Examining the Transportation Impacts of the PortMiami Tunnel presented by Paul O’Rourke December 7, 2016 Presentation Overview • Introduction • Objective • Impacts on Truck Counts 2013-2015 • Impacts on Travel Speeds 2013-2015 • Simultaneous Increase in Truck Counts and Travel Speeds • I-395 Reconstruction Project • Conclusions Introduction • Opened to traffic on Sunday, August 3, 2014, the PortMiami Tunnel is expected to improve traffic flow in downtown Miami by reducing the number of cargo trucks and cruise related vehicles on congested downtown streets. • The tunnel connects the MacArthur Causeway to Dodge Island, providing direct access between the port and highways I-395 and I-95, creating another entry to PortMiami in addition to Port Boulevard. • The PortMiami Tunnel will provide an additional benefit by accommodating traffic associated with the recent Panama Canal expansion and the arrival of larger post-Panamax ships into the port. Source: www.portofmiamitunnel.com Objective • This study examines the impacts on truck counts and travel speeds in downtown Miami resulting from the opening of the PortMiami Tunnel. The study utilizes tabular and spatial data provided by FDOT and the HERE National Performance Management Research Data Set (NPMRDS). Using geographic information systems (GIS) technology, these data sources are merged together spatially to create value-added information. • Optimally, the system will experience fewer trucks traversing downtown Miami streets and more trucks utilizing the I-395/MacArthur Causeway in order to reach PortMiami. Simultaneously, the system may experience differences in travel speeds as a result of a decrease/increase in truck volumes along some facilities. • For the purposes of a before-and-after analysis, and since the tunnel was opened in 2014, data for truck counts and travel speeds were used from the years 2013 (before the tunnel opened) and 2015 (after the tunnel opened). Map source: www.portofmiamitunnel.com Impacts on Truck Counts 2013-2015 • Utilizing the truck AADT data • With a few exceptions, most from the 2013 (pre-tunnel) and facilities throughout downtown 2015 (post-tunnel) count years, Miami in the vicinity of an examination of the data PortMiami experienced an reveals that with regard to overall decline in truck counts truck counts, the tunnel is from 2013 to 2015. serving its intended purpose. • An examination of the data also reveals an increase in truck counts on nearby limited access facilities (I-95 and I- 395/MacArthur Causeway), another intended purpose of the PortMiami Tunnel. Impacts on Truck Counts 2013-2015 Impacts on Truck Counts 2013-2015 Table 1. Facilities with the Steepest Decline in Annual Average Daily Truck Counts 2013-2015. Counts include both directions of travel unless otherwise noted. Source: Florida Department of Transportation FACILITY DESCRIPTION TRUCK COUNT TRUCK COUNT 2015 DIFFERENCE 2013 Port Blvd. Biscayne Blvd. to PortMiami 4,757 822 -3,935 (-83%) SR 970 Ramp WB Ramp to I-95 4,067 338 -3,729 (-92%) NE 1st Ave. NW 10th St.to NE 17th St. 3,726 1,643 -2,083 (-56%) Biscayne Blvd. Near interchange with I-395 2,881 1,463 -1,418 (-49%) NE 5th St. EB Near intersection with 2,120 830 -1,290 (-61%) Biscayne Blvd. and Port Blvd. I-395 WB Ramp NE 1st Ave. to WB I-395 1,715 543 -1,172 (-68%) NE 6th St. WB Near intersection with 2,197 1,047 -1,150 (-52%) Biscayne Blvd. and Port Blvd. I-395 EB Ramp Ramp to NE 2nd Ave. 1,688 662 -1,026 (-61%) Table 2. Facilities with the Greatest Increase in Annual Average Daily Truck Counts 2013-2015. Counts include both directions of travel unless otherwise noted. Source: Florida Department of Transportation FACILITY DESCRIPTION TRUCK COUNT TRUCK COUNT DIFFERENCE 2013 2015 I-95 I-395 to NW 20th St. 6,380 11,388 +5,008 (+78%) SB I-95 SB Ramp Ramp to WB SR 836 0 (N/A) 4,000 +4,000 (N/A) I-95 SW 7th ST to I-395 4,727 8,606 +3,879 (+82%) PortMiami Tunnel MacArthur Cswy. to 0 (N/A) 2,831 +2,831 (N/A) Port Miami SR 836 WB Ramp Ramp to NB I-95 1,716 3,666 +1,950 (+113%) NE/NW 1st St. I-95 to Biscayne Blvd. 603 2,139 +1,536 (+255%) MacArthur Causeway Causeway origin to 2310 3741 +1,431 (+62%) Fountain St. Dolphin Expressway I-95 to NW 10th Ave. 4,644 5,933 +1,289 (+28%) Impacts on Travel Speeds 2013-2015 • Travel time data from the HERE NPMRDS Some of the facilities that experienced an increase in average travel speeds during peak hours for August 2013 (pre-tunnel) and August include: 2015 (post-tunnel) was utilized in order to • The Dolphin Expressway westbound from I-95 coincide with the truck count years. The to NW 10th Avenue. analysis utilizes the average travel speeds • The eastbound MacArthur Causeway, from its origin through Watson Island to Fountain for passenger and freight vehicles during Street. peak hours (6:00-9:00 AM and 4:00-7:00 • Biscayne Boulevard north of the entrance to PM) on weekdays only. PortMiami, between NE 6th Street and NE 8th Street. Some of the facilities that experienced a decrease in average travel speeds during peak hours include: • I-395 westbound from NW 1st Avenue to the I- 95 interchange. • NW 3rd Avenue northbound from W. Flagler Street to just north of NW 1st Street. • I-395 eastbound near the interchange with I- 95. Impacts on Travel Speeds 2013-2015 Impacts on Travel Speeds 2013-2015 Table 3. Facilities with the Largest Increase in Travel Speeds During Peak Hours Between August 2013 and August 2015. Source: HERE NPMRDS FACILITY DESCRIPTION SPEED INCREASE (MPH) Dolphin Expressway WB Ramp I-95 NB to Dolphin Exp. WB +13 Dolphin Expressway WB I-95 to NW 10th Ave. +9-10 MacArthur Causeway EB Causeway origin to Fountain St. +8 Biscayne Blvd. SB NE 8th St. to NE 6th St. +6 Biscayne Blvd. NB NE 6th St. to NE 8th St. +4 I-395 EB I-95 to NE 1st Ave. +3-4 I-395 EB Ramp Ramp to NE 2nd Ave. +3 I-395 EB Ramp I-95 to N. Miami Ave. +3 Biscayne Blvd. NB SE 1st St. to NE 1st St. +3 NE 2nd Ave. NB I-395 EB Ramp to NE 12th St. +3 Biscayne Blvd. NB I-395 to NE 22nd St. +2-5 Table 4. Facilities with the Largest Decrease in Travel Speeds During Peak Hours Between August 2013 and August 2015. Source: HERE NPMRDS FACILITY DESCRIPTION SPEED DECREASE (MPH) I-395 WB NW 1st Ave. to I-95 interchange -18 NW 3rd Ave. NB W. Flagler St. to north of NW 1st St. -16 I-395 EB Interchange with I-95 -15 I-395 WB West of MacArthur Cswy. to NW 1st Ave. -14 I-395 EB Ramp I-95 NB to I-395 EB -12 Dolphin Expy. WB Ramp I-95 SB to Dolphin Expy. WB -12 I-395 WB West of MacArthur Cswy. -11 I-95 NB Ramp NW 17th St. to I-95 NB -10 I-95 NB Ramp I-395 WB to NW 17th St. -9 I-95 SB NW 2nd St. to SW 3rd St. -8 I-95 SB NW 11th Ter. to NW 2nd St. -8 Simultaneous Increase in Truck Counts and Travel Speeds By merging the truck counts from FDOT with the travel speed data from HERE using GIS technology, it becomes possible to identify the facilities that experienced a simultaneous increase in truck counts and travel speeds. These facilities include: • NE 2nd Avenue NB from the I-395 EB ramp to NE 12th Street. • MacArthur Causeway EB from the causeway origin to Fountain Street. • The I-395 EB ramp from I-95 to N. Miami Avenue. • The I-395 EB ramp to NE 2nd Avenue. I-395 Reconstruction Project FDOT is nearing the implementation of an I-395 reconstruction project, scheduled to begin in 2017. Part of the project involves the rebuilding of the I-395 corridor from the I-95/Midtown Interchange to the MacArthur Causeway. The project web site is http://www.fdotmiamidade.com/i395designproject Conclusions • An examination of truck counts and peak hour travel speeds throughout the study area between 2013 and 2015 has revealed the following notable impacts since the opening of the PortMiami Tunnel: o A decrease in truck counts throughout most of downtown Miami, including a substantial decrease in trucks along Port Boulevard. o An increase in truck counts along I-95, I-395, and the MacArthur Causeway. o A decrease in travel speeds along I-95 and I-395, both directions. o An increase in travel speeds along the Dolphin Expressway (westbound), the MacArthur Causeway (eastbound), and Biscayne Boulevard (both directions). o A simultaneous increase in truck counts and travel speeds along a portion of NE 2nd Avenue (northbound), the MacArthur Causeway (eastbound), and two I-395 eastbound ramps. • With the pending implementation of the I-395 reconstruction project, coupled with the PortMiami Tunnel, the future of truck movement, and congestion in general, looks positive in the vicinity of PortMiami. 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