Miami Beach wants to pull the traffic signal at Harding Avenue and 69th Street in North Beach and replace it with an all-way stop.

City Manager Eric Carpenter's administration will bring the recommendation to the Finance and Economic Resiliency Committee on Wednesday, Oct. 28, according to a committee memorandum. If the committee agrees, the city would send its findings to the Miami-Dade County Department of Transportation and Public Works, which owns the signal, and ask the county to begin the removal process.

The move follows a September 2026 analysis by the city's Transportation and Mobility Department. That study found the traffic signal does not satisfy any of the eight warrants required under the federal Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD). The analysis used vehicle and pedestrian volume data along with crash records.

The warrant study grew out of a broader AI-powered traffic optimization pilot in North Beach. The city's consultant, Rhythm Engineering, completed a two-week smart camera data collection in May 2026 and used AI-based software to develop new signal timing plans for 17 intersections across the neighborhood. Those plans cover all times of day and days of the week.

Miami-Dade County has approved optimized timings for 10 of the 17 intersections so far. The city is working with the county to finish reviewing the remaining seven and to program the approved timings for implementation in fall 2026.

The Harding Avenue and 69th Street intersection drew attention at the April 22 City Commission meeting. Commissioner Tanya Bhatt sponsored the agenda item, and Commissioner Monica Matteo-Salinas requested that the feasibility of converting the signal to a stop-controlled intersection be referred to the resiliency committee. Commissioner Laura Dominguez is also listed on the Oct. 28 item.

North Beach residents and stakeholders have raised concerns about congestion during afternoon weekday peaks, weekends and special events, according to the memorandum. The congestion affects travel time, emergency response and pedestrian safety.

Past signal timing work by the Florida Department of Transportation and Miami-Dade County focused on north-south corridors like Collins Avenue and Abbott Avenue/Harding Avenue. The committee memorandum states that North Beach's grid network needs a more balanced approach that also coordinates east-west traffic on streets like 69th Street.

Removal would not be immediate.

Miami-Dade County requires a trial period in which the existing signal is switched to flash mode while an all-way stop is installed and tested. A post-implementation evaluation would follow. If the data shows the intersection works safely under the new setup, the signal can be permanently removed. The memorandum lists no fiscal impact for the recommendation, and no public response from Miami-Dade County's transportation department appears in available records.