Miami Beach Transportation Master Plan Update: First/Last Mile Connections to the SMART Plan Study

The City of Miami Beach completed the First/Last Mile Connections to the SMART Plan Study through the Miami-Dade SMART Moves Program. The study assessed the accessibility of proposed SMART stations within Miami Beach for pedestrians, cyclists, and transit riders. Providing better access to and from transit for multiple transportation modes, rather than focusing on one specific mode, will ultimately lead to improved connections to the future Beach Corridor and Bus Express Rapid Transit (BERT) services. The success of regional transit services, outlined in the SMART Plan, is key to the City of Miami Beach’s broader goals, particularly reducing the driving mode share for travel to, from, and within the City.  The study recommendations include projects ranging from specific street infrastructure improvements intended to enhance access to citywide policy changes which can facilitate SMART station accessibility.  Also, the strategies listed in this study are intended to integrate directly into the Miami Beach Transportation Master Plan (TMP) Update, which will include a comprehensive assessment of transportation needs throughout Miami Beach.

• Read the Executive Summary here
• Read the Final Report here
• Read the Fact Sheet here

Golden Glades Multimodal Transportation Facility (GGMTF) Bike & Pedestrian Eastside Connectivity/Refinement of Recommended Bike & Pedestrian Bridge Concept Study

The Refinement of Recommended Bike and Pedestrian Bridge Concept is the component of the GGMTF Bike & Pedestrian Connectivity Study Final Report which focused on refining the modifications needed to leave the envelope for future construction of the recommended alternative of the Golden Glades Multimodal Transportation Facility (GGMTF) Bike and Pedestrian Eastside Connectivity Study. The GGMTF Bike & Pedestrian Connectivity Study aims to develop a significant link of the proposed non-motorized vision by determining a safe, convenient, and enticing bicycle and pedestrian connection between the GGMTF, the future Golden Glades Truck Travel Center (GGTTC), and surrounding neighborhoods east of I-95/SR 9A. The study’s recommended alternative of connection is at the Orange Lot adjacent to US-441/SR 7/NW 7th Avenue and south of the main driveway into the GGMTF. This location provides direct access to the shared-use path constructed within the GGMTF that connects SR 9 to US-441/SR 7/NW 7th Avenue. At the GGTTC, the best connection point is straight across US-441/SR 7/NW7th Avenue, creating a direct path between the GGTTC driveway and the GGMTF shared-use path. East of SR 9A/I-95, the best connection point was determined to be the intersection of NW 159th Street and NW 6th Avenue. As a result of this effort, in working with the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT), an envelope has been secured to allow future construction of the recommended bicycle and pedestrian bridge and path.

• Read the Executive Summary here
• Read the Final Report here
• Read the GGI East Connectivity Refinement of Recommendation here

US-1 Multimodal & Roadway Analysis: Dadeland South Metrorail Station to SW 344th Street/Palm Drive

Safe Routes to Schools 2022 Infrastructure Analysis

Safe Routes to School (SRTS) is a federally-funded program aimed at making walking and biking to and from schools safe, practical, and enjoyable. The Miami-Dade SRTS Infrastructure Plans Program is managed by the Miami-Dade TPO through partnerships with the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT), District Six, Miami-Dade County Public Schools (M-DCPS), and the Miami-Dade County Department of Transportation and Public Works (DTPW). Resulting from the middle school and high school prioritization rankings, four schools were selected for analysis and SRTS infrastructure recommendations: Homestead Middle School, Miami Jackson Senior High School, North Miami Beach Senior High School, and Ruben Darion Middle School. Using the collected data, field observations, and community and Community Traffic Safety Team (CTST) input, recommendations for infrastructure improvements were developed for each of the four schools.

• Read the Final Report here

Village of Palmetto Bay Multi-Use Trail and SMART Plan Connectivity Study

The Village of Palmetto Bay completed their Multi-Use Trail & SMART Plan Connectivity Study through the Miami-Dade TPO’s SMART Moves Program. This feasibility study for multimodal improvements aimed to enhance mobility, safety, and accessibility to the South Dade TransitWay between Old Cutler Road and US 1/South Dixie Highway, supporting the SMART Plan. This study included a review, analysis, and evaluation of four primary east/west corridors within the Village of Palmetto Bay: SW 144th, 152nd, 168th and 184th Streets. Through evaluation and public and stakeholder outreach efforts, SW 152nd Street and SW 184th Street were selected as the two corridors in most need of multimodal improvements. Through a review of existing planning documents, data collection and analysis, and public feedback, three alternatives for both corridors were identified. One alternative per selected corridor was recommended for implementation by the Village Council.

• Read the Feasibiity Report here

Complete Streets for Corridors with Bicycle-Pedestrian Gaps

Complete Streets: 1) provide guidance and criteria to help prepare design plans based on principles of safer, more comfortable, and accessible streets so that walking and non-motorized transportation are viable and foremost choices; 2) are about people first, whereby, pedestrians, bicyclists, transit riders, and motorists of all ages and abilities must be able to safely move along streets; and 3) provide several benefits in addition to mobility such as public health, economic vitality, aging, safety, and environmental quality.  As part of the Miami-Dade TPO’s SMART Moves solicitation process, there were various citizen requests to make streets more user friendly for non-motorized forms of transportation. This study incorporates these requests to review selected corridors to incorporate Complete Streets concepts with emphasis on advancing unfunded needs prioritized in the 2045 Long Range Transportation Plan (LRTP). This study also incorporates the Miami-Dade County Mayor’s recently announced initiative creating a Pedestrian-First Transportation Master Plan.

• Read the Final Report here

Performance Management - Transportation Performance Trends in Miami-Dade County

By assessing the different transportation modes in Miami-Dade County, this Transportation Performance report gives planners, city officials, and the public a birds’ eye view of how the county’s State Highway and public transit system measures up against established performance targets and goals. Measuring performance through system-wide data enables better planning and more strategic funding prioritization in the future. Taking stock of current conditions provides a snapshot of Miami-Dade’s interconnected transportation system in the context of the county’s larger demographic and movement patterns. A macro-level perspective combined with data-driven performance measures helps our planning partners decide where and how state and federal funding should be spent to improve and grow a safe, efficient, and multimodal transportation system in Miami-Dade County. This report also documents the TPO’s implementation of federally required performance monitoring and target-setting practices. A living document, the report is reviewed annually and updated to provide a vital link between the TPO’s Long-Range Transportation Plan (LRTP), the shorter-term Transportation Improvement Program (TIP), and the TPO’s annual List of Program Priorities (LOPP). This report along with the LRTP, TIP, and prioritization processes work together to identify mobility issues and align them with federal, state, and local goals and objectives as well as funding opportunities.

• Read the Final Report here

Northwest TPA Origin-Destination Study

Miami-Dade County’s northwest Transportation Planning Area (TPA) plays a vital economic role for the entire Southeast Florida region. This area accommodates a significant amount of industrial land use due to its prime location, zoning, and efficient connections with PortMiami, Miami International Airport (MIA), and the region as a whole. The Miami-Dade TPO conducted a study which examines the current and projected travel patterns within the northwest TPA, providing insight into the effects of the projected growth and identified infrastructure improvements. In particular, the effect of the extension of NW 107th Avenue from NW 106th Street to NW 122nd Street in regards to local travel patterns is analyzed and documented. In addition, and building upon this analysis, potential projects have been identified that can improve the mobility within the TPA. Three types of potential mobility improvements were identified including: a transit project, the identification of multiple areas where mobility could be improved using micro-mobility, bicycle and pedestrian modes, and two roadway projects.

• Read the Executive Summary here
• Read the Final Report here
• View the Flyer here

Emerging Tunnel Technologies Feasibility Study

This study evaluated emerging tunnel technology and recommended transit tunnel corridors for the advancement of mobility options in Miami-Dade County. The tunnels are proposed for use by electric multi-passenger transit vehicles to accommodate a range of up to 60 passengers. Among all methods, tunnel construction by excavation by Tunnel Boring Machine (TBM) is the preferred tunneling method for its ability to cause the least amount of (if any) surface disruption. This study used a three-tiered analysis using the Long Range Transportation Plan (LRTP), the Transportation Improvement Program (TIP), previous studies, and other corridors to develop a base network for tier 1. Twenty-five corridors were recommended based on cost, land-use, mobility, and technical criteria during the tier 2 analysis. Ultimately, six LRTP priority corridors and two Strategic Miami Area Rapid Transit (SMART) corridors were recommended for further study under the tier 3 analysis next steps.

• Read the Executive Summary
• Read the Final Report

Town of Cutler Bay Master Plan Update

The Town of Cutler Bay completed their Town’s Master Plan Update through the Miami-Dade TPO’s SMART Moves Program. This study updates the previous Master Plan conducted in 2014 as it provides a clear understanding of the regional origins and destinations of people moving to, from, and through the Town on their daily journeys. It also details how these movements and volumes impact not only local roads, the transit system, and the bicycle and pedestrian network, but those in the surrounding area. Additionally, this analysis assesses the system’s ability to be resilient today and in the future. The study examined the root causes of congestion, inadequate roadway capacity, lack of modal options, existing and future travel patterns, emerging development and growth patterns, and a lack of diverse land uses and the ability of the system to rebound from major disaster events and withstand the gradual rising of seas.  As a result, a project bank of multi-modal transportation and a variety of policy solutions were developed.

• Read the Final Report

Systemwide Level of Service (LOS) Analysis

The Systemwide LOS Analysis has been developed to evaluate the performance, observed trends, and capacity of the existing transportation system network in Miami-Dade County. This study updates the existing conditions for State and County roadways, transit, and nonmotorized facilities, and focuses on the County’s facilities to determine if they meet the current travel demands. The assessment of multimodal system needs and recommendations will support the development of program priorities and will be used to update future transportations plans, such as the 2050 Long Range Transportation Plan (LRTP), the Transportation Improvement Program (TIP), and the Transit Development Plan (TDP). 

• Read the Executive Summary
• Read the Final Report

Miami-Dade TPO COVID-19 Travel Behavior Trend Analysis

The Miami-Dade TPO undertook a COVID-19 Travel Behavior Trend Analysis to investigate the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on travel behavior in Miami-Dade County. The objective of the study is to identify any changes in travel behavior trends from the onset of the pandemic, through to 2021, that may inform the long-range transportation planning process. This was done by comparing pre-pandemic transportation related data sets to data collected during various phases of the pandemic and post lock down. Trend analysis for traffic volumes, transit usage, airport/cruise port passengers and other transportation data were completed using 2019 (pre-pandemic), 2020, and available 2021 data. This analysis is intended to serve as a baseline, as conclusions about impacts on future travel are difficult to discern using current data, because the pandemic is still ongoing. 

• Download the Miami-Dade TPO COVID-19 Travel Behavior Trend Analysis Final Report
• Download the Miami-Dade TPO COVID-19 Travel Behavior Trend Analysis Appendices

Miami-Dade County Transportation Resilience Brochure

The Miami-Dade County Transportation Resilience Brochure was developed collaboratively between the Miami-Dade TPO and Miami-Dade Department of Regulatory and Economic Resources (RER). Resilience is being better prepared for an increasing occurrence of shocks, such as hurricanes and infrastructure failures, as well as better mitigating stresses, such as sea level rise, crippling traffic, and severe economic inequities. Miami-Dade County and the TPO are committed to ensuring the long-term resilience of the region’s transportation system through collaborative planning across departments and the community that integrates social welfare, economic viability, climate preparedness, innovative technologies, and environmental considerations. In this brochure, the Resilient305 Strategy objectives recognize mobility options that are vital to the health and success of both Miami-Dade County’s environment and the economy. The SMART Plan is also identified as a program of rapid transit projects that aims to significantly improve transportation mobility, provide a world-class transit system that will support economic growth, and increase competitiveness in the global arena.

• View the 2022 Transportation Resilience Brochure as a Flipbook and/or downloadable PDF.

SMART Plan East-West Corridor Land Use Scenario and Visioning Planning Study

The SMART Plan, adopted by the Miami-Dade TPO Governing Board in 2016, includes the advancement of six rapid transit corridors with a network of Bus Express Rapid Transit (BERT) service. This report summarizes the results of the Land Use Scenario and Visioning Planning Study for the SMART Plan East-West Corridor. The planning study developed land use scenarios that will be supportive of the future rapid transit plans along the corridor. Working in coordination with the general public, a Study Advisory Committee (SAC), transportation agency partners, and elected officials, a preferred land use scenario was developed including station typologies that will be conducive to Transit-Oriented Communities (TOC) within the station areas.

• Download the SMART Plan East-West Corridor Land Use Scenario and Visioning Planning Final Report, December 2021

SMART Plan East-West Corridor Economic Mobility & Accessibility Study

This report addresses the economic mobility and accessibility needs along the SMART Plan East-West Corridor. Stretching approximately 16-miles from the Tamiami Terminal to the Miami Intermodal Center (MIC) along SR 836, the East-West Corridor will create an important transit link through central Miami-Dade County. The corridor will provide to residents and visitors the opportunity to better access jobs, major transportation hubs, and higher education centers.

• Download the SMART Plan East-West Corridor Economic Mobility & Accessibility Final Report, December 2021

Nondiscrimination: Title VI, ADA and Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE)

The Miami-Dade TPO has set a policy that assures that no person shall on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, age, disability, family, or religious status, as provided by Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the Civil Rights Restoration Act of 1987, and the Florida Civil Rights Act of 1992 be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be otherwise subjected to discrimination or retaliation under any program or activity. The following information supports the TPO’s Title VI/DBE Program:

• Title VI Policy Assurance Statement
• Title VI/Nondiscrimination Complaint Procedures
• Limited English Proficiency Plan (LEP)
• DBE Assurance Statement