Resolution 2018-30408RESOLUTION NO. 2018-30408
A RESOLUTION OF THE MAYOR AND CITY COMMISSION OF
THE CITY OF MIAMI BEACH, FLORIDA, URGING THE FLORIDA
DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION (FOOT) TO
ACCELERATE ALL NECESSARY ROADWAY IMPROVEMENTS
TO THE INSIDE SHOULDERS OF THE JULIA TUTTLE
CAUSEWAY IN ORDER TO ALLOW FOR THE
IMPLEMENTATION AND OPERATION OF THE MIAMI BEACH -
BEACH EXPRESS NORTH BUS EXPRESS RAPID TRANSIT
(BERT) SERVICE ON THE INSIDE SHOULDERS OF THE JULIA
TUTTLE CAUSEWAY AS PART OF THE BERT NETWORK OF
THE STRATEGIC MIAMI AREA RAPID TRANSIT (SMART) PLAN;
AND, FURTHER, URGING FOOT TO TEMPORARILY
DISCONTINUE THE EXISTING BICYCLE LANES AND
ELIMINATE THE RUMBLE STRIPS ON THE OUTSIDE
SHOULDERS OF THE JULIA TUTTLE CAUSEWAY IN ORDER TO
ALLOW FOR THE INTERIM USE OF THE OUTSIDE SHOULDERS
FOR THE IMPLEMENTATION AND OPERATION OF THE MIAMI
BEACH -BEACH EXPRESS NORTH BERT DEMONSTRATION
PROJECT, UNTIL THE NECESSARY IMPROVEMENTS ON THE
INSIDE SHOULDERS ARE COMPLETED.
WHEREAS, on February 18, 2016, the Transportation Planning Organization (TPO)
adopted Resolution No.: 06-16, which established transit as the "highest priority" for Miami-
Dade County; and
WHEREAS, under Resolution No.: 26-16 adopted on April 21, 2016, the TPO Governing
Board endorsed the Strategic Miami Area Rapid Transit (SMART) Plan, which includes six (6)
rapid transit corridors and a network of nine (9) bus express rapid transit (BERT) services; and
WHEREAS, on June 22, 2017,the TPO Governing Board adopted Resolution No.: 27-17
which designated specific funds for the implementation of the SMART Plan; and
WHEREAS, on June 27, 2017, the TPO Governing Board adopted Resolution No.: 14-
18 which endorsed the identification and implementation of Demonstration projects that
advance elements of the SMART Plan; and
WHEREAS, the TPO Transportation and Mobility Committee (TMC) identified eleven
eligible projects, including the Miami Beach-Beach Express North ("Beach Express North") for
the SMART Plan Demonstration projects, and favorably recommended the endorsement of
same by the full TPO Governing Board, which occurred on June 21, 2018 via Resolution No.:
29-18; and
WHEREAS, also on June 21, 2018, the TPO Governing Board approved Resolution No.:
26-18 sponsored by Mayor Gelber (see Exhibit A) which urged FOOT to accelerate necessary
roadway improvements on the Julia Tuttle Causeway for the implementation of the Beach
Express North BERT Demonstration Project; and
WHEREAS, implementation of the Beach Express North project will bridge current
service gaps for commuters while providing greater mobility options and relieve congestion
within the corridor; and
WHEREAS, success of the Beach Express North BERT project requires the use of the
shoulders to ensure premium service and travel time reliability; and
WHEREAS, the inside shoulder of the Julia Tuttle Causeway does not meet the
minimum width requirements and does not have structural integrity for bus operations, thereby
requiring rehabilitation and lane restriping to render it operational for bus service; and
WHEREAS, the Florida Department of Transportation has estimated that the
rehabilitation and striping of the inside shoulder will take at least one and a half to two years;
and
WHEREAS, the MacArthur Causeway east bridge is scheduled for major structural
repairs beginning as early as summer 2018 with a duration of approximately one year and with
at least one lane of travel closed during construction; and
WHEREAS, closure of a lane of travel on MacArthur Causeway will have significant
traffic impacts on the Julia Tuttle Causeway and will require several traffic mitigation strategies;
and
WHEREAS, the outside shoulder of the Julia Tuttle Causeway is currently used for a
bike lane, however, since re-opening of the Venetian Causeway in 2017, bike usage of the
outside shoulder on the Julia Tuttle Causeway has declined to 188 bicyclists per week based on
TPO data; and
WHEREAS, in June 2018, data collection by Miami Beach identified an average of only
four (4) bicyclists, per weekday, in the morning and afternoon peak hours.
WHEREAS, in June 2018, data collection by Miami Beach identified an average of only
four (4) bicyclists, per weekday, in the morning and afternoon peak hours.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT DULY RESOLVED BY THE MAYOR AND CITY
COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF MIAMI BEACH, FLORIDA, that the Mayor and City
Commission hereby urge the Florida Department of Transportation (FOOT) to accelerate all
necessary roadway improvements to the inside shoulders of the Julia Tuttle Causeway as part
of the BERT network of the Strategic Miami Area Rapid Transit (SMART) Plan; and further urge
FOOT to temporarily discontinue the existing bicycle lanes and eliminate the rumble strips on
the outside shoulders of the Julia Tuttle Causeway in order to allow for the interim use of the
outside shoulders of the Julia Tuttle Causeway for the implementation and operation of the
Miami Beach -Beach Express North BERT demonstration project, until the necessary
improvements on the inside shoulders are completed.
PASSED and ADOPTED this 25th day of July, 2018
ATTEST:
ado, City Cler
APPROVED AS TO
FORM & L.M~GUAGE
& FOR EXE ON
1/12-/'r
Date
Resolutions· C7 Z
COMMISSION MEMORANDUM
TO: Honorable Mayor and Members of the City Commission
FROM: Jimmy L. Morales, City Manager
DATE: July 25, 2018
SUBJECT: A RESOLUTION OF THE MAYOR AND CITY COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF
MIAMI BEACH, FLORIDA, URGING THE FLORIDA DEPARTMENT OF
TRANSPORTATION (FOOT) TO ACCELERATE ALL NECESSARY ROADWAY
IMPROVEMENTS TO THE INSIDE SHOULDERS OF THE JULIA TUTTLE
CAUSEWAY IN ORDER TO ALLOW FOR THE IMPLEMENTATION AND
OPERATION OF THE MIAMI BEACH -BEACH EXPRESS NORTH BUS EXPRESS
RAPID TRANSIT (BERT) SERVICE ON THE INSIDE SHOULDERS OF THE JULIA
TUTTLE CAUSEWAY AS PART OF THE BERT NETWORK OF THE STRATEGIC
MIAMI AREA RAPID TRANSIT (SMART) PLAN; AND, FURTHER, URGING FOOT
TO TEMPORARILY DISCONTINUE THE EXISTING BICYCLE LANES AND
ELIMINATE THE RUMBLE STRIPS ON THE OUTSIDE SHOULDERS OF THE
JULIA TUTTLE CAUSEWAY IN ORDER TO ALLOW FOR THE INTERIM USE OF
THE OUTSIDE SHOULDERS FOR THE IMPLEMENTATION AND OPERATION OF
THE MIAMI BEACH -BEACH EXPRESS NORTH BERT DEMONSTRATION
PROJECT, UNTIL THE NECESSARY IMPROVEMENTS ON THE INSIDE
SHOULDERS ARE COMPLETED.
RECOMMENDATION
Adopt the Resolution.
BACKGROUND
The Miami-Dade Transportation Planning Organization (TPO) adopted Resolution #06-16 on February 18, 2016,
which established transit as the "highest priority" for Miami-Dade County. Under TPO Resolution #26-16 adopted on
April 21, 2016, the TPO Governing Board endorsed the Strategic Miami Area Rapid Transit (SMART) Plan, which
includes six (6) rapid transit corridors and a network of nine (9) bus express rapid transit (BE RT) services.
Subsequently, the TPO Governing Board adopted Resolution #27-17 on June 22, 2017, which designated specific
funds for the implementation of the SMART Plan. On April 26, 2018, the TPO Governing Board adopted Resolution
#14-18, which endorsed the identification and implementation of SMART Demonstration projects that advance
elements of the SMART Plan.
In response to the TPO SMART Plan Demonstration grant opportunity, on May 16, 2018, the Miami Beach City
Commission adopted Resolution No. 2018-30317 authorizing the Administration to apply jointly with Miami-Dade
County for 50% grant funding under the TPO SMART Plan Demonstration Program for the Beach Express North
BERT Demonstration Project
Page 681 of 1464
On June 21, 2018, the TPO Governing Board approved Resolution #29-18 endorsing eleven SMART Plan
Demonstration Projects for 50% grant funding, including the Miami Beach-Beach Express North Bus BERT Project,
as part of the TPO's SMART Plan Demonstration projects.
Also on June 21, 2108, the TPO Governing Board approved Resolution #26-18 sponsored by Mayor Gelber (see
attached) which urged FOOT to accelerate necessary roadway improvement on the Julia Tuttle Causeway for the
implementation on the Beach Express North BE RT Demonstration Project. Based on recent conversations with
FD OT leadership, FD OT has requested that the City Commission adopt a similar resolution.
ANALYSIS
The adopted Miami-Dade County SMART Plan includes a network of BERT routes on dedicated lanes including
shoulders. Implementation of the Beach Express North BE RT Demonstration project is important because it will
bridge current service gaps for commuters while providing greater mobility options and relieve congestion within the
corridor. Success of the Beach Express North BERT project, however, requires the use of the shoulders of the Julia
Tuttle Causeway as a dedicated lane of travel to ensure premium express service and travel time reliability.
The existing inside shoulders of the Julia Tuttle Causeway, however, do not meet the minimum width requirements
and structural integrity to allow for bus-on-shoulder operations. The Florida Department of Transportation
(FOOT) has advised that bus-on-shoulder operation will require rehabilitation of the inside shoulder and lane
restriping to render it operational for the proposed Beach Express North BERT service. Further, FOOT has
estimated that the rehabilitation and striping work will take at least 1.5 to 2 years to complete.
During this time, the MacArthur Causeway east bridge is scheduled for major structural repairs by FOOT beginning
as early as summer 2018. The project is scheduled to last approximately two (2) years with at least one (1) lane of
travel closed in each direction during construction for approximately one (1) year. Closure of a travel lane on the
MacArthur Causeway will have significant traffic impacts on both the MacArthur Causeway and the Julia Tuttle
Causeway and will require various traffic mitigation strategies.
One of those traffic mitigation strategies could be the implementation of the proposed Beach Express North BERT
Demonstration Service using the outside shoulders of the Julia Tuttle Causeway by the end of 2018 as projected
by the County; however, the outside shoulders are currently used for bicycle lanes and have rumble strips along the
length of the causeway. The usage of the bicycle lanes on the Julia Tuttle Causeway has declined since the re-
opening of the Venetian Causeway in 2017 after a 9-month full closure due to emergency repairs to the west bascule
bridge. The TPO estimates that the usage of the bicycle lanes declined to 188 bicyclists per week in May/June
2017. In June 2018, Miami Beach Transportation Department staff conducted recent data collection of morning and
afternoon peak period usage of the bicycle lanes on the outside shoulders of the Julia Tuttle Causeway, and, based
on the analysis, an average of only four (4) bicyclists per weekday were observed during the morning and afternoon
peak hours.
CONCLUSION
Commission adoption of a Resolution urging FOOT to expedite the necessary work on the inside
shoulders of the Julia Tuttle Causeway and, in the interim, to temporarily discontinue the existing bike
lanes and remove the rumble strips on the outside shoulders is essential in order to allow for bus-on-
shoulder operation of the Beach Express North BERT Demonstration Service anticipated by the
County to begin by the end of 2018.
KEY INTENDED OUTCOMES SUPPORTED
Ensure Comprehensive Mobility Addressing All Modes Throughout The City
Page 682 of 1464
Legislative Tracking
Transportation
Sponsor
Mayor Dan Gelber
ATTACHMENTS:
Description
D Mayor Gelber's TPO Resolution
D Resolution
Page 683 of 1464
TPO RESOLUTION #26-18
RESOLUTION URGING THE FLORIDA DEPARTMENT OF
TRANSPORTATION TO ACCELERATE NECESSARY ROADWAY
IMPROVEMENTS ON THE JULIA TUTTLE CAUSEWAY FOR THE
IMPLEMENTATION OF THE MIAMI BEACH-BEACH EXPRESS NORTH
AS PART OF THE BUS EXPRESS RAPID TRANSIT (BERT) NETWORK
OF THE STRATEGIC MIAMI AREA RAPID TRANSIT (SMART) PLAN
Agenda Item 6.B.6
WHEREAS, the Transportation Planning Organization (TPO), on Febrnary 18, 2016, adopted Resolution
#06-16, which established transit as the "highest priority" for Miami-Dade County; and
WHEREAS, under Resolution #26-16, the TPO Governing Board endorsed the Strategic Miami Area
Rapid Transit (SMART) Plan, which includes six (6) rapid transit corridors and a network of nine (9) bus express
rapid transit (BERT) services; and
WHEREAS, the TPO Governing Board adopted Resolution #27-17, which designated specific funds for
the implementation of the SMART Plan; and
WHEREAS, the TPO Governing Board adopted Resolution # 14-18, which endorsed the identification
and implementation of Demonstration projects that advance elements of the SMART Plan; and
WHEREAS, the TPO Transportation and Mobility Committee (TMC) identified eleven eligible projects,
including the Miami Beach-Beach Express North ("Beach Express North") for the SMART Plan Demonstration
projects, and recommended favorably the endorsement of same; and
WHEREAS, implementation of the Beach Express North project will bridge current service gaps for
commuters while providing greater mobility options and relieve congestion within the corridor; and
WHEREAS, success of the Beach Express North BERT project requires the use of the shoulders to ensure
premium service and travel time reliability; and
WHEREAS, the inside shoulder does not meet the minimum width requirements and does not have
structural integrity for bus operations, thereby requiring rehabilitation and lane restriping to render it operational
for bus service; and
WHEREAS, the Florida Department of Transportation has estimated that the rehabilitation and striping
of the inside shoulder will take at least 1.5 to 2 years; and
WHEREAS, the MacArthur Causeway east bridge is scheduled for major structural repairs beginning as
early as summer 2018 with a duration of approximately 1 year and with at least one lane of travel closed during
construction; and
WHEREAS, closure of a lane of travel on MacArthur Causeway will have significant traffic impacts on
the Julia Tuttle Causeway and will require several traffic mitigation strategies; and
WHEREAS, the outside shoulder of the Julia Tuttle Causeway is currently used for a bike lane, however,
since re-opening of the Venetian Causeway in 2017, bike usage of the outside shoulder on the Julia Tuttle
Causeway has declined to 188 bicyclists per week based on TPO data,
Page 684 of 1464
NOW, THEREFORE, BE rr RESOLVE)) BY THE GOVl~RNlNG BOARll o:F TIU!:
TRANSPORTATION PLANNING ORGANIZATION IN ITS ROUC AS THE M:PO FOR THE l\UAMl
tJRB.ANlZED ARl~A, that this Board urges the Florida Department of 'frtmsportation (FDOT) to accele1·at:e
nec.essary roadW<lY :irnpr6veme11ts on the Julia Tuttle Causeway to aUow bus l)l)etafions on the inside shoulder and
allow use of the CnJtslde shoulder until those lxnp1·ow~mtmts m·e Jn place, thcm:~by providing for the impleme11tatkm
of the Mhuni Bei1ch·J3each Express North as pa1t of the Bus Express Rapid Tra11sH (BER'I') netwoi·k of the
Sttategic Miami Area Rt:ipid Transit (SMART) Plan withi11 the next six: (6) months.
':the ttdoption oftbe foregoing resolution wa.s sponsored by 13oatd Membet Da11 Gelber and co ... spo11soted
by ChninrHm Estebiu1 L. Bovo, Jr., and Board Membets: Sally A. Heyrna11, Audrey M. Ed1twnson, and Srnith
Joseph, 1~he resolution \Vas mov0d by Beia.rd Member' Sally A 1-Ie:yman and wa,s seconded by Board Me.tuber
Rebeca $()Sa, £tnd upon being put to a vote, the vote vvas as follows:
Cludrrmrn Esteban .L. Bovo, Jr.~Aye
Vice Cludtnum. l::'ra.11ds Sum·ez~Absent
Board Merrtber J11a11 Carlc)S Iletmude.z
:131:.)atd MetnberJose ·~Pepe" Diaz
.Board Membe1· Audrey M. lMnwnson
J:foa.rd Member .Dan Gelber
B(}ard Me1tibe.r Oliver G.ilbert, JJl
Bou.rd Mem.ber h!.'la. T. Hfu1tm~m
'Board Me.mber Cfidos HerMn1dez
tio~ird Men1ber Bally A, Heyrnan
Bonrd Member l'JacbLwu ,1, Jordan
lS011rd Me.n:1ber Smith Joseph
~Aye
-kj~?
-Aye
-Ave
...
~Aye
~Absem:
·-Aye
'":A:y~
.. Absi:.mt
Board Member V i11cf.1 Lago
Boi:xrd .Mtmber Daniella Levine Cerva
Board Membet R1.1berto Mart~ll
Board Member Joe A Ma11:h1ez
'.BO!ed Memb1:w Jentl Monesti111e
Bcn:ttd Membet De11nfa Mo~s:
l3oa1tt l\llembet' Jeff Poiter
I3oatd Member ReblilCFl
I3tlard McimberJavier D. Souto
Board Me11lber Xavier :Ehjatez
Page 685 of 1464
~Aye
·Ave
~Aye
~Abst::ht
~.li.,;ye
.. Aye
wAye
~Aye
wAhs~ut