocean Drive Temporary Pedestrian Plaza (Application No. 2022001803)
Dear Mr. Cleckley:
Thanks for your continued support and collaboration on various Miami Beach related traffic efforts.
As you are aware, the City of Miami Beach ("Ci ty") has demonstrated a commitment to
pedestrianize a portion of Ocean Drive through the implementation of a temporary pedestrian
promenade from 13 Street to 14 Place. However, we understand the concerns expressed by
Miami-Dade County Department of Transportation and Public Works ("DTPW") staff with regard
to the current operational challenges associated with the current promenade configuration and,
in particular, the required use of the 14 Place/Ocean Court alleyway by general use vehicular
traffic to by-pass the promenade. Please accept this letter as a step forward in our continued
dialogue on this matter subject to further discussions with and approval by our City Commission.
Pursuant to our meeting on December 21, 2022 wherein DTPW staff expressed their concerns
with the current promenade, City staff has been working to develop a modified operational plan
that balances the needs and desires of the affected businesses, stakeholder groups, city
emergency services, residents and visitors, and which addresses the concerns expressed by
DTPW staff both verbally and in the letter dated October 25, 2022. The modified plan consists of
allowing vehicular traffic to access Ocean Drive via arm gates at 14 Place from 6 a.m. to 11a.m.,
Monday - Saturday, which aligns with the time periods when most deliveries and services for the
affected businesses occur. Smaller size trucks (no more than 33' long) would be allowed to access
the alleyway at Ocean Drive and 14 Place only if required for "back-of-house" services. This
operational plan is expected to drastically reduce the volume of delivery trucks and service
vehicles which currently cannot access Ocean Drive within the promenade portion and must
therefore perform their services from the alleyway. As such, by reducing the number of trucks and
service vehicles during the early morning hours when the bulk of this activity typically occurs, we
believe this operational change will address DTPW's concern regarding the volume of vehicles
using and potentially blocking the alleyway and the concerns associated with that operation.
With respect to a methodology to evaluate the effectiveness of a modified operational plan for the
temporary promenade, the City proposes to collect traffic data at 13 Street, 14 Place, and 15
Street along Ocean Drive to document the existing conditions with respect to traffic volumes; and
we welcome DTPW's input in this regard. If the modified operational plan is approved by DTPW
for implementation on a pilot basis, City staff is prepared to collect and analyze post-traffic data
and provide to DTPW for use in determining the effectiveness of the modified pilot. In addition,
City staff will conduct observations and garner feedback from affected residents, businesses,
customers, and workforce with regard to the modified pilot. The City, in collaboration with DTPW,
will use this data and feedback to evaluate the pilot and determine if any additional changes to
the pilot are warranted to address the County's concerns.
W e are com m itted to providing excellent public service and sa fety to all who live, work and play in our vibrant, tropical, historic
com m unity.
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M arcn 3, ZUZ3
Page 2
it1 rdtd
W e lo o k fo rw a rd to co ntin ue d dia lo g u e w ith D T PW on w ays to ensure the success of this key pilot
in itia tive a lon g ou r C ity's m o st ico n ic stree t. P le a se feel fr ee to contact m e if you ha ve any
qu e stio n s o r co n c e rn s. Tha n k yo u fo r yo ur co nside ration of this req ue st.
S in c e re ly,
ln D ocuS igned by: ±y
A lin a I . H u d ak
C ity M a n a g e r
cc: E ric T . C a rpe nte r, P .E ., D e p uty C ity M ana g e r, C ity of M iam i Beach
R icke lle W illia m s , A ssistant C ity M a n a g e r, C ity of M iam i Bea ch
Jo s ~ R . Gonz~lez, P.E ., T ran sp or tation an d M obility Di rect or , Ci ty of Miami Be ach
Jim m y L. M o ra le s , C hie f O p e rations O ffi ce r, M ia m i-D a de C ounty O ff ice of the M a yor
Attachment B
...M9
zsfri ii i
Department of Transportation and Public Works
Office of the Director
701 NW 1st Court • 17 Floor
Miami, Florida 33136
March 28, 2023
Alina Hudak, City Manager
City of Miami Beach
1700 Convention Center Drive
Miami Beach, Fl 33139
RE: Ocean Drive Temporary Pedestrian Plaza (Application No. 2022001803)
Dear Mrs. Hudak
The Miami-Dade Department of Transportation and Public Works (DTPW) is in receipt of your
letter dated March 3, 2023 requesting authorization for a pilot study to evaluate proposed traffic
flow modifications along Ocean Drive and the Ocean Ct. a leyway. We understand that the
modifications proposed by the City of Miami Beach ("City") are intended to prioritize pedestrian
access to Ocean Drive from 13 Street to 14" Place. DTPW appreciates the City's commitment
to advancing pedestrian improvements while ensuring publ c safety, and has undertaken a
thorough review of the updated proposed plan.
In previous correspondence to the City, our Department highlighted several geometric and safety
constraints associated with the use of the Ocean Ct. alleyway for re-routing of significant volumes
of general traffic. These safety concerns include impacts to lateral offsets, vertical clearance, sight
distance, and substandard turning radii. Additionally, our review determined that such re-routing
would generate various hazardous conditions including limiting access by emergency vehicles
and the creation of several conflict points for pedestrians and motorists.
As a result of DTPW's feedback, the City most recently proposed a configuration by which general
vehicular traffic would only be allowed to access Ocean Drive, via gate arms, at 14 " place from 6
am to 11 am , Monday through Saturday. Furthermore, the City proposed allowing trucks smaller
than 33 feet long to access the alleyway at Ocean Ct. for "back of house services". The City's
letter, however, does not speak to any limitations on routing of general traffic from Ocean Drive
onto the Ocean Ct. alleyway.
Since the receipt of your letter, DTPW staff has performed field reviews and conducted working
sessions to understand the technical and safety implications of your proposal. Upon review we
remain concerned that the proposed solution fails to address safety issues associated with high
south-bound traffic volumes along the Ocean Ct. alleyway as a result of limited vehicular access
to Ocean Drive.
Our team has identified two alternatives that would be acceptable and should be considered by
the City as viable solutions. These alternatives are as follows:
• Al t e rn at i v e 1 : G a te cl o s ur e at 14" Place and Ocear Drive with controlled access for
service vehicles. See Exhibit 1.
• Alternative 2: Reconfiguration of the alleyway for northbound service vehicles traffic only.
See attached Exhibit 2.
Both alternatives address DTPW's primary safety objective of limiting general traffic along the
Ocean Ct. alleyway. Under these scenarios, A1A would serve as the alternate route for vehicular
traffic. T-turnarounds would be required at the 13" and 14" Street alleyway intersections. As a
result, traffic entering the intersecting streets will have an adequate method of egress and the
Ocean Ct. alleyway would revert to its originally intended use for service vehicles only.
Miami Dade County considers both alternatives viable and would recommend a 90-day pilot
project implementation. Prior to commencement of the pilot, the City of Miami Beach must
schedule a meeting with members of DTPW to jointly develop a methodology for analysis of the
pilot. The methodology must include but is not limited to data collection strategy, documenting
loading conditions, access management, passenger drop-off, public input, education, and
compliance. The methodology must also identify the intended cutcome and measures of success.
The pilot project would require monthly reviews of impacts to traffic, safety concerns, and
unforeseen conflicts. A detailed daily log shall be required and should be maintained by the City
throughout the pilot project implementation, the log will provide specific traffic monitoring
measures which will be identified and accepted by both the City and the County traffic engineering
teams in advance of implementation. City staff will conduct observations and obtain feedback
from affected residents, businesses, customers, and workforce with regard to the pilot. Upon
completion of the pilot, the City must submit a signed and sealed report documenting the results,
determining success, and providing recommendation for next steps. The outcomes of the pilot
will be utilized to determine whether the permanent implementation of traffic modifications is
feasible or if further adjustments are required.
I have directed my team to support this effort and work with your staff to arrive at a final pilot plan
for implementation. We look forward to assisting the City in achieving its pedestrian connectivity
objectives while maintaining public safety at all times.
Should you require additional information, please contact myself, or Mr. Josenrique Cueto, P.E.,
Deputy Director
Sincerely,
E I r & CEO
D t rtation and Public Works
c: Josenrique Cueto, P.E., Deputy Director
Miguel Soria, P.E., Assistant Director
Yamilet Senespleda, P.E., Chief Traffic Engineering Division
Alternative 1
I +5 niJif 1
1' as l#
+'
' g] .•
' I 1 .. -
l
/ />
4
C ontrol led Service
V ehicle A ccess O nly
Gate Arm J ~,·
I a - - i • "
r
Gate Arm Gate Arm
Exhibit 1
» t
Alternative 2
Northbound Only
Service Vehicle Traffic
Gate Arm
Exhibit 2
f
t
DocuSign Envelope ID: E7O01 E32-71DC-4128-8178-9F9409EF7578
MIAMI BEACH
City of Miami Beach, 1700 Convention Center Drive, Miami Beach, Florida 33139, www.miamibeachfl.gov
OFFICE OF THE CITY MANAGER
Tel: 305-673-7010
March 3, 2023
Eulois Cleckley
Chief Executive Officer and Director
Miami-Dade County Department of Transportation and Public Works
701 NW 1"Court
Miami, FL 33128
RE: Ocean Drive Temporary Pedestrian Plaza (Application No. 2022001803)
Dear Mr. Cleckley:
Thanks for your continued support and collaboration on various Miami Beach related traffic efforts.
As you are aware, the City of Miami Beach ("City") has demonstrated a commitment to
pedestrianize a portion of Ocean Drive through the implementation of a temporary pedestrian
promenade from 13 Street to 14 Place. However, we understand the concerns expressed by
Miami-Dade County Department of Transportation and Public Works ("DTPW") staff with regard
to the current operational challenges associated with the current promenade configuration and,
in particular, the required use of the 14 Place/Ocean Court alleyway by general use vehicular
traffic to by-pass the promenade. Please accept this letter as a step forward in our continued
dialogue on this matter subject to further discussions with and approval by our City Commission.
Pursuant to our meeting on December 21, 2022 wherein DTPW staff expressed their concerns
with the current promenade, City staff has been working to develop a modified operational plan
that balances the needs and desires of the affected businesses, stakeholder groups, city
emergency services, residents and visitors, and which addresses the concerns expressed by
DTPW staff both verbally and in the letter dated October 25, 2022. The modified plan consists of
allowing vehicular traffic to access Ocean Drive via arm gates at 14 Place from 6 a.m. to 11a.m.,
Monday - Saturday, which aligns with the time periods when most deliveries and services for the
affected businesses occur. Smaller size trucks (no more than 33' long) would be allowed to access
the alleyway at Ocean Drive and 14 Place only if required for "back-of-house" services. This
operational plan is expected to drastically reduce the volume of delivery trucks and service
vehicles which currently cannot access Ocean Drive within the promenade portion and must
therefore perform their services from the alleyway. As such, by reducing the number of trucks and
service vehicles during the early morning hours when the bulk of this activity typically occurs, we
believe this operational change will address DTp's concern regarding the volume of vehicles
using and potentially blocking the alleyway and the concerns associated with that operation.
With respect to a methodology to evaluate the effectiveness of a modified operational plan for the
temporary promenade, the City proposes to collect traffic data at 13 Street, 14 Place, and 15
Street along Ocean Drive to document the existing conditions with respect to traffic volumes; and
we welcome DTPW's input in this regard. If the modified operational plan is approved by DTPW
for implementation on a pilot basis, City staff is prepared to collect and analyze post-traffic data
and provide to DTPW for use in determining the effectiveness of the modified pilot. In addition,
City staff will conduct observations and garner feedback from affected residents, businesses,
customers, and workforce with regard to the modified pilot. The City, in collaboration with DTPW,
will use this data and feedback to evaluate the pilot and determine if any additional changes to
the pilot are warranted to address the County's concerns.
We are committed to providing excellent public service and safety to all who live, work and play in our vibrant, tropical, historic
community.
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W e look fo rw ard to continued dialogue with DTPW on ways to ensure the success of this key pilot
initiative along our City's most iconic street. Please feel free to contact me if you have any
questions or concerns. Thank you for your consideration of this request.
Sincerely,
GOocuSigned by:
uua t.lat
egr@g%%, Alina T. Huda
City Manager
cc: Eric T. Carpenter, P.E., Deputy City Manager, City of Miami Beach
Rickelle Williams, Assistant City Manager, City of Miami Beach
Jos~ R. Gonz~lez, P.E., Transportation and Mobility Director, City of Miami Beach
Jimmy L. Morales, Chief Operations Officer, Miami-Dade County Office of the Mayor