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Incident Management Overview   

The Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) provides incident management services to help keep traffic moving at all times. The District Six Incident Management Program promotes a quick-clearance, multi-agency approach to incident response along all of our roadways, including State Road (S.R.) 826 and S.R. 836.  The program’s goal is to maintain the safety and mobility of our regional highway system by clearing incidents quickly and efficiently, restore free flowing conditions and reduce congestion.  Operations staff housed within the SunGuide® Transportation Management Center (TMC) monitor the roadways to detect traffic incidents and dispatch the appropriate resources, such as Road Ranger Services Patrols and other response professionals to clear these events 24 hours per day, seven days per week.  Partnering agencies of the program include representatives from law enforcement, fire and rescue, towing and recovery services, hazardous materials contractors, emergency medical services and others.

Additional incident management resources have been dedicated to the S.R. 826 (Palmetto Expressway)/S.R. 836 (Dolphin Expressway) Interchange Reconstruction Project. These resources will enhance the traffic management, motorist assistance and traveler information components of the incident management program. 

SunGuide TMC

The District Six SunGuide TMC serves as the regional command post for the transportation and incident management services for Miami-Dade and Monroe counties.  The Center houses the operations staff members who administer the statewide Intelligent Transportation System (ITS) Program that promotes traffic management through the advanced technologies deployed along our roadways, such as closed circuit television (CCTV) cameras, dynamic message signs (DMS) and roadway detectors.  These devices allow FDOT staff to monitor roadway conditions and manage traffic in real time.  They enable quick incident detection and verification, faster response times and accurate publication of traveler information.

As part of this project, additional cameras will be placed along S.R. 826 and S.R. 836. FDOT and Miami-Dade Expressway Authority (MDX) staff will be able to monitor conditions along the Interchange with the use of these new cameras and will collaborate on incident response procedures.

Traveler Information

Construction events and traveler information will be broadcast through various tools to help drivers make informed decisions when traveling along the project’s limits. FDOT will be deploying 24 additional DMS at various locations on both expressways and surrounding streets to inform drivers of upcoming delays and allow them to seek alternative commute options.

DMS signs will be placed at project’s limits to inform motorists along S.R. 836 from both the eastbound (NW 87 Avenue) and westbound (between NW 42 and NW 57 Avenue) approaches to the interchange. Similarly, signs will be placed on S.R. 826 for motorists on the northbound (at SW 24 Street) and southbound (at NW 36 Street) approaches of the Interchange. The map above identifies the locations for all of the DMS.

Additionally, the 511 Traveler Information Service will also publish important traffic information related to this project.  Drivers can call 5-1-1 or log onto www.fl511.com before starting on their commute for up-to-the minute updates on all traffic-related activities along the Interchange.

Click here for a larger view of the map.

Road Rangers

The Road Ranger Service Patrols provide free incident management and motorist assistance services along the major roadways of Miami-Dade County. They are equipped and trained to clear the roadways of small-scale travel-lane blocking events and they also provide maintenance of traffic support on larger scale events. They work alongside emergency responders on the incident scenes to clear the highway and restore capacity back to regular operating conditions.

As a result of the interchange project, two additional rangers are supplementing existing services on S.R. 826 (one regular tow truck circulates the area and one flatbed tow truck is staged at strategic points on S.R. 826 and is dispatched as needed). The new road rangers will travel mostly from SW 24 Street to NW 36 Street along the Palmetto Expressway. MDX manages its own road ranger services on S.R. 836. Road rangers will be called into service on either roadway whenever there is a need.

Rapid Incident Scene Clearance (RISC) – Incident Management at Work

The RISC Program is an innovative and specialized traffic incident management service provided by FDOT District Six and MDX to expedite the clearance of large scale events, such as tractor trailer rollovers, cargo spills and other complex crashes within a specific time period. Private towing contractors are dispatched by TMC operations staff, which in conjunction with Florida Highway Patrol, activate the service when a traffic event requires additional equipment and resources for complete clearance. The RISC Program helps put highways back to regular operating conditions at a faster rate than possible using regular clearance/recovery services and it increases the availability of other existing agency resources as well. The RISC Program may be activated 24 hours per day, 7 days per week along the interchange project limits.

"I had a flat on 826, I was almost to work when I heard a rumbling noise. I pulled over and lo and behold it was a flat tire. I was on the phone with road services and dreading the wait when a ranger pulled up behind me. It was an answer to my prayer because I did not want to wait an hour for someone to come. Ranger Manny, my guardian angel, immediately took charge, secured the vicinity and replaced my tire. It was speedy, precise and very professionally done. I am so happy you have people out there like Manny who not only does his job but makes you feel safe and secure while the process is being done. Thank you, Manny, from the bottom of my heart."

- Driver on S.R. 826

"Today I was traveling on the Palmetto Expressway and my front tire blew up. I stopped but 5 minutes later, the Road Ranger stopped. The driver was very nice, very courteous and went out of his way to help me, explaining what had happened. I am an older lady and was very nervous. I really want to commend him on a job well done. At that moment, he was like an angel sent from above. Thank you!"

- Mary, a driver on S.R. 826