LTC 512-2018 SUBJECT-FDOT MACARTHUR CAUSEWAY BRIDGE REHABILITATION PROJECT IMPACT-LIST OF SCHEDULED SPECIAL EVENT RACES FOR 2018-2019MIAMI BEACH
OFFICE OF THE CITY I\IIANA~I=R
NO. LTC#
512-2018
LETTER TO COMMISSION
TO: Mayor Dan Gelber and Members o the City
FROM: Jimmy L. Morales, City Manager
DATE: September 19, 2018
SUBJECT: FOOT MACARTHUR CAUSEWAY BRIDGE REHABILITATION PROJECT
IMPACT: LIST OF SCHEDULED SPECIAL EVENT RACES FOR 2018-2019.
The purpose of this Letter to the Commission ("LTC") is to inform the Mayor and City
Commission of upcoming special events bicycle and running races that will be affected
by the McArthur Causeway East/West construction.
Understanding the complexity of the FOOT MacArthur Causeway Bridge Rehabilitation
Project and the impact on City residents, business and overall traffic congestion,
Tourism, Culture and Economic Development ("TCED") has communicated to race event
producers the project details. In addition, per City Commission request on July 25, 2018,
the City has requested alternate routes from each event producer in an effort to mitigate
event disruption.
Below is a list of upcoming races for 2018-2019 with potential impact on the MacArthur
Causeway:
1. Best Buddies Training Rides -Saturday, September 22"ct, 2018 -(MacArthur
Causeway westbound west of closure). Small race of 35 cyclers. Route is
mitigated by cyclists exiting via the Fisher Island terminal onto MacArthur
Causeway, west of the closure area, Miami bound at ?am. This event will consist
of rolling lane closures only and no detours, thus reducing impacts to the
motoring public.
2. Escape to Miami Triathlon -Sunday, September 30th, 2018 -(MacArthur
Causeway -one westbound lane and shoulder). The run portion of the race will
take place between 8:20 am -11:20 am (cycling and swimming portions of the
triathlon do not impact the MacArthur Causeway). With limited time to re-route
the route of the 1 0-year-old race, the City will assist in minimizing impact on the
MacArthur Causeway with additional police presence, within the closure area and
residential entry for Star and Palm/Hibiscus Islands, to ensure smooth transitions
and minimize community disruptions. The route starts at Margaret Pace Park
(Miami), travels eastbound via one westbound lane and the westbound shoulder
of the MacArthur Causeway. Runners turn at Bridge Road (west of the closure
area) to return via the same MacArthur westbound lanes to Miami. This race is
connected to the MacArthur Causeway and Julia Tuttle Causeway via Biscayne
Boulevard. In addition, the race will close the outside shoulder and outside lane
in each direction of the Julia Tuttle Causeway for the cycling portion of the event
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which is anticipated to occur between 7:20 am and 11 am. For the portion of the
race affecting Julia Tuttle traffic portions of Alton Road will be detoured for the
event.
3. Miami Marathon, Half Marathon & Tropical 5K -Saturday, January 26 and
Sunday, January 27, 20189 -(MacArthur Causeway eastboundNenetian
Causeway westbound). The Miami Marathon is an annual marathon sporting
event spanning the cities of Miami and Miami Beach, Florida, as well as the
county of Miami-Dade and is one of the fastest-growing annual marathons,
attracting world-class distance runners. It is the highlight event of the t race
season.
o The Tropical 5K portion of the Miami Marathon uses two eastbound
lanes of the MacArthur Causeway, slight right onto Alton Road south
bound, then left onto to South Pointe Drive where the 5K ends. The 5K
starts at 7:15 am at Watson Island and ends by 9:15 am at South Point
Drive. Given the expected current and future impact on the MacArthur
Causeway, the City will work with the event producer to possibly re-route
this portion of the race.
o The Miami Marathon & Half Marathon uses two eastbound lanes and
shoulder of the MacArthur Causeway, slight right onto Alton Road, loops
around South of Fifth Street, north to Lummus Park, slightly west to
Washington Avenue, continues north to Dade Boulevard, and exits Miami
Beach via the westbound Venetian Causeway. This race starts in
Downton Miami/Bayfront Park/American Airlines Arena area at 6:00 am
and exits Miami Beach approximately by 10:00 am. This race is a high
traffic impact event. Significant coordination will be required with FOOT to
ensure the construction schedule and activities can be modified to reduce
impact to Miami Beach residents and visitors.
4. 305 Half Marathon-Sunday, March 3rd, 2019
(Julia Tuttle Causeway westbound/MacArthur Causeway eastbound -one lane
and shoulder on each causeway). The 305 Half Marathon starts on Lummus
Park moves north until it reaches the Alton Road to Julia Tuttle Causeway
utilizing one eastl::>ound lane and shoulder. On the return, the race utilizes one
eastbound lane and shoulder of MacArthur Causeway eastbound to Miami Beach
finishing in Lummus Park. This race starts at 6:15am and ends at 10:00 am. The
City will work with the event producer and explore the possibility of inverting the
route and utilizing the MacArthur Causeway earlier in the race, and potentially
decreasing the impact to the entry into Miami Beach. Significant coordination will
be required with FOOT to ensure the construction schedule and activities can be
modified to reduce the impact to Miami Beach residents and visitors.
5. South Beach Triathlon -Sunday, April 14th, 2019
(MacArthur Causeway/Julia Tuttle -one lane and shoulder east/west on each
causeway). The South Beach Triathlon is comprised of two distances
International and Classic. This triathlon uses one eastbound lane and shoulder
and one westbound lane and shoulder of the Julia Tuttle Causeway. Because of
the two distance qualifiers, the race uses one eastbound lane and shoulder and
one westbound lane and shoulder of the MacArthur Causeway. The race starts at
7:00 am and ends at 11:00 am. The City will continue to work with the event
producer and explore potential methods to reduce the impact on the Causeway.
Significant coordination will be required with FOOT to ensure the construction
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schedule and activities may be modified to reduce impact to Miami Beach
residents and visitors.
As part of the Special Events Process the applicant is required to provide the following:
• variable message boards ("VMS") are deployed by event producer four days in
advance of the race, listing race information and road closures. The (VMS) signs
remain in place until the event is completed; and
• canvasses along the affected routes and places door hangers; and
• send notifications via certified mail; and
• obtains approval sign-offs from affected business; and .
• provide the City with a Traffic Advisory that is sent out via City's Commination's
Department; and
• advertises the race in local newspapers, news outlets and social media outlets.
In addition, to help mitigate the impact of this event, the City's Traffic Monitoring and
Management team will monitor traffic conditions along the impacted thoroughfares
throughout the event and implement signal timing modifications as needed. Moreover,
the City's Traffic Monitor will have a direct line of communication with the Police
Department and request assistance as needed to enforce blocking of intersections or
any other incident affecting traffic flow during the event.
TCED, Transportation, Public Works and Police Departments actively continue to work
with each event to review all relevant materials and mitigate community impact where
possible.
The above mentioned departments are monitoring the construction project progress and
advising events of any foreseeable impact. TCED is currently working with two major
races, Miami Beach Halloween Half Marathon & 5K (October 2018) and Dolphins
Cycling Challenge (April 2019), to adjust their proposed routes and avoid the MacArthur
Causeway.
TCED will continue to work with City departments and event producers to ensure that
our annual events can proceed successfully, safely, and with minimal impact on the
MacArthur Causeway construction project and our Miami Beach neighborhoods.
Attachment: Course maps
C: Kathie Brooks, Assistant City Manager
Eric Carpenter, Assistant City Manager
Jose Gonzalez, Transportation Director
Josie! Ferrer, Transportation Assistant Director
Heather Shaw, Tourism, Culture; and Economic Development Acting Director
Linette Nodarse, Special Events Production Liaison
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