Miami Beach Hostile Vehicle Attack Vulnerability Assessment

The City of Miami Beach, a global tourist destination and cultural hub, hosts countless visitors at high-profile public spaces like the Miami Beach Convention Center, Soundscape Park, and South Pointe Park. With increasing threats of vehicle-ramming attacks in public areas worldwide, the city sought to enhance safety and security without compromising the availability and vibrancy of these iconic sites.

Hostile vehicle attacks—where vehicles are deliberately used as weapons—pose serious risks in dense pedestrian environments. These attacks can result in severe injuries, casualties, and infrastructure damage. As part of a proactive security strategy, the city needed a comprehensive vulnerability assessment of security weaknesses and protective design to safeguard its public spaces during everyday activities and high-attendance events.

Our team led a comprehensive multiphase initiative to deliver a 100% design for hostile vehicle mitigation barriers at public locations across Miami Beach. This effort began with advanced vulnerability assessment tools to identify common vulnerabilities across diverse site conditions.

We conducted an in-depth basis-of-design study that defined hostile vehicle design basis threats, characterizing potential threats by vehicle type, size, and control capability. This phase included evaluating existing security measures and their effectiveness against the full spectrum of threat and risk scenarios.

Next, our team performed a site-specific vulnerability assessment, incorporating real-time data on vehicle control, pedestrian flows, emergency access, and site operations. These insights informed recommendations for optimal standoff distances and impact ratings.

The project progressed through 30% conceptual design, 90% draft design, and final 100% construction documentation. We continually updated our analysis throughout each phase based on vulnerabilities identified during design development and stakeholder feedback.