LTC 143-2004 Safety Issues/Intersection of 10th Street and Lenox Avenue
CITY OF MIAMI BEACH
Office of the City Manager
Letter to Commission No. 143-2004
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From:
Mayor David Dermer and
Members of the City Commission
Jorge M. GOnzaleZ) ,r
City Manager ;..1'" ~ 0
SAFETY ISSUE' !INTERSECTION OF 10TH STREET AND LENOX
AVENUE
Date: June 2, 2004
To:
Subject:
Pursuant to a request from the residents of the above neighborhood, the City Public Works
Department has taken the following measures to address concems about vehicle accidents
on the intersection of 10lh Street and Lenox Avenue.
. On May 5th, 2004, an e-mail was sent to Mr. Muhammed Hasan, Chief of Traffic
Engineering Division - Miami Dade County Public Works Department, requesting a
field review to determine the feasibility of installing a "Four-Way Stop" control at the
subject location.
. On May 20, 2004, Mr. Hasan responded that the County inspection revealed a
traffic signal just one block west on Alton Road. Mr. Hasan mentioned that due to
the close proximity of this signalized intersection, if a "Four-Way Stop" control is
installed, motorists driving westbound along this corridor may see a green light and
not realize the presence of a Stop sign prior to the signalized intersection and fail to
make a complete stop on Lenox Avenue. As such, this may create an unsafe
condition and may increase the incidence of rear-end collisions. Furthermore, the
preliminary traffic volume data does not meet the standards for a "Four-Way Stop"
installation, as stipulated in the Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices
(MUTCD), published by the U.S. Department of Transportation. Additionally,
physical characteristics of the intersection revealed that trees are illegally planted on
the northwest comer of the subject location creating a hazardous condition as they
obstruct motorists' view of other vehicles on the roadway.
Mr. Hasan also indicated that the tree branches at the 10lh Street / Lenox Avenue
intersection were covering the Stop sign and the Stop Ahead sign for the
southbound traffic and, that the presence of these trees is also in violation of the
Public Works Department standard for planting within public right-of-way. Mr.
Hasan made a request to the City to cut and/or trim the trees and to provide hard
copies of accidents so that the County's Public Works Department may determine if
any other corrective measures are required to enhance the operationaLsafe~atthe
subject intersection / location. ~ -"'"" ';::0
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. On May 21st, 2004, the City Public Works Department contacted the City Parks
Department and requested that their department trim the branches of a tree in
private property blocking a Stop sign on the N. W. corner of the 10th Street! Lenox
intersection. In addition, Parks was requested to trim and continue trimming trees at
six other intersections in the Flamingo Neighborhood. The City has also requested
the property owner to remove the tree to provide a better line of sight at the N.W.
corner of the intersection.
The above steps have been taken by the City as a temporary measure until such
time a traffic analysis is performed and recommendations for improvement have
been analyzed by the Miami Dade County Traffic Engineering Division.
. On May 27,2004, the City Police Department provided Public Works Department
with nineteen traffic crash reports dating back three years. These reports were
forwarded to Mr. Hasan on June 1 s" 2004. It would take the County approximately
four to six weeks to evaluate accident report data and existing conditions to
determine if a Four-Way Stop sign control at 10th Street / Lenox Avenue intersection
is warranted.
For your information, the County has an exclusive jurisdiction to plan and determine the
installation of traffic control devices on all public streets in Miami-Dade County, including
municipal local streets. Traffic control devices, or in some cases, traffic calming cannot
automatically be installed just because one or more citizens or businesses make a request.
Various criteria related to traffic plan, safety, costs, federal and state standards, local
ordinances, and street design must be examined. Warrants are the criteria used to
determine the justification for installing a traffic control device. The County uses warrants
consistent with national standards specified in the U.S. Department of Transportation
Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD).
I will provide you, as soon as it is completed, the final outcome of the County's evaluation
and determination regarding the request to install Four-Way-Stop signs at the intersection
of 10lh Street and Lenox Avenue.
PleaSj: d contact me is you have any other concems or questions.
JMG#M\F'rrS\MA\1I
c: Robert C. Middaugh, Assistant City Manager
Fred H. Beckmann, Director of Public Works
Michael Alvarez, Assistant Public Works Director
F:IWORK\$ALLIOLUCY LLOPI515afety Issues 10th 51 & Lenox.doc