010-2008 63rd Street Area Traffic PatternMIAMI BEACH
no.010-2008
OFFICE OF THE CITY MANAGER
TO: Mayor Matti H. Bower
FROM: Jorge M. Gonzalez, City Manager
DATE: March 3, 2008
SUBJECT: 63rd STREET AREA TRAFFIC PATTERN
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2008 MAR -4 PM I ~ S8
This memo is in response to several inquiries with your Office about parking issues on Collins
Avenue south of the intersection at 63rd Street.
As you are aware, a temporary traffic flow plan was developed and implemented in the general area
of the 63rd Street flyover project in order to address traffic flow during the construction project.
During the construction process, the plan was amended several times in order to achieve the best
traffic pattern and to minimize impacts on residents. As a general rule the temporary traffic pattern
worked much better than most of our residents expected.
One of the observations of the City's engineers during this interim condition was that certain of the
traffic pattern elements were very successful in helping the efficiency of the intersections at 65th and
63rd Streets and Indian Creek Drive. Allowing a through traffic movement for east bound traffic at
the 63rd Street and Collins Avenue intersection together with a through traffic movement for north
bound Collins Avenue traffic allowed the main intersections on Indian Creek Drive to operate at
service levels that exceeded expectations.
As FDOT prepared to shift traffic patterns to the final designed and built conditions after the
completion of the 63rd Street intersection work, the City requested that the above described traffic
movements be allowed to temporarily stay in place until such time as the City could prepare a formal
traffic analysis to review the area traffic flow. A traffic analysis has already been provided by the
City's traffic consultant. The analysis supports the field observations and indicates that a different
pattern than designed would function more efficiently for a larger number of persons using the
intersections.
A report is being prepared by the City consultant to address some design options and specifically to
address traffic flow north bound on Collins Avenue that used to be able to make a left turn at 63rd
Street. The current condition does not allow this turn. The traffic analysis will evaluate if the
movement can be permitted and if so, how best to make the turn without making other parts of the
traffic pattern degrade in service. Preliminary indications are that not allowing the left turn at 63rd
Street and Collins improves the level of service in the general area.
No design solutions are to be implemented until the support of both Miami Dade County and FDOT
is achieved and the issue is discussed in a public meeting. Such a meeting should be possible to
schedule within about 45 days.
If you have any additional questions, please feel free to contact me.
JM m
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63rd StAreaTrafficPattern.doc