The City Administration recommends that the Mayor and City Commission (“City Commission”) approve the Resolution, sponsored by Commissioner Alex Fernandez.

Traffic calming largely involves the application of physical measures on roadways to reduce the negative effects of vehicular traffic, alter driver behavior, and improve conditions for pedestrians and bicyclists. The main objectives of a traffic calming project include: 1) restoring communities affected by speeding traffic; 2) discouraging the use of local residential streets by heavy vehicles and cut-through traffic; 3) improving the quality of life in a neighborhood; 4) improving roadway safety and reducing accidents; 5) improving safety for pedestrians and bicyclists; 6) changing the attitude of drivers towards speed; and 7) reducing noise and disturbance in the neighborhood.

Speeding and cut-through traffic in the Central Bayshore neighborhood has been a concern of the community for some time. As a result, City staff has been working with a traffic engineering consultant (“consultant”) to develop traffic calming improvements throughout the neighborhood to address community safety and traffic concerns. On May 17, 2017 the City Commission approved the Central Bayshore Neighborhood Traffic Calming Project (“traffic calming project”) pursuant to Resolution No. 2017-29865. In addition, the traffic calming project was approved as part of the 2018 General Obligation (G.O.) Bond - Project # 42. City Commission support for proposed traffic calming improvements in the Bayshore neighborhood was further memorialized via Resolution No. 2019-31036 adopted on October 16, 2019.

The Central Bayshore Traffic Study and the subsequent design of proposed traffic calming devices is intended to address the community’s concerns. The study, conducted by the City’s consultant, focused on vehicle speed and volume concerns in the area, and followed the guidelines outlined in the City of Miami Beach Traffic Calming Manual (“Traffic Calming Manual”).

Based on the 2022 Miami Beach Community Survey, 81% of residents expressed concerns with pedestrian safety (vehicles not yielding to pedestrians) when crossing the street at an intersection. Over half of the residents surveyed (56.5%) walk as one of their primary modes of transportation within the City. Furthermore, 52.2% of residents surveyed expressed that capital projects that involve more walking/biking friendly streets, greenways, and paths are among the top three most important types of capital projects.

Given that the proposed traffic circle at Prairie Avenue and 34 Street is deemed warranted and strategically located to achieve the goal of effective traffic calming within the Central Bayshore neighborhood, the City Administration recommends that the City Commission consider and adopt the Resolution, thereby approving the installation of the proposed traffic circle not supported by the directly impacted property owners. The traffic circle is deemed necessary to reduce the speed and volume of vehicles traveling through the neighborhood and ensure the effectiveness of the Central Bayshore traffic calming project.