This item is sponsored by Commissioner Mark Samuelian and was referred at the April 29, 2021 City Commission meeting to the Finance and Economic Resiliency Committee (FERC) for discussion.

At the December 9, 2020 City Commission meeting, the Commission adopted Resolution No. 2020-31524 (attached) accepting the recommendation of the Finance and Citywide Projects Committee, from its July 31, 2019 meeting, to proceed with a feasibility study for the creation of a pedestrian connection between Ocean Drive and Lincoln Road through Española Way.  The item was sponsored by Commissioner Ricky Arriola.  At the meeting, the City Commission directed City staff to conduct a feasibility study including a traffic impact analysis, development of preliminary design concepts and cost estimates, and community and stakeholder engagement, in an amount not-to-exceed $195,000.  Furthermore, the City Commission requested that draft concepts be brought back to the City Commission at a later date for review and input.

At the May 21, 2021 FERC meeting, Commissioner Samuelian made a motion for the Administration to return to the June 11, 2021 FERC meeting with budget estimates for short-term and long-term enhancements for consideration as part of the current budget cycle.  The motion was passed by acclamation.

UPDATE SINCE THE MAY 21, 2021 FERC MEETING

Pursuant to the Committee’s request, City staff developed preliminary budget estimates for the design and construction of short-term and long-term enhancements for the South Beach Promenade for consideration in the current budget cycle.  Recent capital projects similar in scope, including Española Way Pedestrian Mall and Rue Vendome Pedestrian Plaza, were used to develop the below high-level cost estimates for the South Beach Promenade short-term and long-term enhancements.

• Design and construction of short-term/quick-build enhancements: $150,000
•  Design of long-term improvements: $250,000
•  Construction of long-term improvements: $17 million

Furthermore, the Administration is coordinating the South Beach Promenade Connectivity Feasibility Study with the Art Deco Cultural District (ADCD) Visioning Study being conducted by Zyscovich Architects to ensure there is no duplication of efforts. 

UPDATE PROVIDED AT THE MAY 21, 2021 FERC MEETING

To enhance the pedestrian and bicycle experience between the Ocean Drive, Española Way, and Lincoln Road Mall commercial and entertainment corridors, the Transportation and Mobility Department has engaged a transportation planning consultant to develop a comprehensive connectivity plan.  The planning study is exploring options for public right-of way improvements, both short and long term in nature. The study is being coordinated with key city departments, including Transportation and Mobility, Planning, Tourism and Cultural Development, Economic Development, Public Works, and Office of Capital Improvements. 

The study, entitled "South Beach Promenade Connectivity Feasibility Study", will identify and assess existing transportation conditions and recommend multimodal transportation improvements to create a safe and interconnected promenade by providing walkable sidewalks, pavement treatments, improved and connected bike lanes, character landscaping, wayfinding and branding, streetscape enhancements, decorative lighting, and transit amenities.  The study will explore tactical urbanism strategies, including pedestrianizing Española Way between Washington Avenue and Collins Avenue and incorporating pavement art, and  evaluating a potential road diet (lane reduction) and conversion to a one-way traffic pattern along Drexel Avenue to create opportunities for wider sidewalks and bicycle lanes.

The study is predicated on the development of both a short-term, high-impact strategic framework and on planning services for long-term, involved implementation components focused on establishing and strengthening a connection between Ocean Drive at 14 Place to Collins Avenue, connecting to Española Way westward to Drexel Avenue, and continuing along Drexel Avenue north until it meets Lincoln Road, providing direct access to Soundscape Park.  The study will also evaluate an alternate connection along Pennsylvania Avenue with the goal of providing a more direct route to the Miami Beach Convention Center and future Hotel and the new Pride Park.

The scope of the South Beach Promenade Connectivity Feasibility Study includes:

• Community and stakeholder engagement
• Traffic data collection and traffic study (including a traffic flow modification analysis)
• Issues and opportunities analysis
• Conceptual design of tactical urbanism solutions
• Conceptual cross sections of long-term improvements
• 3D renderings
• Project phasing recommendations and construction cost estimates

The traffic analysis findings and recommendations and concept designs will require review and approval by Miami-Dade County and the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) given the proposed pedestrian promenade will traverse and modify rights-of-way under County and FDOT jurisdiction.

The Transportation and Mobility Department has engaged a transportation planning consultant to complete the South Beach Promenade Connectivity Feasibility Study.  The goal of the study is to develop feasible short-term and long-term concepts to create a contiguous pedestrian promenade connecting Ocean Drive, Española Way, and Lincoln Road corridors.  The study will utilize art-in-public-places and tactical urbanism strategies to create the framework for memorable, high-impact connections consisting of sidewalk and pavement treatments, branding strategies, artistic components, decorative lighting, landscape planting, hardscape improvements, modifications to existing parking, modifications to pavement markings and striping, and the use of site furnishings and streetscapes elements.  The South Beach Promenade Connectivity Feasibility Study is being coordinated with the ADCD Visioning Study being developed by Zyscovich Architects.

Draft design concepts, once developed by the consultant, will be shared with the Finance and Economic Resiliency Committee and City Commission for review and input, by October 2021.