At the February 1, 2023, City Commission meeting, Commissioner Alex Fernandez sponsored a referral item to the Public Safety and Neighborhood Quality of Life Committee to discuss the potential use of technology to analyze traffic patterns in congested corridors, to support the City and other agencies with jurisdiction with traffic planning efforts.

 Traffic Monitoring and Management

 In 2014, the City engaged a contractor to provide traffic monitoring and management services for 14 hours a day, 365 days a year. The service was implemented to reduce congestion, improve incident management, and manage traffic flow more efficiently on the City’s major thoroughfares. 

 The Traffic Monitoring and Management Program (“the Program”) included closed-circuit television (“CCTV”) cameras and travel time sensors at critical intersections to monitor travel times along major thoroughfares and detect incidents creating congestion. In addition, the City deployed portable digital message signs at strategic locations throughout the City to disseminate real-time traffic information to the motoring public regarding major incidents impacting traffic flow. As part of the Program, the City, via the contractor, also managed six (6) major events each year in which the contractor’s monitoring hours were extended given the increased impact to traffic. Traffic monitoring and programming of digital message signs were accomplished remotely from either the contractor’s or the Transportation and Mobility Department’s offices. Based on data collected, the Program resulted in travel time savings along the monitored arterial roadways in comparison to pre-existing conditions.

The Program was terminated in March 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, at which time the City’s contractor removed all devices and equipment associated with the Program. In November 2022, pursuant to City Commission resolution, the Program was reinstated only for high impact period from November 2022 through May 31, 2023. Currently, the Program services are being provided by TransCore ITS, LLC (“TransCore”) for 14 hours a day using available resources and equipment, including the WAZE mobile application, existing CCTV cameras in the City owned by either the City of Miami Beach, Miami-Dade County (“County”), or the Florida Department of Transportation (“FDOT”), and several portable variable message signs owned by the City for traffic/event messaging. At this time, the Program does not employ any travel time data collection devices.

 Intelligent Transportation System and Smart Parking System

 Given the effectiveness of the Program, the Mayor and City Commission approved moving forward with a more permanent program utilizing state-of-the-art technology. 

 On March 11, 2015, the Mayor and City Commission (“City Commission”) authorized the issuance of Request for Qualifications (RFQ) No. 2015-115-JR for program management services for an Intelligent Transportation System and Smart Parking System (“ITS/SPS”). In 2015, the City selected and engaged Kimley-Horn and Associates as the City’s Program Manager to develop a design criteria package for a citywide ITS/SPS.  

 On June 8, 2016, the City presented the ITS/SPS project scope and budget to the Neighborhood and Community Affairs Committee (“Committee”). The Committee endorsed the ITS/SPS Program and the City’s recommendation to move forward with implementation. 

 On July 13, 2016, the City Commission adopted Resolution No. 2016-29499 accepting the recommendation of the Committee and directing the City to draft a Request for Proposals (“RFP”) for a state-of-the-art ITS/SPS and return to the City Commission for authorization to issue the RFP.

 On September 14, 2016, the City Commission authorized the City to issue the RFP to design, build, operate, and maintain an ITS/SPS.

 On September 16, 2016, the City issued RFP No. 2016-199-KB to design, build, operate, and maintain the ITS/SPS Program.  A two-step procurement process was utilized in which the recommendation to award was based firstly on qualifications and experience of the prime contractor and team, and, subsequently, the selected team’s project approach and cost proposal. 

 On October 18, 2017, the City Commission adopted Resolution No. 2017-30064 to award a contract to TransCore ITS LLC (“TransCore”).

 On April 16, 2019, the City executed a contract with Transcore to design, build, operate, and maintain a citywide ITS/SPS program. The scope of the ITS/SPS project as stipulated in the contract includes the following components:

•  Traffic monitoring CCTV cameras with built-in data analytics;
•  Travel time data collection devices to track and forecast congestion levels;
•  Full color permanent digital message signs (“DMS) throughout the City to inform motorists of lane closures, congestion, and parking availability information in real-time;
•  Volume and speed data collection sensors;
•  DMS at the entrances of all City parking garages and 5 surface parking lots to inform motorists of real-time parking availability;
•  Communication system and dashboard for monitoring and management of devices and data; and
•  Transportation Management Center (“TMC”) to house the contractor’s traffic monitoring and management equipment and operators with the capabilities to manage traffic incidents and parking conditions, communicate with the City’s Public Safety Communications Division, Transportation and Mobility Department, and other agencies/entities as appropriate, and disseminate traffic and parking information to the motoring public in real-time.

 As per the design criteria documents, the ITS/SPS project is divided into six (6) phases, strategically sequenced based on the deployment schedule of devices along the City’s major thoroughfares:

•  Phase 1: MacArthur Causeway, Alton Road (from 5 Street to Julia Tuttle Causeway), Julia Tuttle Causeway, 17 Street (from Alton Road to Washington Avenue), Dade Boulevard (from Alton Road to Washington Avenue)
•  Phase 2: 5 Street, 41 Street, Washington Avenue
•  Phase 3: Collins Avenue (23 Street to 44 Street), Indian Creek Drive/Collins Avenue (44 Street to 87 Terrace), Alton Road (from Julia Tuttle Causeway to 63 Street), 63 Street (from Alton Road to Collins Avenue)
•  Phase 4: Collins Avenue (from 5 Street to 23 Street), Indian Creek Drive (from 26 Street to 44 Street)
•  Phase 5: Harding Avenue/Abbott Avenue
•  Phase 6: Meridian Avenue, West Avenue

 Based on an in-depth analysis conducted during the design criteria development phase, it was estimated that ITS/SPS will improve travel times along major throughfares by an average of 10% as compared to pre-existing conditions. The project is anticipated to significantly improve the City’s ability to gather relevant traffic data and make decisions to improve traffic flow and more efficiently manage congestion in real-time from the TMC which will be co-located within the FDOT District 6 SunGuide TMC. Based on a benefit-cost analysis completed for this project in 2017, it was determined that every $1.00 spent on this program will generate over $5.00 in monetary benefits to the City and the region as a whole, in part due to reductions in congestion, accidents, law enforcement personnel dedicated to traffic management, and greenhouse gas emissions. Attachment A includes an ITS/SPS Project Fact Sheet.

The ITS/SPS project involves the development of a system that monitors and mitigates traffic congestion. The ITS network will advance the City’s ability to make real-time decisions regarding traffic conditions as well as disseminate crucial information to motorists. The project will provide integrated management of the City’s roadway network and parking facilities through the implementation of the SPS and ITS devices to support a Traveler Information Systems (“TIS”) consisting of DMSs, CCTV camera systems, and travel-time data collection systems. The components of the ITS/SPS project will be used as follows:

•  CCTV cameras will be installed at key intersections to provide traffic control operators with live video feeds of traffic conditions along major transportation corridors in the City;
•  Visually appealing DMSs will be deployed to provide motorists with incident, construction, and special event information;
•  Vehicle detection systems at signalized intersections will be installed to determine volume and speed of motorized vehicles along major corridors;
•  Bluetooth monitoring devices will be installed to provide accurate vehicle speed and travel time data as well as vehicle origin/destination information; and
•  SPS technology will provide real-time parking occupancy/availability data to be displayed on pole-mounted signs outside of municipal garages and surface lots.

 The work associated with the ITS/SPS project includes the installation of various electronic devices supporting a TIS, consisting of two (2) DMSs on the MacArthur and Julia Tuttle causeways, 24 DMSs along arterial roadways, real-time data collection devices at 23 locations throughout the City, and 21 CCTV cameras to support situational awareness and traffic monitoring. In addition, SPS devices will be installed at 10 city parking garages and 5 surface parking lots to disseminate real-time parking availability. Once completed, this network will give the City the ability to monitor and manage traffic congestion and report real-time traffic and parking conditions to motorists.

Furthermore, the travel time sensors will record vehicle origin/destination data, which will be used to analyze the traffic patterns along various major corridors in the City.

 Phases 1 and 2 of the ITS/SPS project are currently in the construction phase and expected to commence operation as devices are installed and come on-line throughout 2023 and 2024. Full operation of phases 1 and 2 of the ITS/SPS program is expected to occur in 2024. Negotiations for phases 3 through 6 of the ITS/SPS project are expected to commence in Summer 2023, with deployment and full operations occurring in 2024.

Next Steps

 At this time, TransCore is ready to commence the installation of ITS devices, including CCTV cameras and travel time sensors, at key signalized intersections along major thoroughfares. The installation of the ITS devices requires physical connections to existing traffic signal mast arms and signal controllers. Given that traffic signalization devices and equipment are County assets under the purview of DTPW, as a requisite for a permit for the installation of ITS devices on these County assets, DTPW requires that the City execute an Intergovernmental Agreement with the County.

On April 28, 2023, the City Commission will consider approval of an Intergovernmental Agreement to delineate the City’s and DTPW’s respective roles and responsibilities both during the construction (i.e. installation) and maintenance phases of the ITS project. All devices installed on County assets as part of the City’s ITS/SPS project will be property of the City; and the City will be responsible for the operation and maintenance of these ITS devices on County assets, as stipulated in the Intergovernmental Agreement.