Pavel Stoev, Mobility and Pedestrian Safety Committee member

07/11/2023

The new MAPSAC is having some difficulties finding a time when everyone is available to meet even though we are using a web-based meeting scheduling tool that SIB is providing (thank you!). I remain hopeful that we will start meeting regularly and soon.

In the meantime, I have been reporting various traffic-related issues as I discover them. Recently reported the following to the Deputy City Manager, Ms. Susan Simpson:

1. New construction along 172nd was causing issues with respect to how one-way traffic was arranged. As per my suggestion, new traffic cones were added to ensure bidirectional traffic flow and opposite-direction traffic separation.

2. I noticed that the South-East pedestrian traffic signal at 170th (opposite Pollo Tropical) was facing the wrong way and thus not signaling anything to pedestrians wishing to cross. This issue is reported and should be corrected soon, as per SIB.

3. Lastly, the push button at the signalized pedestrian crossing just south of Porto Bellagio should also be fixed soon by SIB.

If you observe any more issues related to traffic and pedestrian safety, please feel free to reach out.

05/17/2023

Last evening, my peaceful BBQing was disrupted by deafening car noises from the back of Milam's parking lot. I observed a black Mustang GT revving its engine repeatedly, thundering away for a circle around Sunny Isles, only to return and park again. You may have heard these noises around 8:15 - 8:30 pm. Uniformed Milam's employee egressed the vehicle and proceeded to their place of work.

Today, I went to speak to Milam's store manager. I informed them of the SIB Noise Ordinance and our right to enjoy the environment without excessive noise pollution. They agreed to discuss the matter internally but noted there is little they can do about their employees outside the workplace. Shall the issue persist, police will need to be called along with code enforcement staff

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03/10/2023

Today I officially reapplied for the MAPSAC. I hope I am selected so I can continue sharing my expertise and genuine belief in preventing traffic injuries and saving lives.

02/01/2023

Important milestone and development for the SIB Police. Thank you, Chief Santiago!

01/27/2023

Here is the short video record from the December 2022 SIB Commission meeting, where I presented MAPSAC recommendations for traffic enforcement using camera systems.

12/13/2022

At the most recent meeting, the MAPSAC Committee discussed the upcoming changes at the SIB major intersections concerning protecting pedestrians from turning vehicles at several major Collins Ave intersections. We understand FDOT agreed to pilot a change to the traffic lights' timing that would allow pedestrians to cross ahead of turning vehicles. We want to use this opportunity to highlight the importance of automated enforcement using cameras and other equipment at intersections where vehicles are prohibited from making right turns on red or left turns while pedestrians are crossing.

The presence of automated enforcement has been shown to lead to a quick reduction in repeat offenses, as drivers quickly learn to respect the local traffic rules and avoid running red lights or making prohibited turns. This benefits our local residents and visitors to our city, who will quickly learn to respect the rules of the road and avoid potential traffic violations.

Significant evidence supports the idea that automated enforcement traffic cameras that capture turn violations lead to safer crossings for pedestrians.

One study published in the American Journal of Public Health found that red light cameras significantly reduced the number of pedestrians killed or seriously injured at intersections. The study analyzed data from 14 cities across the United States and found that introducing red light cameras led to a 21% reduction in pedestrian fatalities and a 14% reduction in pedestrian injuries.

Another study published in the Journal of Transport & Health found that red light cameras reduced the number of pedestrian crashes at intersections. The study, which analyzed data from more than 200 intersections in the city of Chicago, found that the presence of red light cameras led to a 25% reduction in vehicle vs. pedestrian crashes.

Additionally, a review of research on the effectiveness of red light cameras, published in the American Journal of Public Health, concluded that the use of red light cameras leads to a significant reduction in the number of red light violations and the number of crashes at intersections. The review found that the presence of red light cameras led to a decrease in the number of red light violations by up to 90% and a decrease in the number of crashes at intersections by up to 30%.

Overall, the evidence suggests that automated enforcement traffic cameras that capture red light turn violations lead to safer crossings for pedestrians, as they help to reduce the number of violations and pedestrian crashes at intersections. In addition to the safety benefits of red light turn cameras, they also generate additional income for our city. This revenue can fund important public safety initiatives and improve our community for everyone.

Our team will present our discussion summary at the upcoming SIB Commission meeting on December 15th.

11/25/2022

Happy Friday everyone! This week we returned to our regular MAPSAC meetings. We discussed the City's progress on the proposed traffic safety and improvements. We also talked about intensifying the social media campaign with traffic safety messaging - MAPSAC will generate the messages for the City to curate and run them. Lastly, we talked about potential traffic flow changes to protect pedestrian crossings and ways of automating enforcement using technology. I will prepare a memo on the subject to be presented at the next Commission meeting.

On a personal note, as SIB driver, I frequently observe delivery tracks stopping and parking on the side of Collins Ave throughout Sunny Isles Beach, hazard flashers on while attending to their business deliveries. This causes significant traffic delays and safety issues. I sent a note about this and attached this photo (Amazon delivery truck stopped causing traffic diversion) to our City staff and the police department. Perhaps some ticketing and enforcement could be activated as it happens in other municipalities.

08/23/2022

I am encouraged by the ongoing Zero-Tolerance Traffic Enforcement and the results. I am also glad to see our MAPSAC recommendations being adopted so expeditiously.

The Sunny Isles Beach Police Department continues to implement a zero-tolerance traffic enforcement policy, as well as conduct numerous traffic safety educational campaigns. Listed below are some of the latest initiatives to increase pedestrian and bicycle safety throughout our city.

Road Report – Monday, August 15, 2022 The Road Report is an update on traffic and pedestrian safety initiatives, key statistics, events and news from the Sunny Isles Beach Police Department. Traffic Enforcement Detail On Tuesday, August 16, the Sunny Isles Beach Police Department organized a Multi...

08/16/2022

Important message from Sunny Isles Beach Police. Please read and share!

07/25/2022

On Thursday, July 21st, with other members of MAPSAC, I delivered our mid-term progress report to the SIB Commission. This report is a culmination of our discussion effort and regular meetings in the past four months, presenting actionable traffic and pedestrian safety priorities. In summary, our priority is building a safer, easier-to-use (properly) pedestrian environment while efficiently managing the increased vehicular and bicycle/scooter traffic flow. It is now up to the SIB Commission to move our recommendations forward by engaging in formal planning efforts, where necessary, and by including our suggestions in the upcoming budgeting process. I understand some of this may seem rather bureaucratic, but it is a proper due process for some changes of the proposed magnitude. We suggested several quick fixes as well. I include several slides from my report as images in this post. Additionally, I would like to highlight my proposal/idea of collaborating with our City's developers to establish a new transportation and safety improvement fund. This is a win for everyone - residents benefit from realizable traffic improvements, developers may advertise their involvement in local quality of life and safety initiatives, and the City has a long-term funding availability for such. The full report, covering over 30 recommendations and the description of our approach to developing these, may be obtained from the SIB website. https://www.sibfl.net/city-hall/office-of-the-city-clerk/committees/mapsac/

07/24/2022

I played this video during my SIB Commission presentation and showed it to the Police Chief during our meeting. This is an example of a systemic failure, and my message was simple. For the policymakers to overcome FDOT and other roadblocks and proceed with local traffic actionable improvements, make it easier for pedestrians to cross lawfully instead of jaywalking like this, building a safer local traffic environment. For the police to intensify their ongoing efforts in high visibility enforcement, driving towards zero tolerance of all traffic infractions by pedestrians and drivers. And for MAPSAC and our fellow residents to spread the message about traffic safety involving driving, bicycling, scooter use, and crossing the roads by pedestrians. We can all do our part and make this a safer City to live, work and enjoy.

06/05/2022

Posting another update covering the last two MAPSAC committee meetings. During the May 23rd meeting, we continued to debate and rate the previously identified initiatives addressing pedestrian safety and traffic flow improvements. Then, at the May 31st meeting, we finalized our ratings for all the proposed initiatives, literally nothing left off the table, and tasked one of the committee members to tally up the numbers. Hoping to have the final combined list presented for the next round of debate at the June 13th meeting - looking forward to finalizing this and getting it to the SIB Commission. Stay tuned for further updates.