162-1998 LTC
CITY OF MIAMI BEACH
CITY HALL 1700 CONVENTION CENTER DRIVE MIAMI BEACH, FLORIDA 33139
http:\\ci,miami-beach.fl,us
L.T.C. No. 162-1998
LETTER TO COMMISSION
November 25, 1998
TO:
Mayor Neisen O. Kasdin and
Members of the City C mission
FROM:
Sergio Rodriguez
City Manager
SUBJECT:
ACCIDENT N PINE TREE DRIVE BETWEEN 26TH STREET AND 28TH STREET.
Following discussion at the November 4, 1998 Commission Meeting, City staff of the Public Works and
Police Departments, met with Mr. Muhammed Hasan, Chief of the Highway Division of Miami-Dade
County Public Works, to discuss the above-referenced accident.
The accident occurred during the midnight hours of October 25, 1998, in the 2600 block of Pine Tree Drive,
which is a County Road. A vehicle heading south on Pine Tree Drive, collided head-on with a vehicle
traveling in the northbound direction. As indicated by the Police Department, the contributing causes of this
accident were excessive speed and the fact that the driver of the southbound vehicle was driving under the
influence (D.D.!.).
On November 6, 1998 an inspection of Pine Tree Drive in the area of the accident was conducted by
representatives of the City's Police and Public Works Departments and Miami-Dade County Public Works.
Among the traffic measures/modifications discussed for implementation are the installation of 24 hour
flashing warning lights, additional speed limit signs in the area, the lowering of the speed limit and the
installation of "Right Turn Only" signs on eastbound 28th and 37th Streets at Pine Tree Drive. Additionally,
the geometry of the intersection of Pine Tree Drive and Sheridan Avenue, which is immediately south of the
area in which the accident occurred, is being evaluated to establish whether improvements are indicated.
The attached report from the Miami Beach Police Department lists fatal accidents in the area of Pine Tree
and La Gorce Drives and includes the contributing causes of each accident. Also attached is a copy of
enforcement statistics for 1998 and a synopsis of the Police Department's ongoing efforts to control traffic
and minimize infractions, especially speeding and D.D.!.
A follow-up meeting with Miami-Dade County Public Works will be scheduled in January 1999 to review
findi~s and coordinate the implementation of the requested traffic modifications.
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F:\WORK)! LL\CANDIDA\LTCIACCIDENTLTC
Attachments
c: Christina Cuervo, Assistant City Manager
Julio Grave de Peralta, Public Works Director
Richard Barreto, Chief of Police
James Scarberry, Assistant Chief of Police
Michael Alvarez, Superintendent of Streets/Streetlighting
Muhammed Hasan, Chief of Highway Division, Miami-Dade County
MBPD CHIEF OFFICE
Fax:3056737065
Nov 25 '98 17:13
P.02
CITY OF MIAMI BEACH
MIAMI BEACH POLICE DEPARTMENT
TO: Chief Richard Barreto
FROM:f'\ ~t. Chief Scarberry
DATE: ~OVember25.1998
SUBJECT: TRAFFIC.PINETREE & LAGORCE DRIVES
The Police Department has immediately prioritized PineTree and LaGorce Drives for
additional traffic enforcement on a 24-hr. basis. STEP Units, assigned from 7:00
a.m. to midnight daily, will aggressively enforce speeding violations with .Zero
Tolerance". The Department's DUI Officers will target the locations during the
hours of midnight to 7:00 a.m. for both speeding and CUI violations. In addition, we
will strategically deplOy our .SMARr signs as additional deterrents.
I would also like to point out that we are finalizing plans for increased signage and
education regarding traffic law compliance that should further assist our efforts at
curtailing speed and accidents.
JS:gw
F;\F'OLl\ADMI\$OPR\SCARaERR\enforce traffic Pinelree L8Gorca.bar.doc
MBPD CHIEF OFFICE
Fax:3056737065
Nov 25 '98 17:14
P.06
MIAMI BEACH POLICE DEPARTMENT
OPERATIONS BUREAU
PATROL DIVISION
SPECIAL UNITS
TO: (\\!Jief Scarberry via chain of command
FROM: ~gt. Gregory Butler ;)J>
DATE:
No'Vember 25,1998
SUBJECT; S.T.E.P. Stats fYTD 1998
Sir,
The current year to date stats for the; S.T.E.P. Unit for Pinetree and LaGorce Drives are as follows~
LuGon:e Drive Pinetrec Drin
Jan. 28 159
Feb. 33 188
Mar. 16 142
Apr. 97 139
MAY 74 374
Jun. 41 416
Jul. 44 318
Aug. 59 231
Sep. .1L m
Total 419 2155
MBPD CHIEF OFFICE
Fax:3056737065
Nov 25 '98 17:14
P.04
MIAMI BEACH POLICE DEPARTMENT
OPERATIONS BUREAU
PATROL DIVISION
.
TO: ~istant Chief Scarberry
FROM: Lt. Allen
DATE: November 16, 1998
SUBJECT: FATAL ACCIDENTS - PINETREE AND LA GORCE DRIVE
..
--- ---
BACKGROUND: Listed below are the fatal crashes tbat OCCUlTed on Pinetree Drive and La Gorce
Drive from 1997 to present. There have been a total of twenty four fatal crashes with twenty five
deaths throughout the City during this time period.
97~11440 March 29, 1997 0326 boors 4945 Pinetree Drive
Motorcyclist was north on Pinetree Drive and struck a wall that surrounded a house.
Contributing cause: speed! DUI
lnvestigators: Sallie/ Silvagni
97-12331 April 5, 1997 0317 houn 5122 PlnetreeDrin
Vehicle was north on Pinetree Drive and snuck a parked vc:hicle and it tree.
Contributing causeS: speed /DUI
Investigators: Silvagni! Weber
9743022 December 27, 1997 0504 hours 41 Street and Pinetree Drive
Two vehicles crashed in intcrsc:ctiQn. A passengc:r in each vehicle expired.
Contributing causcs: DUll speed/ violation of tmffic control device
Investigators: Silvagnil Jenkins
98~11712 April 4, 1998 1211 bOll" 53 Street and LaGoree Drive
Two vohicles were southbound on LaGorce Drive and collided causing one vehicle to strike a parked
I;ar,
Contribu.ting causes: improper turn
Investigators: Weber/ Jenkins
98-34478 Oetober 25,1998 0106 honrs 2600 block of Pine tree Drive
Two vehicle head on collision- One passenger ejected and expired. Six others were injured.
Contributing causes: speed! DUl
Investigators: Millan! Sallie/ Feigenblattl Silvagni
MBPD CHIEF OFFICE
Fax:3056737065
Nov 25 '98 17:14
P.os
98-36344 November 12,1998 1733 hours 6050 pjnetree Drive
Vehicle was traveling northbound when it left the roadway and struck a tree. The driver expired on
the scene.
Contributing causes: careless driving
Investigators: Tracey/ Silvagni
SYNOPSIS: Four of the six crashes occurred during the midnight homs. Speed and DUI were
contributing caUSes. The other two occurred during the afternoon hours and were cause by improper
driving. The roadway was not a contributing cause in any of the incidents.
Excessive speed is enforced by the STEPI Motors daily from 0700-0100. The DUr Enforcement
Specialists target both roadways during the midnight hours for speed and DUI. The Special Units
have conducted Saturation Patrols in the Middle District during the midnight hOUTS on both
roadways. Several DUI Checkpoints have been conducted in the Middle District (Collins A venue
and Alton Road).