LTC 057-2005 Washington Avenue Streetscape Project CITY OF MIAMI BEACH
Office of the City Manager
Letter to Commission No. 057-2005
To:
From:
Subject:
Mayor David Dermer and
Members of the City Commission
Jorge M. Gonzalez ~.'-
City Manager
WASHINGTON AVENUE STREETSCAPE PROJECT
Date: February 28, 2005
On January 14, 2004 the City Commission approved the award of the agreement between
the City of Miami Beach and the Design Build firm of Ric-Man International (RMI) in the
amount of $12,104,429 for the Washington Avenue Streetscape Project (Resolution No
2004-25463).
To date, RMI has completed engineering plans to support its water main, sanitary sewer,
storm water collection and disposal, street lighting, hardscape and landscape
improvements. Plans remain in various stages of completion due to final Department and
regulatory agency reviews, although permits have been obtained for water main
construction, sanitary sewer construction and storm water collection system construction.
RMI has completed water main construction from 5th to 16th Streets with final water main
connections from 7th to 14th Streets performed during the last two weeks. Sanitary sewer
construction along 6th and 8th Streets were completed and placed into operation.
Currently, RMI is working on the flushing, pressure testing and chlorination of the water
main between Espa~ola Way and 16th Street. It is anticipated that this water main and the
water main installation between 5th and 6th Streets will be cleared by the Health
Department to be placed into service by the end of February 2005.
RMI is expecting to initiate the installation of street light conduit from 11th to 16th Streets
along the northbound parking lane after receiving a Building Department permit. This work
should be contained within the parking lane. It is anticipated that this work will commence
in the month of March 2005. The initiation of the main work along the Washington Avenue
corridor including certain storm water infrastructure and gravity disposal wells is expected
to be initiated upon receipt of the State of Florida Department of Environmental Protection
(FDEP) Class V, Group 6 Well Construction Permit. The FDEP has reviewed the
application and requested additional information on two occasions dated December 9,
2004 and January 19, 2005. Responses have been provided in a timely manner and the
State provided a Construction Permit on February 10, 2005. The permit has certain
specific conditions that will require further resolution prior to initializing the drainage well
construction. The FDEP's concerns revolve around the potential contamination of a
possible / transient potable water supply source underneath the City of Miami Beach.
Once the referenced permit is granted by the FDEP, the City will be in a position to release
the DBF to construct the improvements within the Work Zone ! construction sequence
established in the Design Criteria Package.
The team is considering other activities to pursue such as the removal / replacement of the
existing storm water drainage culverts located within the Washington Avenue corridor. It
LTC-Washington Avenue Streetscape Project
February 28, 2005
Page 2 of 2
was initially contemplated that this work was to be performed within the individual Work
Zones to minimize the disruption to the community. The DBF is contemplating
performance of certain storm water collection work in a fashion similar to the recent water
main construction in an effort to continue moving the project forward. This approach is
more expensive due to the inefficiencies encountered with maintaining Washington Avenue
open to northbound and southbound traffic after work hours, although, the disruption to the
community will be minimized since four lanes of traffic will be maintained open in the
evening hours. This is an ongoing matter that has not been finalized to-date.
Conceptual planning efforts have been initiated for the median landscaping proposed along
Washington Avenue from 5th to 6th Streets and between 16th Street and Lincoln Road.
Also, conceptual plans have been underway for the proposed landscaped median along
Lincoln Road from Washington Avenue to Collins Avenue. Community Design Workshop
materials are being prepared and finalized among the team members. Once complete, a
Community Design Workshop will be scheduled to present the DBF's concepts and obtain
community input. The CDW for the presentation of the median designs is expected to take
place in March 2005. The businesses and residents are being kept informed of all
activities by a full time public information officer (PIO) who has an office on Washington
Avenue. A
JMG\JM~H!JCH!dt
C: Robert C. Middaugh, Assistant City Manager
Tim Hemstreet, Acting Assistant City MmD,
Jorge E Chartrand, Acting CIP Director V'-'
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