The Administration recommends that the Mayor and City Commission approve the following recommendations for the Beach Corridor Rapid Transit project based on City staff input and our consultant’s independent technical review of the County’s Beach Corridor draft documents: 

1. A direct rapid transit connection between Miami Beach and Downtown Miami is essential to meet the future mobility needs and economic resilience of Miami Beach.

2. Light rail transit (LRT) is the most flexible and contextual mode and meets the current and future mobility needs of Miami Beach as it can operate at-grade or elevated; however, the County has advised that there are policy and physical constraints with introducing this technology on the mainland south of I-395.

3. Miami-Dade County should evaluate the feasibility of a five-block extension of the proposed LRT route south of I-395 to connect to Virgin MiamiCentral Station/Overtown Transit Village as this extension will improve access and connectivity, increase potential ridership, and maximize economic opportunities for Miami Beach.           

4. Should LRT not be a viable technology south of I-395 in Downtown Miami, then the second best option for Miami Beach would be Automated People Mover (APM) technology.  However, it is essential that the APM service provide (i) a non-stop ride from the Government Center metro station to the proposed Herald Plaza station in Downtown Miami, (ii) a one-seat ride (i.e. no transfer required) between Miami Beach and the Government Center metro station, and (iii) robust bus service operated by Miami-Dade County using dedicated bus/trolley  lanes on Washington Avenue connecting to the Miami Beach Convention Center.  

5. The technology selected, either LRT or APM, must be constructed to an elevation that accommodates both the life of the asset and the adopted sea level rise projection prepared by the Southeast Florida Regional Climate Change Compact.

6. Cost estimates should include the cost of tidal flooding and sea level rise mitigation in the Beach Corridor project and in the 20-year Financial Plan.

7. Future operating service and passenger distribution plans should accommodate the schedule of the Miami Beach workforce and non-typical peak periods experienced in Miami Beach.

8. Stations/stops in Miami Beach should be architecturally compatible with their surroundings.

9. Independent of the Beach Corridor project, expediting implementation of the SMART Plan Bus Express Rapid Transit (BERT) service to Miami Beach, including the Beach Express North, Beach Express South, and Beach Express Central BERT routes. 

10. Continue to accommodate the pedestrian bridge across 5^th Street.

The City’s Transportation Master Plan adopted in 2016 recommends rapid mass transit service connecting Miami Beach and Downtown Miami along the MacArthur Causeway as vital to the economic viability, environmental sustainability, mobility, and quality-of-life of the City and its residents and visitors. 

SMART Plan Beach Corridor Project

On February 16, 2016, the Governing Board of the Miami-Dade Transportation Planning Organization (TPO) unanimously adopted Resolution No. 06-16 which set the advancement of rapid transit corridors and transit supportive projects as the highest priority for Miami-Dade County.

On April 21, 2016, the TPO Governing Board unanimously adopted Resolution No. 26-16 endorsing the County's Strategic Miami Area Rapid Transit (SMART) Plan. The goal of the SMART Plan is to improve mobility options within the County by implementing six priority rapid transit corridors, as well as nine bus express rapid transit (BERT) routes which, upon full implementation, are anticipated to improve transportation mobility countywide; to provide a world-class transit system that will support economic growth, global competitiveness, and future population growth; to improve access to tourist destinations and recreational areas; and, to improve air quality and reduced energy consumption due to fewer vehicles traveling on roadways, among other benefits.

Currently, the SMART Plan includes the Beach Corridor which proposes to connect Design District, Midtown, Downtown Miami, and Miami Beach as one of the six priority rapid transit corridors.

On July 21, 2016, the City of Miami Beach, City of Miami, Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT), and Miami-Dade County entered into a Memorandum of Understanding intended to collaboratively advance the project development and environmental studies required for the Beach Corridor Project. The Project Development and Environment (PD&E) Study for the Beach Corridor Rapid Transit Project has been led by Miami-Dade County and was initiated in 2017.  The cost is approximately $10 Million, with funding provided from the following stakeholder agencies: FDOT - $5 Million; Citizens’ Independent Transportation Trust (CITT) – $3.75 Million; Miami-Dade County - $417,000; City of Miami - $417,000; and City of Miami Beach - $417,000.

At the December 14, 2016 City Commission meeting, the Commission unanimously approved Resolution No. 2016-29690 which, among other directives, directed the City Administration to work with County Administration to advance short-term transit initiatives (such as BERT service) and long-term initiatives for a rapid transit connection across the MacArthur Causeway to connect Downtown Miami with the City of Miami Beach.

Subsequently, at its meeting on February 14, 2018, the City Commission adopted Resolution No. 2018-30180 which requested that the County consider the Julia Tuttle Causeway as an additional corridor in the Beach Corridor PD&E Study.

Beach Corridor PD&E Study

Miami Beach Transportation and Mobility Department staff has actively participated in the PD&E study as part of a Technical Advisory Committee.  Additionally, a Project Advisory Group consisting of community members was comprised to provide input and help guide decision-making during the study.

Key County public outreach dates include:

• Public meeting on December 17, 2018

• Project Advisory Group meetings on May 30, 2019, August 29, 2019, and November 19, 2019

• Public workshops on June 17 and June 20, 2019, and August 12 and 16, 2019

Miami-Dade County segmented the project corridor into three sections:

• Miami extension from Downtown Miami to the Design District

• a trunk line extending from Downtown Miami to Miami Beach along the MacArthur Causeway

• Miami Beach extension along 5^th Street from Alton Road to Washington Avenue and north to the Convention Center. 

Four technology options were evaluated for each of the segments of the corridor (Attachment 1): 

• Monorail:  This technology is capable of operating at high speeds, with vehicles that provide high passenger capacity. As an elevated mode, monorail is reliable and resilient in the face of climate change impacts (particularly flooding).  The proposed route would operate from the proposed Herald Plaza station in Downtown Miami to Washington Avenue and 5^th Street in Miami Beach.

• Metromover/Automated People Mover (APM):  This is an existing technology operating in Downtown Miami. As compared with monorail, APM operates at lower speeds and with smaller vehicles with lower passenger capacity. Similar to monorail, APM is elevated, reliable, and resilient in the face of climate change impacts (particularly flooding).  The proposed route would operate under one of two scenarios: 1) a one-seat ride from Government Center in Downtown Miami to a proposed elevated station at Washington Avenue and 5th Street (using the existing APM technology and vehicles which operate at a slower speed); or 2) from Government Center to the proposed Herald Plaza station where a transfer to a newer technology APM vehicle would be required to travel along the MacArthur Causeway at a higher speed to the proposed elevated station at Washington Avenue and 5th Street.   

• Bus Rapid Transit (BRT):  This technology provides passenger amenities similar to rail transit service, such as raised stations for level boarding, and, like LRT, is a flexible technology that can operate  in mixed traffic on city streets, or  in dedicated right-of-way or lanes to increase reliability.  BRT typically carries fewer passengers per vehicle than rail transit modes. 

• Light Rail Transit (LRT)/Modern Streetcar:  This is a flexible technology that can operate at lower speeds in mixed traffic (less reliable), or at higher speeds on an exclusive guideway (more reliable).  Light rail is offered in a range of sizes and capacities, branded as streetcar, tram or LRT service. Off-wire technologies that allow LRT to operate without overhead wires make it compatible in urban settings where views, aesthetics, and major storms are important considerations.

At the November 19, 2019 Project Advisory Group meeting, Miami-Dade County presented its draft study findings and recommended alternative. 

Miami-Dade County study findings:

• Ridership forecast of between 11,500 to 41,900 passengers daily depending on mode

• Rail modes are higher performing and higher cost than BRT

• BRT capacity and ridership do not meet project purpose, need, and projected demand

• LRT impacts are higher than APM or Monorail

• APM and Monorail have similar bay crossing trunk line performance

• Funding potential may be key consideration given similar performance

Miami-Dade County recommended alternative:

• APM for the Miami extension from existing Metromover station at School Board station to Design District
  
  

• Elevated rubber tire vehicle (APM or Monorail) for the trunk line (Herald Plaza/Museum Park Metromover station to Washington Avenue and 5^th Street)

• Bus/trolley on dedicated lanes for the Miami Beach extension from Washington Avenue and 5^th Street to the Miami Beach Convention Center

Selection of a locally preferred alternative is anticipated to occur at the January 30, 2020 Transportation Planning Organization (TPO) Governing Board meeting.

Beach Corridor Unsolicited Proposal

In spring 2019, the County received an unsolicited proposal from Miami Beach Monorail Consortium proposing a monorail connection between Downtown Miami and Miami Beach.  At its July 10, 2019 meeting, the Board of County Commissioners approved a resolution accepting the unsolicited proposal, and pursuant to Florida Statutes governing the process for unsolicited proposals, issued an open and competitive solicitation (i.e. Request For Proposals) for the same project purpose on September 18, 2019.  Proposal responses are due by March 16, 2020.  The County has established a selection committee which includes a representative from Miami Beach. 

The City engaged a consultant (InfraStrategies) to conduct an independent third-party technical review of the County's Beach Corridor Rapid Transit  Study, including the County’s recommended alternative.  The goal of this review is to help determine which alternative is the most suitable for Miami Beach. The summary of their findings is shown as Attachment 2.

The City’s independent third-party technical review found that:

1. Capacity:  LRT has the highest capacity.

2. Ridership:  APM is forecasted to have the highest ridership based on the County’s study. However, City staff believes that if LRT connected to Virgin MiamiCentral Station/Overtown Transit Village (OTV), the LRT ridership would be significantly higher than either APM or Monorail.  An LRT extension to Virgin MiamiCentral Station is not supported by Miami-Dade County from either a policy or technical perspective.  As the County’s proposed LRT route from Miami Beach to Design District does not provide for a direct connection to a regional multimodal hub in Downtown Miami (a transfer is required at the proposed Herald Plaza station),  City staff believes that the LRT route as proposed by the County has limited value for Miami Beach.

3. Travel Time:  Travel time is important to potential passengers, and each of the proposed modes has slightly different travel times, as shown in the chart below from Miami-Dade County.

    

            Note:   Travel time does not include transfers.

            *  NB follows downtown loop counterclockwise.

     4.   Bus Connectivity:  Existing bus and trolley service does not have the capacity to handle the distribution of the projected Beach Corridor ridership demand within Miami Beach. Miami-Dade County should create an operating plan to address Beach Corridor passenger distribution within Miami Beach, keeping in mind  ridership demand after midnight and the other non-traditional peak times experienced in Miami Beach.

    





    5.  Climate Resilience:  All technologies can adapt to tidal flooding and sea level rise by building to the elevation which accommodates both the life of the asset and the adopted sea level rise projections prepared by the Southeast Florida Regional Climate Change Compact. The cost of building the system to the appropriate elevation should be built into the project cost estimates. At grade portions of the routes can be elevated over time to accommodate sea level rise. To address sea level rise in Miami Beach, consider “off-wire” LRT operations in Miami Beach.  Additionally, Miami-Dade County should consider including a capital reserve that would address capital needs in the event of major weather event in its 20-year Financial Plan.

     6. One Seat Ride (to a major hub in Downtown Miami):  The APM option with an  express service would operate from Government Center in Downtown Miami to 5^th Street and Washington Avenue in Miami Beach with an in-vehicle travel time of 13 minutes, plus the required transfer/wait time at the proposed Herald Plaza station, and connect to the Miami Beach Convention Center with bus service in a dedicated lane along Washington Avenue.  LRT, as proposed by the County, would not offer a one-seat ride to a major hub in Downtown Miami.  Only BRT would have a one-seat ride from Overtown Transit Village  to Miami Beach Convention Center; however, BRT has the slowest operating speed and longest travel time between 18 and 25 minutes. The Monorail option provides  service only from the proposed Herald Plaza Station in Downtown Miami to 5^th Street and Washington Avenue.  Similar to the APM alternative, dedicated transit lanes along Washington Avenue would provide a connection to the Miami Beach Convention Center.

     7. Historic Preservation:  LRT and BRT are expected to have more of an impact on existing historic properties on Washington Avenue than APM and Monorail which would only operate along 5^th Street.  Stations within historic districts should be designed to be architecturally compatible with their surroundings and with a ground floor built to an appropriate flood elevation.

     8. Target Market Needs:  There are no alternatives that fully meet the target market needs by limiting transfers and connecting directly to regional multimodal hubs. The alternatives that limit transfers within the City of Miami Beach are BRT and LRT.

     9. Miami Beach Multimodal Hub: All alternatives include a transit hub at 5^th Street/Washington Avenue and at 5^th Street/Lenox Avenue.  LRT and BRT are the only alternatives which are proposed to connect to the Miami Beach Convention Center.

    10. Expandable Technology: LRT is the only alternative that is a flexible, non intrusive technology that can operate at-grade within Miami Beach and above-grade on the MacArthur Causeway and that can be expanded within Miami Beach in the future. 

     11. 5th Street Pedestrian Bridge: All alternatives accommodate this facility.

         Summary of Consultant's Independent Review Findings

             Notes:

*     Miami Beach preferred Alternative

** Miami Beach second recommended alternative

1. All technologies can accommodate tidal flooding and sea-level rise impacts if built to the elevation appropriate to the life of the asset and adopted sea level rise projection.

2. BRT assumes dedicated lanes in Miami Beach and new dedicated lanes on the MacArthur Causeway which require widening of the causeway.

3. All modes have over water connections which will require extensive environmental review and approvals.  Time should be built into the schedule to accommodate the additional review.

4. LRT, BRT, and  connecting bus service to the Miami Beach Convention Center for APM and Monorail will operate at grade along dedicated lanes on Washington Avenue.

5. APM express service could travel from Government Center to 5^th Street and Washington Avenue in 13 minutes in one scenario but may require a transfer at Herald Plaza station in another scenario.  All other modes have roughly equivalent travel times.