Miami-Dade poised to set speed limits, require permits for sidewalk delivery robots

Miami-Dade is one vote away from imposing speed and idling limits on sidewalk delivery robots. County Commissioners are scheduled for a final vote next week on a proposal from Commissioner Micky Steinberg that would require operating permits for the robots and cap their speed at 8 mph on most sidewalks. The measure, to be considered Nov. 17, would also generally limit how long the devices can sit still on sidewalks to 30 minutes and establish standards for advertising. Cities could set and enforce their own rules. Steinberg’s proposed ordinance returns to the full Commission just over a month after the county’s Transportation Committee amended and unanimously advanced it. The original version of the measure, which Commissioners gave preliminary approval to in July, would have capped sidewalk speeds at 10 mph and limited idle times to 10 minutes. The version up for a final vote would set a lower limit of 6 mph in designated areas with heavy foot traffic and allow up to 10 mph in crosswa