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LTC 157-2006 63rd Street Flyover Update lD MIAMI BEACH OFFICE OF THE CITY MANAGER NO. LTC # 157-2006 LETTER TO COMMISSION DATE: Mayor David Dermer and Members ofthe City Commission Jorge M. Gonzalez, City Manager k ~M. ~..-d;'?--(~?T. June 6. 2006 '{ ( 63rd Street Flvover Update ~ / TO: FROM: SUBJECT: In a recent LTC the Mayor and City Commission were informed of the result of the City's efforts to have the 63rd Street Flyover project delayed until such time as construction on certain portions of Biscayne Boulevard could be completed. While the City was unsuccessful in having the project delayed, the Florida Department of Transportation (FOOT) agreed to a number of concessions to help in the mitigation of traffic flows during the construction period for the 63rd Street Flyover. Adding an additional lane of travel on north bound Collins Avenue was one of the most significant of the traffic mitigation measures suggested by the City and agreed to by FOOT. City forces undertook the removal of obstacles in order to facilitate the opening of this traffic lane in advance of construction activities associated with the 63rd Street Flyover. City staff undertook and completed the necessary work in a very short period of time. The lane is functional and will now serve as an integral part of the traffic mitigation plan. The City Administration is closely monitoring preparations in advance of the onset of construction activities for the 63rd Street Flyover, as well as working closely with FOOT on the implementation and fine tuning of the Maintenance of Traffic Plan (MOT) for the project. The City Public Works Department is working closely with the Police Department and with FOOT to make field adjustments to the MOT such that the maximum traffic capacity is maintained throughout the project area. Adjustments to barricades, advisory signing and traffic signal timing is being pursued and as construction activities commence will continue to be fine tuned to mitigate the impact to persons needing to traverse the work zone. The Parking Department is also working closely with the Police Department and FOOT to ensure that the project area is not adversely impacted by improper loading and/or parking activities. The City has recommended that FOOT undertake additional media outreach as well as to expand their signage to continue to warn the public well in advance of the potential for traffic conflicts as a result of the construction of the 63rd Street Flyover. Internally the City has designated a point of contact for the City with FOOT to ensure that all of the communications received at the different City departments are appropriately directed to FOOT personnel for action and/or response. Ms. Lynn Bernstein in the Neighborhood Services Department will be the principle point of contact and will regularly consult with the key City agencies of Police, Fire, Public Works and Parking to keep aware of issues experienced in the construction zone. The City is also suggesting a regular meeting in advance of FOOT construction meetings with our key departments so that issues can be discussed and resolved on a timely fashion as the work commences. Also as part of the City's internal preparation, a brief fact sheet is being developed to provide the various City Departments so that the City response is consistent and accurate as inquiries are made. This fact sheet will be widely distributed within the City. If any member of the Mayor and City Commission's office receives inquiries about the Flyover Project, please feel free to direct them to Ms. Bernstein who will coordinate the City's contact with appropriate FOOT personnel. She can be reached at (786) 229-3927. The attached 63rd Street Flyover Project data sheet from FOOT identifies their point of contact, Mr. Herbert Ammons and both the phone number and website for Mr. Ammons to be contacted directly. Each of the City's operating departments has anticipated the onset of the 63rd Street Flyover Project and the potential for traffic conflicts that will result. While some impacts are likely to be unavoidable, to the extent possible each of the key operating departments has made provisions for the potential for construction conflicts as follows: - Fire Department A speCific procedure to pre-empt traffic signal green time and to clear a corridor area oftraffic has been arranged between the Police Department and the Fire Department in the event Fire or emergency medical personnel must traverse the construction impact area. The Miami Beach Police Department is the lead agency for traffic control through FOOT and as such will have a number of officers within the project area that will be able to implement the pre- emption plan as necessary for the movement of Fire personnel. - Police Department At this time there are no operational changes that have been anticipated by the Police Department in the event construction activities dictate adjustments may be necessary and will be pursued. The efficiency of fueling operations and the movement of personnel particularly during daytime operations will be monitored to assure no adverse impact on the Police Department personnel or services provided. - Capital Improvement Proiects Each of the neighborhood projects has been evaluated by the CIP Office to determine potential impacts and mitigations that might be necessary as a result. Specifically the neighborhoods of La Gorce, Nautilus, Oceanfront and Normandy Isle have construction activities that are likely to cover some period of time coincidental with construction associated with the 63rd Street Flyover. In each of the project areas, the CIP Office is working with the AlE consultants and bid documents to mitigate the potential for a cumulative impact on traffic as a result ofthe FOOT and the City construction activities. In some instances this may result in the restriction of construction hours in the affected corridors and/or different job sequencing than originally anticipated. - Parks and Recreation Parks and Recreation maintenance activities are being oriented to have both a north and a 2 south focal point for their respective work crews. These operating centers will minimize the necessity of transporting equipment and personnel through the construction impacted area from the 63rd Street Flyover. There is a potential for some impact on Park Program activities in which Park participants being transported either from the north to the south, or south to the north to take advantage of City facilities are impacted by travel time. The Parks Department will assess the overall impact and will determine if alternate activities should be scheduled in order to compensate and/or to minimize time moving north to south in the City. This may necessitate scheduling activities at some increased cost of the City of Miami Beach in order to provide a wider range of activities for our program participants. -Sanitation Services All of the franchise waste haulers have been advised to start their collections earlier so as not to be in the construction area an/or in the traffic corridors leading to the construction area during peak times. All of the franchisees have started providing services to the area as early as 4:00 a.m. in order to be out of the construction area and/or major roads leading to the construction area by 7:00 a.m. City Sanitation crews dedicated to provide services in the North Beach area are not impacted since they are already in place ready to start their day at 6:30 a.m., stay in North Beach all day and return to their home office in Terminal Island by 2:30 p.m. These crews are transiting to their work areas during in the opposite direction of the peak traffic flow and in the off-peak hours so they have not experienced any delays in getting to and from their assigned work zones in North Beach. -Buildina construction activities There are several private construction sites in the area impacted by the f1yover project. As a general rule, concrete pours will be granted permission for early starts so that the activity does not occur in the day time higher traffic hours. Other construction related activities may also be granted permission for earlier starts in order to reduce conflicts and congestion during the day. - Parkina Department The Parking Department is detailing a specific Parking Enforcement detail to deal with the peak traffic days and hours in the construction corridor with a focus on Collins Avenue. Specific attention will be focused on illegal parking, illegal loading and any other related activity that will impede the regular flow of traffic through this impacted area. Other departments are aware of and will be monitoring the construction activities but at this point in time do not anticipate adverse impacts. As with any construction activity the impacts of construction will change over time and with the different construction activities as they evolve. The City will maintain a full time monitoring effort during the entirety of the construction process and will respond appropriately to minimize the impacts on our residents and to the provision of City services. J:D I :i _ . . JMG\RCM\sam F:\cmgr\$ALL \BOB\63rdstflyoverltc6-6-2006.doc Attachment Zr,;OlIJ~ 21 90 03 3