The Connecting Miami Signature Bridge project is a partnership between the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) and the former Miami-Dade Expressway Authority (MDX), with construction limits on State Road (SR) 836 beginning at NW 17^th Avenue and continuing through the SR 836/I-395/I-95 (Midtown) interchange to the MacArthur Causeway bridge.

The project commenced in summer 2018 and is anticipated to be completed by fall 2023. 

The City is concerned with the cumulative impact to mobility in and around Miami Beach as a result of the multi-year construction of the Connecting Miami Signature Bridge project and other active and future FDOT projects in the City, including:

• I-95 concrete replacement from NW 29^th Street to NW 131^st Street

• MacArthur Causeway east bridge rehabilitation

• Alton Road/Dade Boulevard bridge rehabilitation

• Alton Road and Michigan Avenue intersection - new additional southbound left turn lane

• Indian Creek Drive resurfacing between 63^rd Street and Abbott Avenue

• Julia Tuttle Causeway inside shoulder improvements for beach express north bus express rapid transit (BERT) service

• Alton Road reconstruction from Michigan Ave to 43^rd Street and from 43^rd Street to Allison Island

• Collins Avenue resurfacing from 4400 block to 4700 block

• Venetian Causeway bridge reconstruction

• Harding Avenue resurfacing from 96^th Street to Indian Creek Drive

   

Additionally, the City has several major roadway construction projects planned, including the West Avenue corridor and Indian Creek Drive between 26^th Street and 41^st Street, which will overlap with the Connecting Miami Signature Bridge and the above FDOT projects.

Traffic Mitigation

At the March 13, 2019 City Commission meeting, the City Commission adopted a resolution directing the Administration to pursue traffic mitigation strategies, including an agreement specific to communication protocols  about  the Connecting Miami Signature Bridge project. The mitigation strategies include:

1. accelerate the implementation of the Beach Express North bus express rapid transit (BERT) demonstration service and interim Route 150/Airport Express modifications

2. enhance service of Route 101/A

3. explore waiving tolls on the Venetian Causeway

4. active work zone traffic monitoring and management

5. explore waterborne transportation service connecting Downtown Miami and Miami Beach

In April 2019, City staff met with FDOT.   City staff requested that some of the projects be deferred until the Connecting Miami Signature Bridge project is finished.  FDOT will consider changes to the sequencing and phasing of projects to minimize impact, financial impact, and impact to residential areas due to nighttime work. 

Additionally, at the City’s request, FDOT has developed a comprehensive, coordinated, and interactive map of all FDOT construction projects affecting Miami Beach, including projects on I-95 and the causeways.  This map is updated and disseminated to the community on a weekly basis, and active city projects will be included soon.

Below is a status update on each of the traffic mitigation strategies based on recent interagency coordination.

1. Accelerate the implementation of the Beach Express North bus express rapid transit (BERT) service and interim Route 150 (Airport Express) modifications

BERT

Recent correspondence from the FDOT State Secretary Kevin Thibault states a service commencement date of 2023 for the BERT service.  The County has submitted the required Project Justification Report to FDOT for review.  At a July 23, 2019 meeting with FDOT State Secretary Kevin Thibault, District Six Secretary Jim Wolfe, and City staff, Secretary Wolfe committed to coordinate a meeting with County staff, FDOT staff, and City staff to discuss moving the BERT project forward.  This meeting occurred on September 13, 2019.   Staff and FDOT have met twice, however, FDOT has not committed to completing the inside shoulder improvements on the Julia Tuttle Causeway prior to 2023.

Design and construction funds for the Julia Tuttle Causeway inside shoulder modifications required for the Beach Express North BERT service are included in the FDOT District 6 Tentative Work Program for Fiscal Years 2021-2025; however, the operation and maintenance funds awarded through the Miami-Dade Transportation Planning Organization SMART Demonstration Program for the BERT service are not included in the FDOT Work Program at this time.  It is worth highlighting that the City has committed to funding 50% of the annual operation and maintenance costs of the BERT service for a three-year period, for a total approximate amount of $5.1 million.  As such, City staff has formally requested that FDOT include its 50% share of the annual operating cost of the BERT service in its Work Program.

Additionally, FDOT contracted HDR Engineering to develop engineering drawings for the Julia Tuttle Causeway inside shoulder work, including the bus by-pass lanes (queue jumpers).  A kick-off meeting was held on September 13, 2019.  HDR will conduct a technical review; update the design scoping report; develop design drawings, cost estimate, and a concept of operations report; and guide implementation. 

The schedule for the HDR work is shown below: 

• technical review - September 2019

• concept of operations - October 2019

• final report - November 2019

• design development, including final engineering plans/specifications/construction cost estimates, design variances/exceptions and approvals – 2020 - 2021

• construction award - April 2022

Approvals needed during the design process include:

• FDOT approval of the project justification report and concept plans

• South Florida Water Management District environmental resource permit

• cultural resources clearance and environmental certification from FDOT

• Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) approval

Route 150/Airport Express

The Better Bus Project being led by the Transit Alliance in partnership with the County assessed the County’s current bus network.  Both the ridership and coverage concepts developed by Transit Alliance recommend eliminating Route 150/Airport Express due to poor productivity (i.e. high operating cost and low ridership).  Under both concepts, service between Miami International Airport and Miami Beach would be provided by other bus routes; however, not as an express service.  Transit Alliance will present the Better Bus concepts at the October 23, 2019 Neighborhood/Community Affairs Committee meeting for review and discussion.  

     2. Enhance service of Route A

Route A is operated by the County and runs along the Venetian Causeway between Omni Station in Miami and Publix at Sunset Harbour.  Similar to Route 150 above, Route A is also being assessed as part of Transit Alliance’s Better Bus Project.  Both the ridership and coverage concepts developed by Transit Alliance include enhancing Route A to operate 7 days a week without a mid-day gap in service.  Under the ridership concept, service would operate every 20 minutes from 5AM to midnight; and under the coverage concept, service would operate every 30 minutes from 5AM to midnight.  Explore waiving tolls on the Venetian Causeway

    3. Explore waiving tolls on the Venetian Causeway

Waiving tolls on the Venetian Causeway has been approved in the past to mitigate congestion on the MacArthur Causeway as a result of construction.  FDOT has drafted a Joint Participation Agreement establishing the parameters and cost sharing for waiving the tolls on Venetian Causeway which is under the jurisdiction of Miami-Dade County.  The draft agreement is currently under review by the County.

    4. Active work zone traffic monitoring and management

The City's traffic monitoring and management contractor has continued to work closely with the FDOT SunGuide 511 Traffic Management Center to inform motorists in advance of any lane/ramp closures and detours using the City's and FDOT's digital message signs strategically located throughout the City and along the causeways, I-95, I-395/SR 836, and I-195/SR 112.  All information for weekend lane/ramp closures is provided to the City ahead of time and disseminated by the City via email blasts, social media, and traffic text alerts.

    5. Explore waterborne transportation service connecting Downtown Miami and Miami Beach

Pursuant to a competitive solicitation recently issued by the County, Poseidon Ferry is pursuing an east-west passenger ferry service between Downtown Miami and South Beach and potentially additional routes along Biscayne Bay using double deck vessels with an air-conditioned lower deck.  The service would cater to commuters (Monday – Friday during morning and afternoon peak periods) and the proposed fare structure is intended to be competitive with current public transit fares.  The City is working with Poseidon Ferry, the City of Miami, and the County to assist in securing docking locations that will be needed to operate the cross-bay ferry service, including potential enhancements to transit service connecting to docking facilities to facilitate the first/last mile of the trip.  A docking location on the north end of the Miami Beach Marina (in proximity to 5^th Street) is being evaluated.  This location is served by the South Beach trolley and is in proximity to the Alton Road/5^th Street parking garage which can serve as a park-and-ride facility.

Other strategies underway

• Interactive map of City and FDOT projects

The City’s GIS team has developed a comprehensive interactive map which will have information on all city projects, including anticipated lane closures, as well as the lane/ramp closure information from the FDOT interactive map.  This consolidated map will help staff identify any conflicting detours and schedules on projects in order to help reduce the cumulative impact of construction on the community.  The map is under final review by staff. 

• Commuter vanpool

The South Florida Vanpool Program is subsidized by South Florida Commuter Services (SFCS) and is available to commuters traveling to/from Miami Beach.   In collaboration with SFCS, the City’s Transportation and Mobility Department is planning outreach campaigns to encourage use of this program to reduce cross-causeway single occupancy vehicle trips.