LTC 123-2004 42nd Street Project Status
CITY OF MIAMI BEACH
Office of the City Manager
Letter to Commission No. 123-2004
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To: Mayor David Dermer and
Members of the City Commission
From: Jorge M. Gonzalez, City Manager J' ,v 'D
Subject: 42ND STREET PROJECT STATUS
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The 42nd Street Streetscape project was designed to upgrade and beautify a three block
area of 42nd Street from Prairie Avenue to Pine Tree Drive. The project scope consisted of
milling, re-paving and striping the street surface, grading and sodding swale areas on the
north side, constructing a number of decorative planters and traffic calming bulb-outs,
installing new shrubs and trees, and bringing sidewalk ramps into compliance with ADA
requirements.
Tropex Construction Services, Inc. was the Job Order Contractor selected to perform the
work on 42nd Street. Tropex began the work in November of 2003 with a scheduled
completion date of January 31, 2004. They had completed the work of milling the
pavement on the street when the Public Works Department requested them to stop work
approximately one week into the job. The purpose of the "stop work" request was to allow
for the design and installation of a replacement water pipe that was not a part of the
original project scope. Between the time that work began and the time the "stop work"
order was issued, it was determined that the water service in this area needed to be
upgraded, and had the City waited to perform the upgrade, it would be necessary to cut the
newly refurbished street within a year or two to install this new water main. To avoid
having the new street broken up soon after its improvement, it was decided to halt work on
the project long enough to design and install the new water main.
The City negotiated a contract with an engineering firm to design the required water line on
an expedited basis. The water main was designed, a price for installation was negotiated,
and the additional work scope was permitted in less than six weeks an effort which usually
takes a minimum of six months. Work on the water main began in late January 2004 and
was completed by April 2004, after which the street was to be repaved, and work was to
resume on the planters and landscape portions as originally planned.
The original contract was to have lasted approximately ninety days to substantial
completion, plus thirty days to final completion. The addition ofthe water pipe replacement
added approximately ninety additional days to the contract period, plus the additional time
necessary to design the pipe, obtain regulatory approval and negotiate the cost of the
revision to the original contract. Hence the project was expected to be substantially
complete by the fourth week of May, after the addition of the pipe scope of work, There
were some minor delays due to unforeseen conditions encountered in the existing piping
system.
L TC-4~ Street Project Delays
May 13, 2004
Page 20f3
The water main has now been installed; pressure tested, sterilized, and flushed out, in
preparation for being placed in service. The Florida Department of Health required that the
contractor submit an application signed and sealed by a Registered Professional Engineer,
containing test reports certifying that the pipe has passed pressure tests, that the water
meets acceptable health standards, and that the installation is built substantially in
accordance with the approved plans and specifications. The pipe also has to be accepted
by the City's Public Works Department for operation and maintenance. These documents
and the prerequisite tests took time to assemble. These were submitted by the Ci~ to the
Department of Health on May 10, 2004, and final approval was issued on May 17 . The
residents' water meters will be connected to the new line, and the old meter connections
removed during the week of May 24th. Once this is completed, the sidewalks will be
restored.
Due to the effects of exposure to weather and frequent traffic, the condition of the street
surface deteriorated during the long period of exposure after milling and, as a result, our
City Street Superintendent and engineering consultants have recommended that extensive
preparation of the road be performed prior to repaving. This work includes replacement of
portions of the road base, and re-grading and compacting of the entire base before the
new pavement is installed.
The City negotiated a price for this extra work with the contractor. The work on restoring
the road base began on May 20,2004. The contractor has agreed to expedite this work
by working weekends for the next jhree weeks.
The contractor will continue regula'l watering of the street, usually twice daily to reduce the
amount of dust being released int~ the air. We understand that there have been times
when the watering was not as reIular or routine. We are taking steps to correct this
situation and monitoring the proce s closely.
The issue of dust intrusion at Nort Beach Elementary School as depicted in the recent
Channel 7 news report is not entir~ly accurate. In fact, during the City's monitoring, dust
presence has not been as extensive or as frequent as the reports seem to indicate. The
minerals identified in the lab tests ~onducted by Channel 7 are commonly found in soils
throughout our area, except for gypsum which was found inside the school, but was not
present in the road bed. There has! been extensive construction at this school recently and
some of the dust encountered at the locations noted in the report may come from other
construction sources. Nonetheles~, at the request of concemed parents, the City has hired
a testing firm to conduct air qualityltests throughout the project area. Preliminary reports
have been received and results of!the tests will be available by the May 24th Community
Meeting. We have also asked the 4chool system to conduct similar tests inside the school
to better gauge any intrusion of dust into the HVAC system and the school itself.
,
Traffic control has been very difficu~t, throughout the project in spite of the Management of
Traffic (MOT) plan. Even though t e street has had one-way traffic for many years, drivers
were traveling in both directions th, ough the construction zone. As a result, the City has
L TC-42"d Street Project Delays
May 13, 2004
Page 3 of 3
now modified the MOT for the duration of the project by closing 42nd Street to through
traffic, allowing local traffic only, this should reduce the impact on the community. One
travel lane will be paved during the week of May 24th and opened to traffic.
A meeting was conducted by the school PTA which the City attended on Monday, May 17,
2004. The City addressed questions and committed to undertake some immediate
corrective measures.
The attached memo indicates those efforts undertaken by the City as well as an updated
and expedited construction schedule. These points will be discussed with the PT A and the
general community in a special meeting on Monday, May 24,2003 at 6:00 p.m. at City Hall.
A copy of the meeting notice is also attached.
JM~ITH/JEC/RS/MB
M:\$CMBITEMPIL TC 051304.doc
Attachments
CITY OF MIAMI BEACH
Capital Improvement Projects Office
Memorandum
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To:
Neighborhood Residents and North Beach Elementary Parents
Date: May 21, 2004
Subject: 42nd Street Construction Update
. 42nd Street from Pine Tree Drive to Prairie Avenue has been closed to through traffic, and
is marked for local traffic only. Unfinished portions of the street will remain closed until it
is fully repaved.
. Additional sign age and barricades have been placed to ensure pedestrian and vehicular
safety.
. The schedule for watering the street to mitigate dust has been adjusted, as requested, to
better coordinate with school drop-off and pick-up times. The current schedule requires
watering at 7:00 a.m. and 1 :00 p.m. A City inspector has been assigned to be on site
each day at these times to ensure that watering is performed properly.
. The City hired an independent testing firm to perform several air quality tests around the
project area and the school. The tests were performed on May 18th, and the results will
be available next week. In addition, the City has requested authorization to perform air
quality testing within the school.
. The State Department of Health issued a Notice of Clearance for the water main on May
17th. The water meters along 42nd street will be connected to the new water main next
week.
. The Contractor has been given authorization to work Saturdays and Sundays for the next
three weekends to expedite project completion. This allowance will accelerate the
progress of work by one week.
. Restoration of the road base began on May 19th, in preparation for paving. One lane of
traffic from Pine Tree Drive to Prairie Avenue will be paved next week. This will allow one
lane to be reopened to traffic until the rest of the road base is restored and final asphalt is
applied. Final paving will begin in the week of June 7th and will be completed by June 16th.
. The above ground enhancements, primarily landscaping, will be undertaken after the
paving is completed, and the normal traffic pattern is resumed on the street.
. A ~ublic meeting has been scheduled for Monday, May 24th, 2004 at 6:00PM at City Hall,
1s floor conference room.
. For more information, please contact Ronnie Singer, Community Information Manager at
(305) 673-7071.
42ND STREET CONSTRUCTION,
PAVING & BEAUTIFICATION
TIMELINE TO BE DISCUSSED
JOIN CITY OFFICIALS
Monday, May 24,2004
4th Floor - City Manager's Office
City Hall
1700 Convention Center Drive
6:00 PM
For more information, please contact the CIP
Community Information Manager at 305-673-7071.
Call Capital Improvement Projects Office at 305-673-7071 (voice), or If hearing impaired, call the
Florida Relay Service (800-955-8771) (TTY) to request this publication in accessible format; to
request sign language interpreters (Five days in advance, if possible); or to request information on
access for persons-With disabilities.
lO
CITY OF MIAMI BEACH
CITY HALL 1700 CONVENTION CENTER DRIVE MIAMI BEACH, FLORIDA 33139
www,miamibeachfl.gov
CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS OFFICE
Telephone 305 673.7071
Facsimile 305 673.7073
May 20, 2004
Ms. Maria Costa, Assistant Principal
North Beach Elementary School
4100 Prairie Avenue
Miami Beach, FL 33140
Via Facsimile 305-674-8425 and U.S. Mail
Dear Ms. Costa,
It was a pleasure meeting you at the Emergency PT A Meeting held on Monday morning.
appreciate your efforts to maintain order and decorum.
As you are aware we have initiated a number of activities in an effort to calm parents
concerns regarding construction work on 42nd Street. One of those initiatives is the Air
Quality testing which was requested by the group and has now been done; we are awaiting
test results. To further this effort, the City of Miami Beach is asking that we be able to test
the air quality within the school as well. (Of course, we will absorb all associated
expenses). Please let me know how quickly we can gain access to school property in
order to perform said test. Your assistance is greatly appreciated in expediting this
request.
Sincerely,
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Ronnie Singer
Community Information Manager
RS/gd
C. Jorge M. Gonzalez, City Manager
/Robert Middaugh, Assistant City Manager
Tim Hemstreet, Capital Improvement Projects Director
F:\CAPI\$aIlIRONNIElMaria Costa Itlr req 5-20.Q4,doc