One Stop Shop

In the early 2000s, when preconstruction activities were kicking off on the Miami Intermodal Center (MIC), the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) became aware of the importance of maintaining a single point of contact for motorists to obtain information about changes in roadway access and construction timetables for the massive assortment of travel improvements taking place around the Miami International Airport (MIA).

As the MIC Program searched for ways of accomplishing its goal of keeping the public informed on how FDOT is improving transportation in the region, the One Stop Shop (OSS) Traffic Information Program was formed. It became apparent that there needed to be a single, unified point of information to respond to all concerns and increase community awareness on the status of ongoing construction activities and surrounding traffic.

Today, the OSS continues to serve motorists who travel the MIC and MIA area. It is sponsored by FDOT and run by the MIC’s Comprehensive Community Awareness Program Team. Only a phone call away, 305-870-7888, the One Stop Shop is the central source for up-to-date information on lane closures, detours, and the status of construction projects in and around the airport area.

Coordinating construction activities is one of the most important functions of the OSS, ensuring that one project’s detour route is not another project’s closed roadway. Its ongoing effort is tailored to keeping information current and accurate for all those using the roadways around MIA and the MIC. The OSS office serves as the point of contact for all construction project officials, utilities crews, MIA officials, elected officials, rental car agencies and surrounding hotels that rely on business from MIA. These agencies work with OSS to gather information to help coordinate routine daily traffic patterns and to facilitate the movement of the local community and visitors during special events as well.

Additionally, in an effort to minimize the trials and burden these projects place on current residents, and in order to keep them apprised of new roadways and improved traffic flow, special consideration is taken to keep all residents and business owners in the MIC’s area informed of the changes in traffic patterns and the construction operations schedule.

One Stop Shop has an ongoing three step plan: Information Gathering, Information Processing and Information Distribution. The Information Gathering phase includes constantly obtaining construction activity information covering day-to-day activities, special events, unplanned occurrences, and/or emergencies. As roadway construction project managers funnel their information to the OSS Traffic Information Team, the information is then processed into news releases and/or regular maintenance of traffic (MOT) bulletins and distributed to all stakeholders, media, and elected officials if required. In addition, MIA landside operations, area rental car agencies and hoteliers are notified to pass along to visitors thus ensuring their safety and reducing the burden of additional traffic to local neighborhoods currently caused by visitors unable to find their destination. The community at large is also notified via variable message boards, the 24-hour closure and detour hotline at 305-870-7888, www.micdot.com and the 511 Traffic and Traveler Information Service.