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 initially 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 2020 NQLC meeting. 

The City’s beachwalk is a highly utilized shared-use path that serves recreational and work trips throughout the City; however, its popularity coupled with its constrained width contributes to frequent conflicts among pedestrians, bicyclists, and other users.  The pedestrian safety concern on the beachwalk is due in particular to the intermixing of pedestrians and unauthorized motorized/electric devices, such as electric stand-up scooters, electric bikes, electric skateboards, and other motorized devices operating illegally on the beachwalk.  Section 70-67 of the City Code prohibits motorized means of transportation on the beachwalk, among other pedestrian facilities throughout the City.

Pursuant to the NQLC’s recommendation at its March 4, 2020 meeting, various city departments, including Police, Communications, Property Management, and Transportation and Mobility, collaborated to develop a holistic approach to address the pedestrian safety concern on the beachwalk through better signage and enhanced enforcement.  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 inspections conducted at that time, it was determined that additional signage was warranted.

To date, 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 have been installed within the newly opened portions of the beachwalk. Police has advised that the newly installed diamond-shaped regulatory signs, which include 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, would be incorporated over time through replacement signage.

At the July 21, 2021 NQLC meeting, to further enhance pedestrian safety on the beachwalk, staff discussed a potential pilot project consisting of segregating cyclists and pedestrians along a 15’ wide section of the beachwalk.  Staff would monitor the pilot to measure effectiveness, particularly user compliance.  The pilot concept was supported by the NQLC, and the Committee requested that the Administration prepare a detailed scope and cost for a potential pilot for further discussion at the September NQLC meeting.

 At the September 20, 2021 NQLC meeting, Transportation and Mobility Department staff presented a preliminary scope for the pilot project including the location, approach and methodology, duration, and cost.  Given that approximately 70% of the entire beachwalk is only about 15^’ wide, the beachwalk segment between 15 Street and 24 Street was identified by staff as the most suitable location for the pilot given the high amount of pedestrian and bicycle activity.  This location was also endorsed by the Police Department.  This segment is approximately 4,800 ft. in length with various access points and is currently monitored by over 10 police cameras which can be utilized to gather key data for the pilot and conduct the required effectiveness study.

The data collection would include:

• Volumes of pedestrians and bicyclists
• Bicycle speeds
• Volume and speed of motorized (prohibited) vehicles
• User adherence to the demarcation (i.e. volume of pedestrians encroaching into the bicycle path and bicyclists encroaching into the pedestrian path)

At the meeting, staff presented a preliminary cost of $62,000 for the pilot including pavement markings, data collection, and a post-effectiveness study.  While the Committee expressed a desire to move forward with a pilot, there were concerns with the cost given that the Transportation and Mobility Department did not have funds budgeted for this purpose. 

Update Since the September 20, 2021 NQLC Meeting

The Transportation and Mobility Department and Police Department staff have worked together to identify ways to lower the cost of the pilot.  As a result of this coordination, staff has been able to identify an existing camera software currently used by the Police Department that could collect data and compile reports needed for the pilot effectiveness study.  The use of the existing police camera software would reduce the cost of the pilot to $27,000.  This expense is necessary to perform the striping of the beachwalk section (Attachment A).  The analysis of the data and preparing the pilot effectiveness report will be completed in-house.

 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 was carried out daily throughout the boardwalk area through July 2021 by Park Rangers and police officers assigned to the Redevelopment Agency (RDA) and North Beach areas.

Due to the success of Clear Path, since July 2021, the Police Department has instituted the increased patrolling of the beachwalk for safety concerns and enforcement of Section 70-67 into its daily operations.  The three units have continued to engage with the public and enforce compliance of safety laws and regulations, and, as of September 2021, began a more deliberate tracking of activities.  The new monthly tracking report, as shown in Attachment B, allows the Police Department to better understand the impact of the patrols and the interaction between Police personnel and the public.  Please note that numbers with an * were not tracked for the month of September but will be tracked for October and subsequent months.

The Police Department will begin reporting the tracked indicators on a monthly basis from the first day of the month through the last, and continue to support and encourage the evaluation and placement of improved speed limit and beachwalk signage to better enforce safety concerns related to speeding and Section 70-67 of the City Code.

FISCAL IMPACT

The estimated cost of the 6-month pilot as outlined above is approximately $27,000.  This expenditure will be funded from the Transportation and Mobility Department FY2021/2022 operating budget.