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Board delays citywide bus‑shelter rollout, asks for mock‑up and clearer roof and drainage details
Summary
The Design Review Board asked the city and its contractor to produce a full mock‑up of a proposed new bus‑shelter design and to provide clearer plans for roof materials, drainage and seating before the project moves forward.
The Design Review Board on Sept. 6 asked the city and its consultant to build and present a full mock‑up of the new, citywide bus shelter design before the board will approve the kit‑of‑parts for hundreds of stops citywide.
Transportation staff, represented by Milos Mostorovich, and the selected contractor, OutFront Media, presented a redesigned shelter concept that keeps the broad look of a previously approved “iconic” design but substitutes a solid, UV‑stable polycarbonate roof for the glass panels originally planned. The shelters include solar options, e‑ink real‑time arrival displays, benches, lean bars, and digital and static advertising panels.
OutFront Media said cost and manufacturability drove design changes after the city’s original, glass‑heavy concept proved prohibitively expensive during procurement. The company and its manufacturer partner Poitras emphasized that the polycarbonate option would be lighter, impact‑resistant, and lower cost than a curved laminated glass canopy.
Board members and staff raised three persistent concerns: (1) whether partially translucent roofs would transfer excessive heat to waiting passengers or produce glare that reduces usability; (2) how roof drainage and water runoff from V‑shaped canopies would be collected and routed off the sidewalk; and (3) whether the proposed molded plastic benches would perform well in a high‑graffiti/high‑maintenance environment.
“Before we standardize this across the city, we need to see it built — a full‑scale mock‑up, with the roof, the panel, the drain details and a solar option—so we can evaluate heat, drainage and maintenance,” a board member said.
OutFront agreed to return with a detailed, full‑scale mock‑up and additional options for roofing opacity and drainage. The board continued consideration to the Nov. 1 meeting and asked staff to keep Historic Preservation and other reviewers aligned so the mock‑up could serve multiple review bodies.
Why it matters: The shelters project is a citywide infrastructure improvement that affects transit riders’ day‑to‑day experience and the appearance of Miami Beach’s streetscapes. The board prioritized getting practical issues right before approving large‑scale construction that will be replicated across dozens (and ultimately hundreds) of stops.
What’s next: OutFront Media will produce a mock‑up and a drainage/roof‑section package and return Nov. 1. Staff will coordinate Historic Preservation and Transportation review and continue to test a flexible solar film and battery configuration for locations without electrical hook‑ups.
