Committee backs moving Lincoln Road pedestrianization forward pending traffic study and development-agreement negotiations

The Land Use and Sustainability Committee on an item sponsored by Commissioner Fernandez recommended the City Commission authorize staff to finalize a traffic-circulation study, commission a peer review and begin negotiating a development agreement for a project to pedestrianize the 200 and 300 blocks of Lincoln Road and to limit vehicular access on the 100 block.

Committee members and staff said the proposal would remove vehicle lanes on the ocean‑ward end of Lincoln Road, create a plaza that extends the pedestrianized section east of Washington Avenue and aims to boost commercial activity and enhance the corridor’s “grand entry” to the beach. The project team includes a private developer partner and a traffic consultant; the Ritz‑Carlton is funding soft‑cost work, and the developer’s traffic engineer has submitted a preliminary study.

Why it matters: Lincoln Road is one of Miami Beach’s primary commercial corridors and a high‑traffic transit corridor. Committee discussion focused on ensuring the project’s circulation plan accounts for high bus ridership near the Washington/Collins corridor and that construction costs and responsibilities are clearly allocated between the city and private partner before any final agreement.

Transportation staff said they had received a preliminary traffic assessment from the developer’s engineer and would meet with that consultant, perform a peer review through an engaged consultant and expedite data collection and analysis. Jose Gonzalez, the city’s transportation and mobility director, said the department will review the developer study, work with the consultant and coordinate with Miami‑Dade Transit on bus routing and stops serving the corridor.

Developer Michael Larkin told the committee the team engaged Kimley‑Horn (Adrian Dukowski represented the firm) and that the preliminary methodology and assessment are submitted to the city. Dukowski said data collection and the full study typically take 10–12 weeks once the city approves the methodology. Committee members emphasized that transit—not just private vehicle flow—must be part of the circulation study because a bus stop near the CVS on Lincoln Road registers among the busiest in the city.

Larkin also described a proposed cost split: the private partner would cover soft costs while the city would be responsible for the hard construction cost; he estimated the hard cost at about $22,000,000, with contingencies pushing total hard costs toward roughly $24,200,000. He said the City Center Community Redevelopment Area (CRA) could be a potential funding source and that the developer will work with the city on an economist’s study of future CRA revenue growth.

Committee direction and next steps: Commissioner Fernandez moved that the committee recommend the City Commission authorize the administration to finalize the traffic circulation study and its peer review, verify construction costs and pursue a development agreement with the private partner; the motion was seconded and carried by committee consensus. Staff will continue detailed traffic coordination with Miami‑Dade Transit, proceed with the peer review and share monthly progress reports with the land‑use committee as the study proceeds. Any final development agreement would return to the City Commission for approval. The committee chair and the finance chair noted there is no guarantee the city has available capital for the project and that funding would need to be identified and approved through the usual budgetary and CRA amendment processes.

What remains unresolved: The traffic study is in progress and the committee approved starting development‑agreement negotiations concurrent with the study, with the understanding a future agreement would be contingent on the study’s final circulation findings and subsequent approvals by the City Commission and, if required, CRA amendments or other funding actions.