The City’s 2040 goal is to become less car-centric.  To this end, the adopted 2016 Miami Beach Transportation Master Plan was built on a mode share goal and modal prioritization strategy adopted by the City Commission which places pedestrians first; transit, bicycles and freight second; and private vehicles third.  Multimodal projects in the adopted Transportation Master Plan are intended to move Miami Beach towards this mode share vision by increasing pedestrian, bicycle, and transit travel.

The vision of a “South Beach Promenade” connecting Lincoln Road, Española Way, and Ocean Drive dates back to an initial walking tour conducted in 2019  with  Commissioner Ricky Arriola, key stakeholders and residents, as well as City staff from the Planning, Transportation and Mobility, Public Works, and Police departments to identify the various needs and components of the project.  Based on the initial comments from the various City departments and stakeholders, the Transportation and Mobility Department developed a scope of services to create a signature pedestrian promenade and bring this vision to fruition.

In July 2021, the City engaged Calvin Giordano and Associates (CGA) to prepare a feasibility study with the goal of exploring options for public rights-of-way improvements, both short and long-term, to develop a signature pedestrian connection between Lincoln Road, Española Way, and Ocean Drive.  The South Beach Promenade Connectivity Feasibility Study is assessing existing transportation conditions and making recommendations for multimodal transportation improvements to create livability by providing walkable sidewalks, improved and connected bike facilities, pavement treatments, artistic components, lighting, character landscaping, streetscape/hardscape improvements, branded wayfinding signage, and the use of site furnishings.  

The study is also developing a short-term tactical urbanism plan for the South Beach Promenade including a potential plaza on Española Way between Washington Avenue and Collins Avenue (i.e. Española Way East), and a potential road diet and one-way conversion of Drexel Avenue.

The South Beach Promenade Feasibility Study includes the following corridors:

·         Drexel Avenue from Lincoln Road on the north to Española Way on the south

·         Española Way from Pennsylvania Avenue on the west to Collins Avenue on the east

·         Collins Avenue from Española Way on the north to 14^th Place (alleyway) on the south

·         14^th Place from Collins Avenue on the west to Ocean Drive on the east

The objective of the feasibility study is to enhance pedestrian connectivity along the designated routes through small, incremental interventions that can be achieved through an additive, budget-conscious approach.  The first phase of the study will serve as a pilot project to implement temporary “test” improvements along the corridor.  There are several benefits to this approach.  First, there is the benefit of testing temporary “proof of concept” ideas employing tactical urbanism. Another benefit is the alignment of this study with the adopted Art Deco Cultural District (ADCD) Vision Plan and the ability of timing the promenade project with the medium and long-term proposals included in the ADCD vision plan.  Finally, this project will support the growing desire to convert the eastern segment of Española Way to either a one-way facility or a pedestrian-only area. The Transportation and Mobility Department staff and CGA have held various coordination meetings with internal stakeholder departments including Planning, Parking, Police, Fire, Capital Improvements, Tourism, Economic Development, and Public Works.  Furthermore, the project team has met with the Zyscovich team conducting the ADCD Visioning Study to discuss project approach and ensure a cohesive vision for the area.

The South Beach Promenade preliminary concepts were presented to the Finance and Economic Resilience Committee (FERC) at its February 25, 2022 meeting.  At the meeting, the Committee directed staff to prioritize the conceptual design of the Española Way East segment and present draft concepts for that segment.  Additionally, the Committee directed staff to arrange one-on-one briefings with the FERC members to discuss other project elements, impacts to parking, and key decisions.

In March 2022, staff met with each FERC member to present the draft concepts for Española Way East.  While all Committee members provided positive feedback, the members recommended that the City share the concepts with key area stakeholders for input and return to FERC prior to hosting a public meeting.  This item has since been deferred at subsequent FERC meetings.

Attached is a presentation that describes the study concepts, estimated costs, and the phased short-term tactical urbanism implementation approach.

Española Way East Short-Term Tactical Urbanism (Phase 1)

The preferred alternative for this one-block segment from Washington Avenue to Collins Avenue consists of a woonerf (i.e. a shared but predominantly pedestrianized street).  Española Way would be closed to vehicular traffic (except emergency vehicles) at Washington Avenue while allowing general vehicular traffic to exit the Collins Court alleyway and travel eastbound only to access Collins Avenue. The concept also proposes a meandering route to enhance the pedestrian experience.  From an aesthetic perspective, the proposed concept utilizes pavement art and some street furniture to protect and enhance the experience for pedestrians and potential business patrons.  The estimated cost for the Española Way East short-term tactical urbanism improvements is approximately $200,000.  Please note that these costs do not include lighting/electrical or parking relocation and are subject to change as the project is further refined. 

Española Way West and 14 Place Alleyway Short-Term Tactical Urbansim (Phase 2)

Based on stakeholder input, overhead entrance features, wayfinding signage, and asphalt pavement art are being proposed to anchor the promenade at the west end of Española Way at Drexel Avenue (Plaza de España) and along Española Way West from Drexel Avenue to Pennsylvania Avenue.  In addition, tactical urbanism improvements are being proposed along the 14 Place alleyway to provide safe and comfortable pedestrian continuity to Ocean Drive.  The western portion of the alleyway is currently pedestrianized from Collins Avenue to Ocean Court alleyway.  However, the eastern portion of the alleyway (from Ocean Court to Ocean Drive) currently serves as a vehicular detour for the pedestrian plaza on Ocean Drive which presents a unique challenge.  The estimated cost of is estimated to be $70,000.

Drexel Avenue Short-Term Tactical Urbanism (Phase 3)

The Drexel Avenue segment of the project corridor presents the greatest opportunity for improvements.  Currently, Drexel Avenue between Española Way and Lincoln Road is a two-way, two-lane facility with on-street parallel parking on both sides of the street.  Due to the low level of traffic volumes, initial designs include a conversion of Drexel Avenue to a one-way vehicular facility with a bike lane and pedestrian area on the east side of the street.  Other alternatives to this design would keep all existing on-street parking or limit parking to one side of the street.

The proposed alternatives include considerations for relocation and/or removal of approximately 32 on-street parking spaces along the east side of Drexel Avenue.  Given the high demand for on-street parking in this area, the potential removal or relocation of existing parking implies that current demand would need to be satisfied through alternative parking options.  A preliminary parking utilization survey was recently conducted along Drexel Avenue, which demonstrated that the existing on-street spaces were frequently occupied by Zone 2 residents.  City staff has reached out to the private parking garage management located at 1601 Drexel Avenue to identify both the availability and cost of providing alternative parking options for residents if the parking relocation option was selected.  Based on preliminary discussions with the garage management staff, the cost to park at this garage would be approximately $150 per space per month, equivalent to a City subsidy of approximately $58,000 annually provided 32 parking spaces would be available in the garage.

Short and Long-Term Design Considerations

·         On-Street Parking – A determination needs to be made on whether all or part of the existing on-street parking along Drexel Avenue and Española Way will be removed to allow for increased pedestrian and/or bike paths, or for seating areas.  Furthermore,    

·         Fire Standards – Current national fire safety standards require a minimum of 20 feet of unobstructed roadway space along the corridor.  This will limit the areas allowed for alternative uses.

·         Traffic Flow – Several sections of the study corridor that are currently two-way vehicular facilities could be reduced to single lane/one-way or pedestrian-only facilities. This traffic modification would require approval from Miami-Dade County Department of Transportation and Public Works.

·         Interface with Lincoln Road Project and ADCD Vision Plan – The South Beach Promenade project will need to be coordinated with the designs proposed as part of both plans.

·         Cost – The current budget allocation of $200,000 for this project is limited to the development and implementation of short-term tactical urbanism improvements.  Funding has not been identified for additional short-term improvements as well as for the design and construction of a long-term capital improvement project (estimated at approximately $30 million).

Fiscal Impact

Based on the opinion of probable cost provided by CGA, a funding shortage has been identified for the South Beach Promenade Short-Term Tactical Urbanism project:

·         Budget allocated for short-term tactical urbanism Improvements - $200,000

o   Phase 1: Española Way East tactical urbanism and temporary pedestrian signage - $200,000

o   Phase 2: Española Way West and 14 Place tactical urbanism - $70,000

o   Phase 3: Drexel Avenue tactical urbanism and subsidized parking costs - TBD

·         Funding shortage for Phases 1 and 2: ($70,000)

Based on the above estimated costs and available budget of $200,000, only Phase 1 could be funded at this time unless additional funding is identified.

Next Steps

Should FERC endorse the proposed tactical urbanism concept for Española Way East, the Administration will draft a resolution for City Commission approval at the October 26, 2022 Commission meeting to move forward with design and implementation of the short-term improvements.  Additionally, following the September 30, 2022 FERC meeting, the project team will schedule a community meeting to obtain input on the draft tactical urbanism plan and subsequently present the final draft plan to the City Commission for approval prior to commencing the design phase.  It is important to note that County review and approval of the design of the proposed tactical urbanism improvements is required prior to implementation; and the County’s review process may take several months to complete.     

The recommended long-term improvements for a future capital improvement project, including estimated design and construction costs, will be refined as part of the ongoing feasibility study and brought to FERC for review and approval prior to a second community meeting and City Commission approval.

Pursuant to the recommendation from FERC at its February 25, 2022 meeting, the City staff has advanced the proposed short-term tactical urbanism concepts for the South Beach Promenade with a focus on Española Way East, Esapañola Way West, and 14 Place alleyway. The concepts incorporate input received from FERC members as well as key area stakeholders regarding keeping the street open to some traffic, including emergency vehicles and alleyway traffic, while prioritizing pedestrian safety and comfort.  The recommended tactical urbanism improvements for Española Way East (Phase 1) can be funded with the available budget of $200,000 in the current fiscal year; however, additional funding will be needed to implement the recommended short-term tactical urbanism improvements along Española Way West and 14 Place alleyway (Phase 2), and Drexel Avenue (Phase 3).

Over the next few months, the Administration will continue to focus on engaging the community, refining the design concepts, and securing County and City Commission approval for the proposed Española Way East short-term tactical urbanism improvements (Phase 1) in order to move forward into design and construction in 2023.  If additional funding is identified, the Administration will work on the design and construction of Phases 2 and 3, while, on a parallel path, continuing to develop the long-term recommendations for a future (currently unfunded) capital improvement project.