At the Mach 13, 2024 City Commission meeting, Commissioner David Suarez sponsored a referral item (C4 V) to the Public Safety and Neighborhood Quality of Life Committee (“PSNQLC”) to discuss a potential pilot program which would consist of a one-way conversion of Sheridan Avenue and Royal Palm Avenue (the former southbound and the latter northbound) from 37 Street to 44 Street, and the restriction of turning movements, particularly left turns, onto 41 Street (i.e. allowing north-south travel only) during weekday afternoon peak periods (“Pilot Program”).

State Road (“SR”) 112/41 Street is classified as a principal arterial under the jurisdiction of the Florida Department of Transportation (“FDOT”). The corridor is located in Middle Beach and provides direct access to/from I-195/Julia Tuttle Causeway, a limited access federal facility, and SR A1A/Collins Avenue/Indian Creek Drive (also under FDOT’s jurisdiction).

The 41 Street corridor regularly experiences heavy traffic congestion during weekday afternoon peak hours and major special events in the City of Miami Beach. Several factors contribute to daily recurring traffic congestion along the corridor, including increased volumes due to drivers avoiding major ongoing construction and choke points on I-395/MacArthur Causeway, closely spaced traffic signals, extensive school zones, high number of pedestrian crossings, and heavy side street traffic from the connecting north-south avenues which results in vehicles frequently blocking the intersections and creating gridlock in all directions.

Based on the FDOT 2022 Level of Service (“LOS”) map, the corridor is currently operating (and has been for many years) at a LOS F (failing).

Pursuant to Sections 2-95 and 2-96.1 of the Miami-Dade County (“County”) Code, all traffic control and traffic engineering services in Miami-Dade County are under the exclusive jurisdiction of the County. Therefore, any modifications to the existing traffic flow will require review and approval from Miami-Dade County Department of Transportation and Public Works (“DTPW”). Transportation and Mobility Department staff reached out to DTPW to determine the requirements for the implementation of the Pilot Program. Based on the feedback received from DTPW, the City must submit to DTPW a formal memorandum outlining the purpose, scope, methodology and limits of the Pilot Program, including data collection, implementation plan, community outreach strategy, measures of success, and post implementation evaluation criteria. DTPW would then review and evaluate the submittal for purposes of providing feedback and/or approval. The potential timeline to submit the required documentation and obtain DTPW approval is approximately ninety (90) days.

Tangentially, the Administration is exploring various strategies in order to manage the increased vehicular demand on 41 Street and the north-south avenues connecting to 41 Street. Currently, the Transportation and Mobility Department is evaluating the feasibility of creating dedicated turn lanes on the north-south avenues to more effectively facilitate turns onto 41 Street during peak periods as well as vehicles wishing to cross 41 Street and continue traveling northbound/southbound. The preliminary findings and recommendations of the traffic study are anticipated in summer 2024 and will be shared with the City Commission, once available.  FDOT and DTPW review and approval of the traffic study will be required. 

Furthermore, FDOT is currently conducting a comprehensive analysis to re-time the traffic signals along 41 Street to ensure signal coordination and vehicular traffic progression along the corridor. The FDOT study is anticipated to be completed by early 2025.