At the February 21, 2024 City Commission meeting, at the request of Mayor Steven Meiner and co-sponsors Commissioners Alex Fernandez and Joseph Magazine, an item (C4 S) was referred to the Public Safety and Neighborhood Quality of Life Committee (PSNQLC) to discuss new strategies and more efficient allocation of police resources for traffic control during peak traffic periods.

The referral was pulled from the consent agenda and discussed, with Miami Beach Police Department Chief Wayne Jones, providing an update on the Department’s traffic mitigation plan, and Transportation and Mobility Director Jose Gonzalez, providing information on current efforts related to traffic synchronization. The discussion emphasized technological components as an additional means to mitigate traffic, and the item was moved to PSNQLC with direction to reach out to Google’s Project Green Light for additional information on their product for discussion at PSNQLC.

The City of Miami Beach (“City”) continues to explore and test various strategies to manage the increased vehicular demand on 41 Street. Ultimately the issue is that traffic demand exceeds roadway capacity. In addition, there are several factors that contribute to daily recurring congestion along the 41 Street corridor, including increased volumes due to drivers avoiding the major construction and choke points on I-395, closely spaced traffic signals, extensive school zone, and heavy side street traffic which can result in vehicles frequently blocking the intersections. Nonetheless, the City has made traffic control and mitigation a high priority with various ongoing efforts to alleviate the City’s traffic difficulties.

To that end, the City has been coordinating with the Florida Department of Transportation (“FDOT”) and Miami-Dade County Department of Transportation and Public Works (“DTPW”) to improve signal timing coordination and maximize the green time for 41 Street. Additionally, the Miami Beach Police Department (“MBPD”) implemented a traffic mitigation plan consisting of enhanced police presence along 41 Street, control of the intersections and enforcement of the blocking of the intersection (box).

MBPD continues to deploy police officers, including its Motor Unit, at strategic locations throughout the City during peak traffic hours to streamline the flow of traffic. Police officers are deployed to congested intersections to actively manage traffic, deter vehicles and pedestrians from blocking intersections, and discourage any driving behavior that may directly or indirectly exacerbate congestion.

MBPD conducts rotating traffic mitigation efforts to identify key intersections on major thoroughfares leading up to the causeways (Attachment A). MBPD will have hired 10 Public Safety Specialists (“PSS”) by May 2024 to further guide and control vehicular traffic at streets and intersections, particularly during peak traffic periods and high impact periods. The PSS will be deployed at critical locations as needed. MBPD is reaching out to partner agencies to collaborate on the practices, technology and strategies being used to address traffic congestion.

Tangentially, the City is exploring different tools to help manage traffic congestion. One of the tools is to employ an innovative traffic signal optimization software to develop comprehensive signal timing plans that will more efficiently and effectively coordinate signalized intersections along major thoroughfares throughout the year and adjust for seasonal variations. This strategic approach aims to optimize traffic signal timing and reduce travel times within the City, thus enhancing mobility and ensuring a more pleasant experience for those navigating the streets of Miami Beach.

Accordingly, at the April 3, 2024 City Commission meeting, the City Commission approved the City Administration (“Administration”) to issue Invitation to Negotiate (“ITN”) 2024-289-ND for the deployment of an innovative traffic signal optimization system. The ITN was issued on April 5, 2024 and proposals are due on May 20, 2024.

Through this ITN, the City desires to receive proposals from specialized vendors in the field of automated traffic signal optimization systems. The envisioned system aims to integrate road user detections, real-time data collection and analytics, and the generation of signal timing plans. This system will select optimal signal timing plans for specific time periods of the day, days of the week, and seasons, including during the City’s high impact season. The selected optimized signal timing plans will be reviewed by the City’s Transportation and Mobility Department and DTPW and compared with the current signal timing plans implemented by DTPW to identify opportunities for signal timing improvements. Depending on DTPW approval, the proposed optimized signal timing plans will then undergo on-site implementation and evaluation to ensure their effectiveness in managing and mitigating traffic congestion.

While it may be premature to highlight any one project or software while an active ITN is in process, adhering to the Commission’s motion to further explore Project Green Light specifically, the Police Department researched the Google product and its use of artificial intelligence (AI) to alleviate traffic (Attachment B).

The Administration through the Procurement Department will ensure that Green Light is aware of ITN 2024-289-ND for Traffic Signal Optimization System.