At the June 28, 2023 City Commission meeting, Commissioner Kristen Rosen Gonzalez sponsored a referral item (C4 T) to the Public Safety and Neighborhood Quality of Life Committee (“PSNQLC”) to discuss the condition of the traffic signals at the intersection of Collins Avenue and 10 Street, within the Art Deco Historic District (Attachment A).

Over time, various traffic signal poles (referred to as “traffic signal mast arms”) in the City of Miami Beach (“City”) have experienced some corrosion due to the harsh coastal climate and exposure to salt water from the Atlantic Ocean and Biscayne Bay. While rusty traffic signal mast arms negatively impact the overall appearance of the City, it is worth noting that the presence of corrosion or peeling paint on the mast arm does not necessarily imply a structural deficiency or public safety concern.

The operation and maintenance of traffic signals throughout Miami-Dade County, including on City public rights-of-way, is generally the responsibility of the Miami-Dade County Department of Transportation and Public Works (“DTPW”). However, the Florida Department of Transportation (“FDOT”) is responsible for the maintenance of traffic signal mast arms on state roads. Collins Avenue, also known as State Road (“SR”) A1A, is part of the State Highway System under the jurisdiction of FDOT; thus, the maintenance of traffic signal mast arms on Collins Avenue falls under FDOT’s purview.

FDOT is currently in the process of closing out a project that included work at various intersections along the Collins Avenue corridor in South Beach, including the intersection of Collins Avenue and 10 Street. The scope of work at the intersection of Collins Avenue and 10 Street included the replacement of one (1) traffic signal mast arm and the restoration of pedestrian sidewalks, curb ramps, and curb and gutter, among other improvements. While the intersection of Collins Avenue and 10 Street currently has four (4) traffic signal mast arms, all of which have some level of corrosion, the FDOT project replaced only one (1) traffic signal mast arm (on the west leg of the intersection) as FDOT determined that it was the only structurally deficient mast arm within the project limits in need of immediate replacement.

FDOT recently completed a comprehensive condition survey/evaluation of all traffic signal mast arms on FDOT rights-of-way and identified several other intersections in the City with corroded traffic signal mast arms of concern (Attachment B). Based on the results of the survey/evaluation, FDOT has determined that the three (3) remaining traffic signal mast arms at the intersection of Collins Avenue and 10 Street should ultimately be replaced and anticipates performing this work in the next three (3) to five (5) years as part of a future project, pending funding availability. FDOT is in the process of seeking funding to program the replacement of all deficient traffic signal mast arms in the City in the coming years.