| | | | | | | | TO: | Finance and Economic Resiliency Committee Members
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| FROM:
| Alina T. Hudak, City Manager |
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| DATE: | April 21, 2023
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| SUBJECT: | A RESOLUTION OF THE MAYOR AND CITY COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF MIAMI BEACH, FLORIDA, RELATING TO TRAFFIC CONGESTION IN THE AREA OF INDIAN CREEK DRIVE/41ST STREET, AND TAKING THE FOLLOWING ACTION: (1) URGING THE FLORIDA DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION (“FDOT”) TO EXPEDITE THE REINSTATEMENT OF THE DUAL SOUTHBOUND RIGHT TURN LANES AT THE INTERSECTION OF INDIAN CREEK DRIVE/41 STREET, TO ALLEVIATE CHRONIC TRAFFIC GRIDLOCK AT THIS MAJOR INTERSECTION, UNTIL SUCH TIME AS FDOT COMPLETES THE PLANNING STUDIES FOR THE IMPLEMENTATION OF A PERMANENT CONFIGURATION TO ACCOMMODATE A SECOND RIGHT TURN LANE AT THIS INTERSECTION; (2) REQUESTING THE CITY’S POLICE DEPARTMENT TO ASSIGN ADDITIONAL LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS TO 41ST STREET DURING PEAK TRAFFIC HOURS, AND PRIORITIZING THE HIRING OF SEASONAL TRAFFIC CONTROL OFFICERS AS PART OF THE FY 2024 ANNUAL BUDGET PROCESS TO ASSIST WITH FLOW OF TRAFFIC ON MAJOR CORRIDORS, INCLUDING 41ST STREET; (3)REQUESTING THAT THE CITY ADMINISTRATION TO COORDINATE A ROUND TABLE WITH FDOT, MIAMI-DADE COUNTY DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION AND PUBLIC WORKS, THE CITY OF MIAMI, AND NEIGHBORING COASTAL CITIES, AMONG OTHERS, TO DISCUSS REGIONAL TRAFFIC CONCERNS, INCLUDING ADDRESSING THE CAPACITY OF REGIONAL ROADS SHARED BY THE VARIOUS JURISDICTIONS TO ACCOMMODATE EXISTING AND PROJECTED TRAFFIC PATTERNS; (4) DIRECTING THE ADMINISTRATION DEVELOP A NEW POLICY FOR CONSIDERATION BY THE MAYOR AND CITY COMMISSION, TO ALLOW NIGHTTIME WORK WHEREVER POSSIBLE, AND EXPEDITE THE COMPLETION OF CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS THAT OTHERWISE ADVERSELY IMPACT TRAFFIC ALONG MAJOR CORRIDORS; (5) REQUESTING THAT THE MIAMI-DADE COUNTY TRANSPORTATION PLANNING ORGANIZATION (“TPO”) PRIORITIZE REGIONAL COORDINATION OF NEW DEVELOPMENT TO ENSURE THAT REGIONAL ASSETS SUCH AS THE CAUSEWAYS MAINTAIN CAPACITY WITHIN EXISTING DENSITY LIMITS; (6) REFERRING TO THE PUBLIC SAFETY AND NEIGHBORHOOD QUALITY OF LIFE COMMITTEE A DISCUSSION OF THE POTENTIAL CLOSURE DURING PEAK HOURS OF CERTAIN CITY STREETS IN RESIDENTIAL AREAS LOCATED IMMEDIATELY NORTH AND SOUTH OF 41ST STREET BETWEEN FLAMINGO DRIVE AND NORTH BAY ROAD, EXCEPT FOR LOCAL RESIDENTS, IN AN EFFORT TO IMPROVE TRAFFIC CONDITIONS IN RESIDENTIAL NEIGHBORHOODS, AS WELL AS PEDESTRIAN AND BICYCLIST SAFETY; AND (7) REFERRING TO THE PUBLIC SAFETY AND NEIGHBORHOOD QUALITY OF LIFE COMMITTEE A DISCUSSION REGARDING 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 |
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| | | | | | | | HISTORY:
| Pursuant to the request of Commissioner Fernandez, A resolution was drafted on behalf of the Mayor and City Commission of the city of Miami Beach, Florida, relating to traffic congestion in the area of Indian Creek Drive/41st Street, and taking the following action: (1) Urging the Florida Department of Transportation (“FDOT”) to expedite the reinstatement of the dual southbound right turn lanes at the intersection of Indian Creek Drive/41 Street, to alleviate chronic traffic gridlock at this major intersection, until such time as FDOT completes the planning studies for the implementation of a permanent configuration to accommodate a second right turn lane at this intersection; (2) Requesting the city’s police department to assign additional law enforcement officers to 41st Street during peak traffic hours, and prioritizing the hiring of seasonal traffic control officers as part of the FY 2024 annual budget process to assist with flow of traffic on major corridors, including 41st Street; (3) Requesting that the city administration to coordinate a round table with FDOT, Miami-Dade County Department of Transportation and Public Works, the City of Miami, and neighboring coastal cities, among others, to discuss regional traffic concerns, including addressing the capacity of regional roads shared by the various jurisdictions to accommodate existing and projected traffic patterns; (4) Directing the administration develop a new policy for consideration by the Mayor and City Commission, to allow nighttime work wherever possible, and expedite the completion of construction projects that otherwise adversely impact traffic along major corridors; (5) Requesting that the Miami-Dade County Transportation Planning Organization (“TPO”) prioritize regional coordination of new development to ensure that regional assets such as the causeways maintain capacity within existing density limits; (6) Referring to the Public Safety and Neighborhood Quality of Life Committee a discussion of the potential closure during peak hours of certain city streets in residential areas located immediately north and south of 41st Street between Flamingo Drive and North Bay Road, except for local residents, in an effort to improve traffic conditions in residential neighborhoods, as well as pedestrian and bicyclist safety; and (7) Referring to the Public Safety and Neighborhood Quality of Life Committee a discussion regarding 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.
The item was heard at the February 22, 2023, City Commission meeting and referred to the Finance and Economic Resiliency Committee (FERC) meeting to address the fiscal impacts with prioritizing the hiring of seasonal traffic control officers as part of the FY 2024 annual budget process. |
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| | | | | | | | ANALYSIS:
| Due to the increasing need for traffic mitigation throughout our city, the Administration is reviewing as part of the FY 23-24 budget process the possibility of recommending that ten (10) Public Safety Specialists (PSS) be hired and added to the police department's current cadre of five (5) PSS' to address traffic conditions and free up police officers for other crime related activity. Understanding that traffic issues are cyclical, adding these ten (10) PSS' would provide the resources to address the traffic-related problems while allowing these employees to do much more. Every non-hazardous call for service, report written, or non-injury vehicle accident investigated by one of these PSS' frees up a police officer to address other crime-related activity.
The PSS' would be directed to traffic "hotspots" throughout the city during high-traffic volume periods to help alleviate the congestion and increase the traffic flow allowing for optimum passage based on the traffic volume encountered in real-time.
The total cost to onboard ten (10) PSS' would be $943,222.40, which includes the cost estimates of salaries and benefits for year one, estimates for all equipment-related costs, and the price of the PSS academy.
Refer to the attached detailed breakdown of costs associated with the implementation of the additional PSS'.
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| | | | | | | | CONCLUSION:
| The Police Department will be ready to discuss the item and provide additional information at committee. |
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| | | | | | | | Is this a "Residents Right to Know" item, pursuant to City Code Section 2-14? | | Does this item utilize G.O. Bond Funds? | | No | | No | |
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