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R9H-Discuss Delineating Potential Concerns On Two Future Roadway Projects By FDOMIAMI BEACH City of Miami Beach, 1700 Convention Center Drive, Miami Beach, Florida 33139, www.miamibeachfl.gov COMMISSION MEMORANDUM TO: Mayor Matti Herrera Bower and Me FROM: Jimmy L. Morales, City Manager DATE: October 16, 2013 SUBJECT: A DISCUSSION DELINEATING POTENTIAL CONCERNS ON TWO FUTURE ROADWAY PROJECTS TO BE NDERTAKEN BY THE FLORIDA DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION (FOOT) ALONG ALTON ROAD, FROM MICHIGAN AVENUE TO 43RD STREET AND FROM 43Ro STREET TO EAST OF ALLISON ROAD; AND URGING FOOT TO ENSURE THAT ALL COMMUNITY CONCERNS, INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, LOSS OF ON-STREET PARKING, IMPACTS TO MATURE SHADE TREES, AND APPROPRIATE BICYCLE FACILITIES, ARE PROPERLY ADDRESSED AS PART OF THE RESPECTIVE FUTURE ALTON ROAD PROJECTS. BACKGROUND The Florida Department of Transportation (FOOT) is developing the design for two (2) future projects on Alton Road -Alton Road from Michigan Avenue to 43rd Street/Ed Sullivan Drive and Alton Road from 43rd Street to east of Allison Road. The projects are planned for construction in 2016 and 2017, respectively. City staff from various departments has been meeting with FOOT project staff and providing input on the preliminary design drawings. In order to offer the community the opportunity to review the project design and address any questions or concerns, as part of its public information program, FOOT plans to conduct a community meeting for each project at the appropriate time prior to construction. Below is a summary of each project and points of concern from the various City departments regarding potential impacts to the community. ANALYSIS Alton Road from Michigan Avenue to 43rd Street/Ed Sullivan Drive FOOT is developing preliminary design drawings for a safety project on Alton Road from Michigan Avenue to 43rd Street/Ed Sullivan Drive. The estimated construction cost of the project is $2.5 million. Construction is expected to begin mid-2016 and last about seven (7) months. The project consists of the following work: • Milling, repaving and restriping the road • Upgrading signage and pavement markings • Installing new traffic and pedestrian signals and signs • Upgrading pedestrian ramps to meet current standards 1019 Agenda Item R Cf H Date /0-{b-13 Commission Memorandum-A discussion regarding Future FOOT Projects on Alton Road October 16, 2013 Page 2of3 • Adding sections of paved shoulder and isolated drainage improvements • Providing an additional southbound lefHurn bay (for a total of 2) at the intersection of Alton Road and Michigan Avenue • Adding a shared bicycle lane (sharrow) to the west side (southbound direction) of Alton Road (there are existing bicycle lanes in the northbound direction) • Reconstructing driveways at several locations • Removing and replacing landscaping as needed The proposed additional southbound left turn lane at the intersection of Alton Road and Michigan Avenue is a crucial improvement that will increase capacity and improve the level of service at this intersection and will benefit access to the future Miami Beach Convention Center. The additional left turn lane, however, will require widening of Alton Road from the intersection to approximately 500 feet to the north. Based on the current FOOT design, the widening will occur to the west side of Alton Road (Attachment A}. The widening to west will impact several existing mature shade trees located in the swale area, residential driveway entrances located in the right-of-way, and a few on-street parking spaces. City staff has reviewed the preliminary drawings and requested that FOOT evaluate alternative options, including widening to the east side of Alton Road towards the Miami Beach Golf Course, in order to avoid or minimize impacts to the swale area and parking on the west side of Alton Road. Pursuant to the City's request, FOOT conducted an analysis which evaluated widening to the east side towards the golf course (Attachment B). Based on the analysis, FOOT determined that widening to the west towards the homes is more feasible and safe as widening to the east (golf course side) would introduce alignment, deflection, and hence safety issues. Based on the FOOT analysis, if Alton Road were widened to the east at this location, the lane deflections created on Alton Road to the south of the intersection with Michigan Avenue, at the intersection, and to the north of the intersection with Michigan Avenue would be greater than the maximum allowed by FOOT roadway design standards. Consequently, FOOT believes that it would be introducing a safety hazard in a project intended to improve safety. In regards to the existing shade trees located within the swale portion that would be impacted by the widening to the west side of Alton Road from Michigan Avenue to approximately 500 feet to the north, FOOT committed to conducting a tree inventory and condition survey and to present the results to the City for further deliberation. While the Administration understands and supports FOOT's focus on safety, we will continue to work with FOOT to explore options that would minimize the impact to the trees, parking and swale areas on the west side of Alton Road while not jeopardizing the safety of road users. Alton Road from 43rd Street to east of Allison Road FOOT is developing preliminary design drawings for a full reconstruction project along Alton Road between 43rd Street and the bridge just east of Allison Road. The estimated construction cost of the project is $11.8 million. FOOT anticipates beginning design in May 2014 and construction in mid-2017. For the portion between 43rd Street and Pine Tree Drive, the project consists of the following work: 1020 Commission Memorandum-A discussion regarding Future FOOT Projects on Alton Road October 16, 2013 Page 3 of 3 • Roadway reconstruction, including upgrading drainage structures, pedestrian ramps, and sidewalks to current standards • Installing dedicated bicycle lanes and shared bicycle lanes (sharrows) along the corridor • Widening the parking lanes from 43rd Street to Pine Tree Drive to 8 feet • Reducing the inside travel lane widths at various locations from 11 feet to 1 0 feet • Narrowing the width of the existing median at various locations from 43rd Street to Pine Tree Drive from approximately 15.5 feet to approximately 10 feet • Narrowing the width of the existing landscape buffer by 0.5 feet • Salvaging existing trees and relocating landscape that pose safety hazards The purpose of the proposed narrowing of the median is to accommodate a dedicated 5-foot bicycle lane in each direction. The widening will impact the landscaped buffer strip and several existing mature trees located in the median of Alton Road between 44 1h Street and 44 1 h Court and at 63rd Street. All efforts will be made by the FOOT to salvage and relocate the impacted trees to other locations in the median within the project limits. For the portion between Pine Tree Drive and the bridge just east of Allison Road, the project proposes to reduce the width of the inside travel lanes to 10 feet and to provide 12-foot outside travel lanes with sharrows in each direction. The Administration has conducted preliminary reviews of the proposed typical section and the existing conditions of the corridor and has concerns with the narrowing of the landscaped median and buffer strip solely for the purpose of accommodating dedicated bicycle lanes. The Administration believes that a typical section design that preserves the median and transitions the bike lanes onto an alternate route similar to the portion of Alton Road currently under construction, from 51h Street to Michigan Avenue would have less impact on the quality-of-life of the community. RECOMMENDATION The following is presented to the members of the City Commission for consideration and further discussion. Attachments: A: Alton Road/Michigan Avenue widening to the west side B: Alton Road/Michigan Avenue widening to the east side ~ KGB/-/~FD T:IAGENDA\2013\0ctober 16\Discussion regarding future FOOT projects on Alton Road MEMO 1021 1022 1023 THIS PAGE INTENTIONALLY LEFT BLANK 1024