Miami Beach plans barricade maps and pole banners to steer shoppers to West Avenue businesses

Miami Beach plans to cover construction barricades on the West Avenue flood project with illustrated maps of nearby shops and restaurants, and to hang banners on about a dozen street poles, to help businesses at the west end of Lincoln Road while the street work drags on, according to a city presentation shared with residents this week.

The 12-page plan from the city’s marketing office, titled “Lincoln-West District Business Access & Awareness Marketing,” says its goal is to help customers find businesses during construction. It lists:

• Barricade wraps turned into a directory-style map of the area, with different versions by location.
• Wayfinding signs, including large sidewalk stickers.
• Pole banners at about 12 spots on West Avenue between 14th Street and Lincoln Road, on poles the city says won’t be removed for the construction.
• A virtual business directory on a dedicated West Avenue web page, promoted on the city’s social media accounts.
• A printed flier for nearby residential buildings, and updates through homeowner association newsletters.

The presentation doesn’t give a cost or a start date. The SoBe West Neighborhood Association sent it to members Wednesday night and asked residents to support “struggling” businesses during the Phase 2 work.

Committee on Monday

The City Commission’s Public Safety and Neighborhood Quality of Life Committee is scheduled to discuss pedestrian safety and communication on the West Avenue Phase II project at 9 a.m. Monday, Nov. 9, an item sponsored by Commissioner Laura Dominguez. The city’s memo says staff reviewed the contractor’s pedestrian detour setup after resident complaints and found it followed the approved plan, with sidewalks open throughout the neighborhood in all but a few spots. It says the project’s WhatsApp channel, used for updates on sidewalks, utility work, night work and detours, now reaches nearly 1,400 subscribers.

The memo also acknowledges a gap: when crews hit underground utilities and service is cut, notices go to property owners and managers, not necessarily to residents.

The contractor on the flood-control project, which has grown past $100 million, sued the city last month and is seeking to leave the job, the Miami Herald reported; the city has said work will continue. Read our story on the lawsuit.