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Boca Raton advances downtown mobility with autonomous shuttle tests and quick‑build safety projects
Summary
Zach Beard, Public Works and Engineering Director, told the CRA on Oct. 27 that Boca Connect is meeting council service goals and that staff has begun testing a MICA autonomous shuttle in Meisner Plaza as part of downtown mobility pilots.
Zach Beard, Public Works and Engineering Director for the City of Boca Raton, told the Community Redevelopment Agency on Oct. 27 that staff is monitoring Boca Connect ridership and service standards and has begun small‑scale testing of an autonomous shuttle in Meisner Plaza.
Beard said Boca Connect, which launched in June 2024, has been meeting the city council requirement for an average headway of under 10 minutes and that staff is tracking ridership and supply month‑to‑month. He told the CRA that staff worked with local company Kydent to test the MICA autonomous vehicle ‘‘in Meisner’’ on a short loop so residents can learn where the vehicle will stop and how to board as staff evaluates safety and operations after NHTSA permitting.
The presentation described a plan to expand the shuttle route after evaluations, aiming eventually to connect the north and south portions of downtown from Meisner to Royal Palm Place. Beard said the testing is intended to supplement the downtown transit spine and ‘‘utilize technology’’ to increase connectivity.
Beard also reviewed near‑term safety work on East Palmetto Park Road and Federal Highway identified in the ALTA planning study and said the city is coordinating with Palm Beach County on Dixie Road. Staff is conducting a warrant analysis at First Avenue to determine whether a signal is warranted at that downtown location.
Among pilot measures already installed, Beard highlighted fourth‑generation amber high‑emphasis striping and pedestrian‑activated lights on Palmetto that ‘‘really emphasize that the crosswalk is active.’’ He said the lights are currently button‑actuated but staff is evaluating motion‑activation options using lidar and radar to reduce driver confusion when pedestrians do not push a button.
On quick‑build projects, Beard said materials were procured and a pilot deployment was installed at Seventh Street and Meisner Boulevard to test performance; the city will evaluate other quick builds south of Palmetto and move traffic materials as needed. He said the Seventh/Meisner project may result in one of the first protected intersections in Palm Beach County, designed to improve safety for the Second Street bike bypass.
Commissioners asked about data collection. One commissioner asked whether units include counters; Beard said he would confirm with staff and report back. He also announced a Micro Mobility Safety Symposium on Oct. 30 from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m., urged pre‑registration, and said the event is intended to solicit community input on e‑bikes and micromobility safety.
Beard closed by noting ongoing coordination with downtown planning efforts; commissioners highlighted related community events including an FAU graduate student workshop and the upcoming update to the downtown (4035) ordinance anticipated by 2028.
