Residents press Miami Beach to fix drainage and deliver promised speed bumps before building path

Several residents used the outreach meeting to press city staff about long‑standing drainage problems and unfinished neighborhood projects, arguing those failures make a new hard‑surface path premature.

"If we're gonna spend millions of dollars, why aren't we solving the drainage problem first before putting in something like this?" asked Dylan Yalas, reflecting a sentiment repeated by other callers about knee‑deep flooding at Meridian and the path entrance at 28th Street.

David Gomez, director of capital improvements, said a drainage master plan and neighborhood drainage projects exist but cannot be completed all at once. "Regarding your question about drainage, there is a project scheduled for drainage in the neighborhood... It's scheduled way down the line," Gomez said, adding that earlier neighborhood opposition had previously delayed a separate drainage project.

Residents also pressed for promised traffic calming: Nicole DeMore said speed bumps had been 'in the works for over 5 years.' Gomez responded that the bid for the traffic-calming project—including speed bumps on Meridian—has been issued and will be on the street for 45 to 60 days, with construction expected to begin after award; he said residents should expect speed bump installation "this summer." Staff also said they would raise police enforcement of speeding concerns with the police department.

Design staff said some larger neighborhood projects require coordination across Public Works, CIP, Transportation and the county and that funding and permitting constraints shape timing. The project team offered follow-up meetings to show the designs and provide more detail on coordination and schedule.