This item is sponsored by Commissioner Micky Steinberg and was referred by the City Commission on December 11, 2019 to the Neighborhood and Quality of Life Committee (NQLC) for discussion. The item was discussed at the March 4, 2020 NQLC meeting wherein the Committee recommended that the Administration pursue strategies to improve pedestrian safety on the beachwalk and provide an update at the September NQLC meeting.

At the September 23, 2020 NQLC meeting, the Transportation and Mobility Department staff presented a signage plan to educate beachwalk users assist Police with enforcement. The signage plan consists of 1) regulatory signs at entrances to the beachwalk and baywalk to deter electric/motorized vehicles from entering the facilities, and 2) community-friendly advisory signs along the beachwalk and baywalk to advise lawful users to slow down and yield to pedestrians. The regulatory signs depict specific electric/motorized mobility devices which are not permitted on the beachwalk or baywalk and reference the applicable section of the City Code (70-67).  The NQLC recommended that staff proceed with the production and installation of both the regulatory signs and the community- friendly advisory signs. The Committee also recommended that staff meet with a resident, Mr. Henry Stolar, to review his recommendations for placement and provide an update at the December 2020 NQLC meeting.  The item was deferred in December 2020 and January 2021.

At the February 24, 2021 NQLC meeting, staff presented images of the advisory and regulatory signs and reported that signage installation along the beachwalk and baywalk as well as at entrances to the beachwalk was completed on an expedited basis to help Police enforce mobility rules on the beachwalk during Spring Break.  Several Committee members expressed a desire to strengthen the language on the new signs and expressed a need for more police presence and enforcement along the beachwalk.  Police confirmed that it had worked with Communications to develop the design and content of the new signs.  The Committee acknowledged that any changes to the new signs would not be immediate and be incorporated over time.  The Committee recommended that the Administration provide an update at the May NQLC meeting, including a report from Police on the March/April enforcement statistics and feedback as to how to move forward with modifications, if any, to the new signs.  The item was deferred at the May and June NQLC meetings.

To mitigate the safety concerns of pedestrians using the beachwalk and baywalk, the City’s Transportation and Mobility Department staff explored the possibility of delineating separate lanes for pedestrians and other uses.  However, based on the existing width of 15 feet for the vast majority of the beachwalk, delineating lanes is not feasible or effective and would not meet the minimum standards and guidelines established by FDOT, the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials, (AASHTO), and the National Association of City Transportation Officials (NACTO).   For example, to safely delineate a two-way bike path, a minimum width of 10 feet for bicycles would be required.  With the high number of pedestrians using the beachwalk, a width of 10 feet would be desirable to delineate a two-way path for pedestrians.  Thus, a minimum continuous width of 20 feet is desired to safely segregate pedestrians and bicyclists, yet approximately 70% of the entire length of the beachwalk is only about 15 feet wide.   

Pursuant to the NQLC’s recommendation at its March 4, 2020 meeting, various city departments, including Police, Communications, Property Management, and Transportation and Mobility, coordinated to develop an approach to address the pedestrian safety concern on the beachwalk.  City staff visited the beachwalk during March and April 2020 to survey the existing signage and determine potential locations for additional signs and markings.  Based on staff’s field reviews, it was determined that additional signage was warranted.  An inventory of the existing signage was mapped to assist in the development of a comprehensive signage plan for the area.  The design of the advisory signs was shared with the Mid-Beach Neighborhood Association (MBNA) at its June and July 2020 meetings for endorsement.  Furthermore, staff conducted various walk-throughs of the beachwalk with an involved resident, Mr. Henry Stolar, and, based on his input, adjustments were made to refine the signage plan.

UPDATE SINCE THE FEBRUARY 24, 2021 NQLC MEETING

Signage

Since the February 24, 2021 NQLC meeting, the City has completed the installation of 116 new regulatory signs along the open sections of the beachwalk and at all beachwalk entrance points to assist Police and Park Rangers with enforcing applicable provisions of the City Code.  Furthermore, the City has completed the installation of 70 advisory signs along the open sections of the beachwalk to advise users that the area is a pedestrian-friendly zone where permitted/non-motorized devices such as bicycles, skates, and skateboards, must slow down and yield to pedestrians.  Approximately 26 additional signs will be placed within the portions of the beachwalk currently in construction and not yet open to the public.  Police has advised that the newly installed diamond-shaped regulatory signs, which refer to the applicable section of the City Code, are sufficient for Police to effectively enforce mobility rules on the beachwalk.  Any modifications to the existing signs, if necessary and agreed to by the Police, Transportation, and Communications departments, will be incorporated over time through replacement signage.  Attached is the final beachwalk signage plan.

Potential Pilot

In an effort to enhance pedestrian safety on the beachwalk, the Transportation and Mobility Department is exploring a potential pilot to evaluate the feasibility, safety, and effectiveness of segregating pedestrians and bicyclists within a constrained (i.e. 15’ wide) section of the beachwalk.  The pilot entails engaging a consultant to furnish and install the appropriate technology (video, radar, or sonar) along a one-half mile section of the beachwalk to capture volumes, speeds, compliance, conflicts, and conduct a pilot effectiveness study.  The estimated cost of pilot implementation, data collection, and analysis is approximately $65,000.  Funding for this pilot, however, is not currently included in the Department’s FY 2020/21 operating budget.

Police and Park Ranger Enforcement of Section 70-67 (No Motor or Electric Rides on Beachwalk)

In March 2021, the Miami Beach Police Department initiated a daily beachwalk pedestrian safety detail entitled Clear Path.  Clear Path is carried out by police officers daily in the Redevelopment Agency (RDA) area, Park Rangers, and North Beach police units with great success as shown by the below statistics.  From March 15, 2021 to July 8, 2021, 290 motorized vehicles have been removed from the beachwalk as a result of 770 spot/safety checks.  In June 2021, 862 verbal warnings were issued for motorized vehicles throughout the beachwalk. 

Below is a breakdown of Clear Path enforcement statistics from March 15, 2021 to July 8, 2021:

Beachwalk from 15 Street to 24 Street

• 100 Uniform Traffic Citations
• 28 verbal warnings
• 21 written warnings
• 2 e-scooters impounded
• 198 spot/safety checks
• 51 electric vehicles removed

Beachwalk from 24 Street to 63 Street

• 572 spot/safety checks
• 239 electric vehicles removed

Beachwalk from 63 Street to 79 Street

• A 4x4 mule is assigned on all 3 shifts
• Monitor and enforce the violations of motorized vehicles on the beachwalk
• Act as the backup for the walking beats and respond to residents who question whether bicycles and skating is allowed
• In this northern area of the beachwalk, we do not receive complaints of motorized vehicles on the beachwalk