The intersection of 37 Street and Sheridan Avenue currently operates as a two-way stop intersection.  The east-west approaches on 37 Street are stop-controlled while Sheridan Avenue traffic is uncontrolled.  Both 37 Street and Sheridan Avenue are classified as local roadways.

Following a crash at the intersection of 37 Street and Sheridan Avenue and concerns raised by residents of the area, in February 2020, Commissioner Steve Meiner sponsored the referral of a discussion item to the Neighborhood and Quality of Life Committee (NQLC) to explore modifying the current intersection traffic control from two-way stop control to an all-way stop control.  

It is worth highlighting that according to the 2019 City of Miami Beach Resident Survey, 74% of respondents expressed that they are most concerned/dissatisfied with pedestrian safety (vehicles not yielding to pedestrians) when crossing an intersection.  As such, expediting the implementation of traffic control improvements is a priority for the Administration.

The evaluation criteria for multi-way stop signs are outlined in the U.S. Department of Transportation Federal Highway Administration’s Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD).  The MUTCD specifies the minimum criteria that must be met prior to installation of a multi-way stop control at an intersection.  The criteria are based on crashes and traffic volumes (vehicular, pedestrian, and bicycle) at an intersection over various periods of time.

The approval, implementation, and maintenance of traffic control devices is under the jurisdiction of Miami-Dade County; however, to expedite the approval process, City’s Transportation and Mobility Department engages a consultant to collect traffic data, conducts in-house warrant analyses for multi-way stop controls, pedestrian flashing beacons, and traffic signals, and works with the County to expedite the installation, if warranted.

All-Way Stop Control Warrant Study

Given that traffic volumes were drastically reduced due to the COVID-19 pandemic restrictions, the data collection and analysis were conducted in February 2021 when traffic volumes were returning to normal.  Vehicle, pedestrian, and bicycle volumes were collected from Thursday, February 18, 2021 to Sunday, February 21, 2021 (96-hours) to identify the peak eight (8) hours for the analysis.  The peak day identified was Thursday and the peak times identified were 8:00 A.M. to 11:00 A.M. and 1:00 P.M. to 6:00 P.M.  Following the completion of the warrant analysis in accordance with the MUTCD, the following results were obtained:

• Warrant 1 - Five (5) or more reported crashes in a 12-month period that are susceptible to correction by a multi-way stop.

• Result – Typically, the analysis for Warrant 1 is performed reviewing the 12 months prior to the data collection date; however, to account for the reduction in traffic due to the COVID-19 pandemic restrictions, staff reviewed five (5) years of crash data to identify the highest 12-month period.  The review resulted in three (3) crashes susceptible to correction by multi-way stop in a 12-month period between September 2017 and September 2018.  Based on the analysis, Warrant 1 was not met.

• Warrant 2A - The vehicular volume entering the intersection from the major street approaches (total of both approaches) averages at least 300 vehicles per hour for any eight (8) hours of an average day.

•  Result – The average volume for the peak eight (8) hours on Sheridan Avenue is 111 vehicles.  Based on the analysis, Warrant 2A was not met.

• Warrant 2B - The combined vehicular, pedestrian, and bicycle volume entering the intersection from the minor street approaches (total of both approaches) averages at least 200 units per hour for the same eight (8) hours, with an average delay to minor street vehicular traffic of at least 30 seconds per vehicle during the highest hour.

• Result – The average volume for the peak eight (8) hours on 37 Street is 67 vehicles.  Based on the analysis, Warrant 2B was not met.
  
  

Based on the results of the analysis, an all-way stop control is not warranted at the intersection of Sheridan Avenue and 37 Street.  Notwithstanding, the warrant analysis of the intersection also included a feasibility review of other types of potential devices, such as pedestrian flashing beacons, as well as a review of current pavement marking conditions.  While the pedestrian volumes are not sufficient to warrant the implementation of pedestrian flashing beacons, staff recommends the re-striping of the existing crosswalks as high-emphasis crosswalks and the installation of new pedestrian crossing signs. The City will implement this work this fiscal year through one of the City’s rotational contractors.  The improvements are anticipated to cost approximately $5,000 and the funds are included in the Transportation and Mobility Department’s Adopted Fiscal Year 2020/2021 Operating Budget. 

Central Bayshore Neighborhood Traffic Calming Project

To address speeding and cut-through traffic in the Central Bayshore neighborhood, the City is working on a traffic calming project as part of the General Obligation (G.O.) Bond program.  Construction of the traffic calming project is scheduled to be completed in early 2022.  The City recently hosted a community meeting on March 4, 2021 to discuss the proposed traffic calming improvements which were well-received by the residents of the Central Bayshore neighborhood.  Specifically, for the intersection of Sheridan Avenue and 37 Street, the project recommends the construction of a mini-traffic circle to improve safety and reduce speeds.  In addition, the following traffic calming improvements are also proposed for Sheridan Avenue:

• Speed table north of 28 Street

• Mini-traffic circle at the intersection of Sheridan Avenue and 30 Street

• Speed table north of 31 Street

• Raised crosswalks at the intersection of Sheridan Avenue and 34 Street