Newly synched Beach traffic lights helping traffic move faster

After the City of Miami Beach asked Miami-Dade County to update some traffic lights synchronizations along 41st Street, Collins Avenue, and other areas of the city, the county tweaked the timing on some major corridors, but more would need to be done.

Issues were especially acute in the North Shore District, including Collins Avenue, Indian Creek, going northbound, Harding and Dickens avenues southbound, and 71st Street to Normandy Drive, eastbound and westbound.

“We have reached out [to the county] and they did do an assessment and take the position that they have done things,” said Commissioner Steven Meiner. “Whether it’s enough or not is subject to interpretation.”

He reached out to the county again last week, he said, asking them to look at all the major corridors’ damaged vehicle loop detectors at traffic signals. “That’s an issue from months ago. I want the data from the state on how this is performing.”

The county also asked its staff for a detailed report on all traffic synchronization countywide in real time. The city passed a resolution to obtain that report.

“The county has looked at it,” Mr. Meiner said. “They did tweak on the major corridors (of the city) certain timing. We’re talking about a matter of a couple of seconds. They’re difficult to perceive, but that’s keeping the traffic flow moving a little better.”

There are competing interests, he said. “If you keep the light on too long to keep the traffic flowing, the pedestrians, especially elderly pedestrians, or people with strollers and children, will have it be difficult to get across. It’s a constant balance.”

Another issue is that some major corridors are roads owned and operated by the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT), including 41st Street, Alton Road, and 71st Street.

“Right now, the county is working with FDOT to try to implement some changes,” said Commissioner Meiner. “Not only Miami Beach doesn’t have the ability to control the synchronization, even the county needs to work with the state. There are so many agencies involved, and unfortunately, that holds things back.”

The city is also looking at incorporating artificial intelligence software into the vehicle detection loops at the traffic intersections.

“We’re looking at some software programs that we can gauge and manage, because right now, if there is an issue and traffic is not flowing, sometimes it’s just a matter of there being so many cars, but sometimes there is actually a reason for it, and we don’t have any way, any system or mechanism in place, to know it, without somebody reporting it,” Commissioner Meiner said.

He said he has seen contractors working on the roads in rush hours, even when the city’s maintenance of traffic guidelines specifically say that workers are not allowed to work during those times. “They’re not fully fledged police officers, they’re traffic officers and that is their job, to stand there and make sure that the intersections stay clear and keep the traffic moving.”