2014-28855 Reso RESOLUTION NO. 2014-28855
A RESOLUTION OF THE MAYOR AND CITY COMMISSION OF THE CITY
OF MIAMI BEACH, FLORIDA, EXPRESSING SUPPORT FOR EXPEDITING
THE NEXT PHASE OF THE BEACH CORRIDOR TRANSIT CONNECTION
PROJECT WHICH EVALUATES MASS TRANSIT CONNECTIVITY
BETWEEN THE CITY OF MIAMI AND THE CITY OF MIAMI BEACH; AND
URGING THE TRANSPORTATION PARTNERS (I.E., FLORIDA
DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION, MIAMI-DADE TRANSIT, CITY OF
MIAMI, AND CITY OF MIAMI BEACH) TO ALLOCATE THE NECESSARY
FUNDING REQUIRED TO ADVANCE TO THE NEXT PHASE OF THE
PROJECT (I.E., PROJECT DEVELOPMENT AND ENVIRONMENT PHASE);
AND FURTHER REQUESTING THAT THE TRANSPORTATION PARTNERS
EXPLORE THE IMPLEMENTATION OF AN INTERIM MASS TRANSIT
SOLUTION IN THE IMMEDIATE TERM.
WHEREAS, on April 17, 2013, via Resolution No. 2013-28176, the City Commission
approved an Interlocal Agreement between the City of Miami Beach and the Miami-Dade
Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) to provide funding in the amount of $25,000 for the
Beach Corridor Transit Connection Study; and
WHEREAS, the purpose of the study is to evaluate mass transit connectivity between
Downtown Miami and Miami Beach via a premium transit connection; and
WHEREAS, the study is being conducted by Gannett Fleming under the auspices of the
Miami-Dade MPO in partnership with the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT), Miami-
Dade Transit (MDT), City of Miami, and City of Miami Beach; and
WHEREAS, at this time, the study recommendations focus on a Light Rail Transit (LRT)
alternative connecting Downtown Miami and South Beach via the MacArthur Causeway; and
WHEREAS, at the September 10, 2014 City Commission meeting, a presentation was
made by Gannett Fleming on behalf of the Miami-Dade MPO regarding the Beach Corridor
Transit Connection Study and, after some discussion, a motion was made by Vice-Mayor
Michael Grieco and approved by the City Commission in support of the project and to continue
to study the options; and
WHEREAS, at the October 23, 2014 meeting of the Miami-Dade MPO Governing Board,
and in response to a City of Miami Commission Resolution, the MPO Board member
representing the City of Miami, Commissioner Francis Suarez, presented an item on the MPO
agenda consisting of a resolution expressing support for a streetcar system connecting
Downtown Miami to the dense urban neighborhoods immediately north of Downtown, and
urging the FDOT to seek funding for the implementation of a streetcar system; and
WHEREAS, after some discussion regarding current prioritization of proposed premium
transit corridors and the respective assigned priority levels pursuant to the Adopted 2014 MPO
Long Range Transportation Plan (LRTP), as well as some stated concerns from various Board
members regarding the Miami Streetcar and Beach Corridor projects likely competing for the
same funding at the state level, the item was deferred by the MPO Governing Board; and
WHEREAS, it is crucial that the Miami-Dade MPO recognize the significance of the
Beach Corridor as a sustainable and vital premium mass transit project linking Downtown Miami
and South Beach via the MacArthur Causeway and that this corridor in particular be discussed
at the upcoming Transportation Corridors Workshop to be hosted by the Miami-Dade MPO; and
WHEREAS, given the significance of the MacArthur Causeway as a major transportation
corridor for current and future mass transit connectivity between Miami and Miami Beach, it is
imperative that the City continue to work with the Miami-Dade MPO and other transportation
partners involved in the Beach Corridor Study to implement long-term as well as short-term
mass transit solutions which can include an Urban Express Bus, Bus Rapid Transit (BRT)
project, an Enhanced Bus-On-Shoulders Pilot Project, and/or managed lanes on the MacArthur
Causeway.
NOW, .THEREFORE, BE IT DULY RESOLVED BY THE MAYOR AND CITY
COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF MIAMI BEACH, FLORIDA, that the Mayor and City
Commission hereby support expediting the next phase of the Beach Corridor Transit
Connection Project which evaluates mass transit connectivity between the City of Miami and the
City of Miami Beach, and urge the transportation partners (i.e., Florida Department of
Transportation, Miami-Dade Transit, City of Miami, and City of Miami Beach) to allocate the
necessary funding required to advance to the next phase of the project (i.e., Project
Development and Environment Phase), and further requesting that the transportation partners
explore the implementation of an interim mass transit solution in the immediate term.
PASSED and ADOPTED this day of November, 2014.
ATTEST: f j
Philip Levi
RaJAel E.
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:I[JCORP 0RATIE D
APPROVED AS TO
141' '•
FORM& LANGUAGE
� `�••• `' � •C� & FO XECUTION
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City Attorney� Date
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1915 •2015
A 1 E
City of Miami Beach, 1700 Convention Center Drive,Miami Beach, Florida 33139,www.miamibeachfl.gov
COMMISSION MEMORANDUM
TO: Members of the City ssion and City Manager Jimmy L. Morales
FROM: Philip Levine, Mayor
DATE: November 19, 2014
SUBJECT: A RESOLUTION O THE MAYOR AND CITY COMMISSION OF THE CITY
OF MIAMI BEACH, FLORIDA, EXPRESSING SUPPORT FOR EXPEDITING
THE NEXT PHASE OF THE BEACH CORRIDOR TRANSIT CONNECTION
PROJECT WHICH EVALUATES MASS TRANSIT CONNECTIVITY BETWEEN
MIAMI AND MIAMI BEACH; AND URGING THE TRANSPORTATION
PARTNERS (I.E. FLORIDA DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION, MIAMI-
DADE TRANSIT, CITY OF MIAMI, AND CITY OF MIAMI BEACH) TO
ALLOCATE THE NECESSARY FUNDING REQUIRED TO ADVANCE TO
THE NEXT PHASE OF THE PROJECT (I.E. PROJECT DEVELOPMENT AND
ENVIRONMENT PHASE); AND FURTHER REQUESTING THAT THE
TRANSPORTATION PARTNERS EXPLORE THE IMPLEMENTATION OF AN
INTERIM MASS TRANSIT SOLUTION IN THE IMMEDIATE TERM.
BACKGROUND
On April 17, 2013, via Resolution No. 2013-28176, the City Commission approved an Interlocal
Agreement between the City of Miami Beach and the Miami-Dade Metropolitan Planning
Organization (MPO) to provide funding in the amount of $25,000 for the Beach Corridor Transit
Connection Study. The purpose of the study is to evaluate mass transit connectivity between
Downtown Miami and Miami Beach via a premium transit connection. The study is being
conducted by Gannett Fleming under the auspices of the Miami-Dade MPO in partnership with
the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT), Miami-Dade Transit (MDT), City of Miami, and
City of Miami Beach. The study commenced in October 2013 and focuses on re-evaluating the
Locally Preferred Alternative resulting from the 2004 Baylink Corridor Study. A Technical
Advisory Committee (comprised of staff from various municipal and transportation agencies) and
a Policy Executive Committee (comprised of elected officials from Miami-Dade County, City of
Miami, and City of Miami Beach) have been established to assist the study team in making key
milestone decisions through the study process.
The study is anticipated to be completed in early 2015 after convening the final Policy Executive
Committee meeting. Should the Policy Executive Committee identify a preferred alternative, the
next steps would be as follows:
• Further analysis and refinement of the alternatives during the Project Development and
Agenda Item -7 W
Date
Commission Memorandum—Resolution Regarding the Beach Corridor Transit Connection Project
November 19,2014
Page 2 of 3
Environment (PD&E) phase of the project.
• Establishing a Locally Preferred Alternative to be presented to the Miami City
Commission, Miami Beach City Commission, and the Miami-Dade MPO Governing
Board for adoption.
• Submission of the PD&E Study to the U.S. DOT for Location/Design Concept Acceptance
(LDCA) and a Record of Decision, the final step in the PD&E process pursuant to the
National Environmental Policy Act(NEPA).
At this time, the study recommendations focus on a Light Rail Transit (LRT) alternative
connecting Downtown Miami and South Beach via the MacArthur Causeway. Several new and
emerging catenary-free or off-wire technologies for LRT are being evaluated, including ground-
embedded rail and on-board battery storage. The recommended alignment within Miami Beach
consists of the MacArthur Causeway, 5th Street, Alton Road, Washington Avenue, and 17th Street
in order to establish a direct connection to the Miami Beach Convention Center and future route
expansion along Collins Avenue to the Julia Tuttle Causeway connecting to Midtown Miami.
The Beach Corridor Connection Project extending from the Miami Downtown Terminal to the
Miami Beach Convention Center is currently listed as a Partially Funded project in the Adopted
2040 Miami-Dade MPO Long Range Transportation Plan (LRTP). The total estimated capital
cost of this premium transit service project is approximately $532 million (2013) and the LRTP
currently includes funding in the amount of approximately $147 million (year-of-expenditure) for
preliminary engineering and right-of-way acquisition in the 2026 - 2040 horizon timeframe. No
funding has been identified for project construction in the LRTP.
On April 23, 2014, via Resolution No. 2014-28566, the City Commission approved a funding
contribution from the City of Miami Beach in the amount of$250,000 for the Project Development
and Environment (PD&E) Study for the Beach Transit Connection Project as part of a grant
application to the U.S. Department of Transportation under the Transportation Investment
Generating Economic Revenue (TIGER) Discretionary Grant Program. The cost of the PD&E
Study was preliminarily estimated at $3 million and 50% of the study cost (i.e. $1.5 million)would
be provided by the local transportation partners as a local match. The TIGER grant application
was submitted by MDT, the project sponsor, in partnership with FDOT, MDT, City of Miami, and
City of Miami Beach. The FDOT committed $750,000 while MDT and cities of Miami and Miami
Beach each committed $250,000. It is important to note that the project was not selected for
TIGER grant funding by the U.S. DOT and that FDOT has since increased the cost estimate of
the PD&E Study from $3 million to $6 million. Therefore, if the project is to advance to the PD&E
Study phase without any federal funding, the local transportation partners would need to
contribute higher levels of funding. At this time, the'funding has not been secured by the local
transportation partners as this particular issue will be discussed at the upcoming final Policy
Executive Committee meeting.
At the September 10, 2014 City Commission meeting, a presentation was made by Gannett
Fleming on behalf of the Miami-Dade MPO regarding the Beach Corridor Transit Connection
Study. After some discussion, a motion was made by Vice-Mayor Grieco and approved by the
City Commission in support of the project and to continue to study the options available.
At the October 23, 2014 meeting of the Miami-Dade MPO Governing Board, and in response to a
City of Miami Commission Resolution, the MPO Board member representing the City of Miami,
Commissioner Francis Suarez, presented an item on the MPO agenda consisting of a resolution
expressing support for a Streetcar system connecting Downtown Miami to the dense urban
neighborhoods immediately. north of Downtown, and urging the FDOT to seek funding for the
implementation of such. The Miami Streetcar Project would connect the Design District,
Commission Memorandum Resolution Regarding the Beach Corridor Transit Connection Project
November 19,2014
Page 3 of 3
Wynwood, Midtown Miami, and Downtown Miami via a 2-way streetcar loop primarily along NE
2nd Avenue and is currently listed as an Unfunded Project in the Adopted 2040 Miami-Dade MPO
LRTP. After some discussion regarding current prioritization of proposed premium transit
corridors and the respective assigned priority levels pursuant to the Adopted 2014 MPO LRTP,
as well as some stated concerns from various Board members regarding the Miami Streetcar
and Beach Corridor projects likely competing for the same funding at the state level, the item
was deferred by the MPO Governing Board. At the meeting, however, the MPO Governing
Board agreed to schedule a Transit Corridors Workshop in the near future to have a focused
discussion regarding regional transportation corridors and the respective priority levels assigned
to each of the People's Transportation Plan (PTP) Corridors identified as premium transit
corridors in the Adopted 2040 Miami-Dade MPO LRTP.
ANALYSIS
Given the significance of the MacArthur Causeway as a major transportation corridor for current
and future mass transit connectivity between Miami and Miami Beach, it is imperative that the
City continue to work with the Miami-Dade MPO and other transportation partners involved in the
Beach.Corridor Study to implement long-term as well as short-term mass transit solutions. It is
anticipated that the engineering and environmental documents pursuant to federal requirements
for a premium transit connection (e.g. light rail transit or modern streetcar) would require
approximately six (6) years to complete prior to beginning construction. While a Public-Private
Participation (P3) project delivery method would expedite the design and construction schedule
of the project, the required NEPA documents would need to be completed by the local project
sponsor and approved by the federal government (either Federal Highway Administration or
Federal Transit Administration) for the project to remain eligible for federal funding, obtain LDCA
and a Record of Decision, and advance to the construction phase.
For this reason, the City should explore and consider implementing interim mass transit solutions
which can include a Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) project, an Enhanced Bus-On-Shoulders Pilot
Project, and/or managed lanes on the MacArthur Causeway. BRT projects have been
successfully implemented in many other urban cities in the country, such as Las Vegas, Los
Angeles, Boston, Cleveland and San Francisco, and in major cities throughout the world, such as
Curitiba and Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, several countries in South America, and in China. Through
the deployment of technologies such as signal pre-emption, queue jumpers, and the use of either
exclusive or semi-exclusive lanes for BRT operation, this mode can be effective, efficient, and
implemented on an expedited basis at a fraction of the cost of a light rail transit system.
CONCLUSION
It is crucial that the Miami-Dade MPO recognize the significance of the Beach Corridor as a
sustainable and vital premium mass transit project linking Downtown Miami and South Beach via
the MacArthur Causeway and that this corridor in particular be discussed at the upcoming
Transportation Corridors Workshop to be hosted by the Miami-Dade MPO.
The Administration should continue working collaboratively with the Miami-Dade MPO and the
local transportation partners to identify the funding necessary to advance the Beach Corridor
Transit Connection Project to the next phase of study development (PD&E phase) while
concurrently exploring interim solutions to implement efficient and effective mass transit across
the MacArthur Causeway in the immediate term.
T:\AGENDA\2014\November\Resolution Regarding the Beach Corridor Transit Connection Project MEMO.docx
Cardillo, Lilia
From: Gonzalez,Jose
Sent: Tuesday, December 02, 2014 11:43 AM
To: 'Salim,Zainab (MPO) (ZSALIM @miamidade.gov)'
Cc: Miranda, Alex; Brooks, Kathie; Bocio, Patricia; Granado, Rafael; Cardillo, Lilia
Subject: RE: December 18th MPO Board Resolution RE: Beach Corridor Transit Connection
Project (Sponsored by Board Member Philip Levine)
Attachments: RESO 2014-288SS.pdf
Good morning Zainab,
Per below, please see attached fully-executed City Commission resolution as supporting documentation for the subject
MPO Governing Board Item.
Please feel free to contact me if you have any questions.
Respectfully,
JOSE R. GONZALEZ, P.E.
DIRECTOR
MIAMI .EAR
Transportation Department
1700 Convention Center Drive, Miami Beach,FL 33139
Tel:305-673-7000 Ext.6768 /Cel:(786)295-6863/iosegonzalez(a�miamibeachfl.gov
http://www.miamibeachfl.gov
We are committed to providing excellent public service and safety to all who live,work and play in our vibrant, tropical,historic community.
From: Gonzalez, Jose
Sent: Monday, December 1, 2014 4:01 PM
To: Salim, Zainab (MPO) (ZSALIM@miamidade.gov)
Cc: Miranda, Alex; Brooks, Kathie; Bocio, Patricia
Subject: December 18th MPO Board Resolution RE: Beach Corridor Transit Connection Project (Sponsored by Board
Member Philip Levine)
Good afternoon Zainab,
As discussed, Mayor Philip Levine is requesting that the following resolution be placed on the agenda for the December
18th MPO Governing Board meeting. As supporting documentation, attached please find the signed Commission memo
and an unsigned copy of the adopted City Commission Resolution. We are in the process of obtaining a fully-executed
copy of the City Commission Resolution and will forward a scanned copy ASAP.
MPO Governing Board Resolution (Sponsored by Board Member Philip Levine)
A Resolution expressing support for expediting the next phase of the Beach Corridor Transit Connection Project which
evaluates mass transit connectivity between Miami and Miami Beach; and urging the transportation study partners (i.e.
Florida Department of Transportation, Miami-Dade Transit, City of Miami, and City of Miami Beach)to allocate the
necessary funding required to advance to the next phase of the project(i.e. Project Development and Environment
phase); recognizing the importance of the Beach Corridor Transit Connection Project and requesting that the corridor be
discussed as part of the upcoming MPO Transportation Corridors Workshop; and further requesting that the
transportation partners explore the implementation of an interim mass transit solution, consisting of an urban express
bus project, in the immediate term.
Please feel free to contact me if you have any questions.
Respectfully,
JOSE R. GONZALEZ, P.E.
DIRECTOR
MIAMSEACH
Transportation Department
1700 Convention Center Drive,Miami Beach, FL 33139
Tel:305-673-7000 Ext.6768 /Cel:(786)295-6863/josegonzalez(a�miamibeachfl.gov
http://www.miamibeachfi.gov
We are committed to providing excellent public service and safety to all who live,work and play in our vibrant, tropical,historic community.
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