Upcoming ITS Projects

The Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) District Six recently began construction on the Port of Miami Tunnel (POMT) Project, which is one of the largest and most important transportation improvement projects in the state’s history. The $1 billion project was designed to improve traffic access going to and from the port to reduce daily congestion for the more than 7,000 cargo trucks, passenger buses and vehicles that utilize the facility every day. The POMT Project consists of three main improvements: the construction of a pair of twin tunnels (120 feet below sea level) that will connect Watson Island and the Port of Miami (Dodge Island), increased connections to the Port of Miami roadway system, and widening the MacArthur Causeway Bridge.

To minimize the impacts of this four-year construction project, the Traffic Incident Management (TIM) Team is working with project representatives to provide traffic management assistance via its Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) devices, Transportation Management Center operator support and 511 Traveler Information System. The team will also assist the project’s private tow-truck contractor with additional resources when needed, such as Road Ranger and Incident Response Vehicle support and even added a live streaming video tour of the project’s roadways on SunGuide.org.

For more information on the Port of Miami Tunnel project, visit the project's website.

In June 2009, the District’s first Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) replacement project was awarded. It was a design-build procurement for the replacement of 13 Dynamic Message Signs (DMS) on existing structures along I-95, SR 826, SR 9, US 441, and Florida’s Turnpike Spur. This project includes the removal of the existing DMS, various upgrades to the equipment (cabinets), maintenance repairs to the structures, and installation/integration of the new DMS.

Section 5 of the Palmetto Improvement Program project began in fiscal year 2009-2010. It involves the construction of a system-to-system interchange between State Road 826/Palmetto Expressway and State Road 836/Dolphin Expressway. Capacity improvements include the reconstruction and widening of approximately one mile of both SR 826 and SR 836 and the construction of 34 bridges. The project will provide new direct ramps for major movements and collector-distributor (CD) ramps to eliminate existing geometric and operational deficiencies. The District Six SunGuide® Transportation Management Center (TMC) will play a critical role during the construction phase, which is set to last about six years, by enhancing its incident management resources along the interchange. The TMC manages these resources, as well as the temporary and permanent Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) field devices deployed as part of the reconstruction. The TMC will utilize the new TIM Team approach to facilitate the development of new protocols with the responding agencies to ensure incidents are managed as efficiently as possible throughout the construction work zone. For more information, visit the project website at: www.826-836.com.