LTC 170-2011 Traffic Back ups at MacArthur i
M IA N BEACH
OFFICE OF THE CITY MANAGER
NO. LTC #;170 -2011 LETTER TO COMMISSION
TO: Ma �or Matti Herrera Bower and Members of the Cit Commission
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FROM: Jorge M. Gonzalez, City Manager
DATE: July 7, 2011
SUBJECT: Traffic Back -ups at MacArthur Causeway & Terminal Island
The purpose of this Letter to Commission is to provide you with correspondence received from the
Transportation and Parking Committee regarding the above subject.
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C: Hilda Fernandez, Assistant City Manager
Jorge Gomez, Assistant City Manager
Duncain Ballantyne, Assistant City Manager
Saul Frances, Parking Director
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Mark Welthorn, Chairman TO: Mayor Matti Herrera Bower and Members of the City Commission
Al Feola, Vice - Chairman
FROM: Mark Welthorn, Transportation & Parking Committee Chair
Me mber s -
Jo Asmundsson DATE: July 7, 2011
Scott Diffenderfer
Del Fruit
Maria Mayer SUBJECT: Traffic Back -ups at MacArthur Causeway & Terminal Island
JP Morgan
Eric Ostroff
Corey Narson Dear Mayor and Honorable City Commission:
Josephine Pampanas
Amy Tanclg
Seth Wasserman At a previous Commission meeting there were questions raised regarding
traffic back -ups on the McArthur Causeway at Terminal Island. The
Transportation and Parking Committee inquired with the County and they have
provided the below response (italics):
The referenced intersection is a critical choke point on this major route to and
from Miami Beach and I'm pleased to know there is interest by the City in
improving it.
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The problem exists because there are so many (three) side streets on the S side
of the intersection, requiring, the intersection to operate with a 5 -phase signal.
The other two signals on the Causeway operate as 3 -phase signals, leaving much
more green time per cycle for the major EW movements.
We've looked for inexpensive solutions to this problem in the past, but found
none.
i I believe there are expensive solutions to this situation involving geometric
modifications to the roadways on the S side of the intersection. Options include
various combinations of the following:
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• Complete relocation of the ferry terminal to the E end of the island
or to South Beach (either of which would yield the valuable side
I benefit of a conveniently shorter ferry trip).
• Complete relocation of the FPL property access to either the W or E ends
j of the FPL property.
• Adding one or two new lanes to the EW access road which connects the
ferry terminal to the Coast Guard property (which would require taking
some of the FPL property currently used for decorative vegetation).
• Rerouting all drivers that want to head EB from any of the S- side
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properties to a modified version of the existing unsignalized NBRT ramp
200' E of the signalized intersection.
• Replacing the three S -side stop bars with one stop bar that is just S of
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MacArthur Cswy and parallel to it.
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• Creating dual NBLTlanes and reducing the WB turbo lanes from three to
two.
These modifications would require thorough analysis and simulation by a skilled
consultant to identify the most cost effective solution. They would also require a
funding source for design and construction phases. Lastly, they would require
significant cooperation from all involved parties including the following:
• Fisher Island Ferry operators
erators
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• FPl
• US Coast Guard
• City of Miami Beach
• MDPW
• FDOT
j l think the next step would be to reach out to those parties to ascertain their
interest in pursuing a solution.
I Sincerely,
Transportation and Parking Committee
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