LTC 241-2006 re: Traffic Calming Program
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MIAMI BEACH
OFFICE OF THE CITY MANAGER
NO. LTC # 241-2006
LETTER TO COMMISSION
TO: Mayor David Dermer and Members of the City Commission
FROM: Jorge M. Gonzalez, City Manager
DATE: October 12, 2006
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SUBJECT: Traffic Calming Program
This letter is to provide you with an update on the City Traffic Calming Program. In order to
preserve the safety and livability of our community the Transportation Division, Public Works
Department has been developing a Traffic Calming Program to address traffic concerns
related to the traffic volume and speeding in local and residential streets. Kittelson &
Associates (K&A) transportation and traffic engineering consultant is assisting the City in the
development of the program.
The Traffic Calming Program is composed of two related products, as detailed below:
1. Traffic Calming Pilot Study
The traffic calming pilot study analyzed five (5) streets that were affected by traffic
volume and speeding, detailed below:
· Prairie Avenue (28th Street to Alton Road)
. North Shore Drive
· W 62nd Street (La Gorce Avenue to Alton Road)
· North Bay Road (Michigan Avenue to 29th Street)
· W 34th Street. (Pine Tree Drive to Alton Road)
Speed and volume studies were conducted along these streets between October 2005
and January 2006.The data collected was subsequently analyzed and revealed that
Prairie Avenue (between W 28th Street to W 41 5t Street), North Bay Road (Michigan
Avenue to W 29th Street) and W 34th Street (between Chase Avenue and Pinetree Drive)
warranted traffic calming treatment because they reached speed and volume thresholds
recommended by K & A for traffic calming in Miami Beach; see tables on step 3 of
Attachment A.
Kittelson & Associates recommended that four (4) devices be installed on Prairie
Avenue, and two (2) devices be installed on W 34th Street, responding to the high
volume observed; they also recommended that three (3) traffic calming devices be
installed on North Bay Road in response to the high speeds observed. Their locations ....
are shown in Exhibit A. 3JI:UO S. 'rlt.l31J )"llJ
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Based on the consultant's recommendations, the City will start a pilot study. The proposed
traffic calming device for Prairie Avenue, North Bay Road and W 34th Street is the speed
cushion (see Attachment B), similar to speed humps. These devices are one of the most
cost-effective means to calm neighborhood streets. Speed cushions have an added feature
for accommodating emergency vehicles while still causing general traffic to slow down.
The next steps for the Traffic Calming Pilot Program are as follows:
1. Conduct neighborhood outreach to inform residences on North Bay Road, Prairie
Avenue and W34th Street.
2. Install the rubberized speed cushions at the recommended locations along Prairie
Avenue, North Bay Road and W34th Street.
3. Conduct a speed and volume study, for each of the streets, six months after the
speed cushion installation, to ensure that speeds have been reduced to less than
5 mph over the posted speed limit.
The timeline to execute steps 1 and 2 is estimated to be 120 days.
2. Traffic Calming Manual
The Traffic Calming Manual is a document to be adopted by the City Commission after
the traffic calming pilot program is completed and will serve as an approved methodology
to address traffic calming issues throughout the City in a consistent and systematic way.
As a guideline to implement traffic calming measures, the Traffic Calming Manual will
provide a defined process and procedures to study problematic streets and/or areas
within the City of Miami Beach boundaries.
The manual will also provide guidelines for the installation of different traffic calming
measures that may be used in a traffic calming project, analyzing the effects on speed
and volume as well as preliminary costs. The thresholds for speed and volumes to be
eligible for traffic calming measures will be tailored according to Miami Beach
characteristics based on the results obtained from implementation of the pilot project.
City staff and/or residents will identify traffic problems in their neighborhoods. The Traffic
Calming Manual will then be used as the guide to develop traffic calming solutions. As
part of the process the impacted residents will then be involved in the approval of the
project for traffic calming solution for the identified traffic problem. Also, since Miami
Dade County has the authority and responsibity all traffic engineering in the County and
the municipalities, all traffic calming solutions proposed must be approved by Miami
Dade County.
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KITTELSON & ASSOCIATES, INC.
TRANSPORTATION PLANNINGITRAFFIC ENGINEERING
110 E. Broward Boulevard. Suite 2410 . Ft. Lauderdale. FL 33301 . (954) 828-1730 . Fax (954) 828-1787
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EXHIBIT A - TECHNICAL MEMORANDUM
City of Miami Beach Traffic Calming - Pilot Program
Date: September 18t\ 2006
Project #: 7017.0
To: Maria Echeverry
From: Thuha Nguyen
cc: Fernando Vazquez, John Zegeer
The purpose of this memorandum is to document the process of the City of Miami Beach's
traffic calming "pilot" program. Some treatments are recommended along the pilot streets, and
are also reported in this memo. The following five steps were taken as part of the traffic calming
pilot program:
1. Conduct speed and volume studies
2. Review and summarize results
3. Evaluate speed and volume thresholds
4. Develop the proposed traffic calming plans
5. Document the characteristics of the commonly used traffic devices
Each step is described in detail below.
1. Speed and Volume Study
Speed & volume studies were conduction along five selected pilot streets: Prairie Avenue, North
Shore Drive, W 62nd Street, North Bay Road, and W 34th Street. The studies were completed by
City staff with the Nu-Metrics Traffic Analyzer which allows for the collection of both volumes
and speeds. Traffic volume and speed were collected for both directions during a 24-hour period
of a typical weekday.
2. Result Summary
The speed & volume study results are summarized in the table in the next page. The speed
documented is the higher of the 85th percentile speeds collected for the two directions. The 85th
percentile speed is one at which 85-percent of all vehicles travel at or below. The posted speed
limits are also included in the table.
Table 1: Spee an vo ume sfu tv resu f summary
Street Name Date 24-hour 8Sm - Percentile* Posted Speed
Collected volume VS5 Limit
Prairie Avenue 9/13/05 2,858 37.4 30 mph
North Shore Drive 9/14/05 1,160 33.5 30 mph
W 62nd Street 9/15/05 236 33.2 30 mph
North Bay Road 10/10/05 1,669 36.3 25 mph
34th Street - b/w Prairie & 1/19/06 2,443 32.8 30 mph
Chase
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3. Traffic Threshold Research and Development
The thresholds used for the initial evaluation are those recommend by the City of Coral Springs's
traffic calming manual!. Speed and volume thresholds are shown in the table below. Any street
that ranks 2.5 or higher warrants traffic calming treatment, upon approval of the City's Traffic
Engineering Consultant:
Points Above Va5
0.5 Less than 4.6 mph
1.0 4.6 to 7.5 mph
1.5 7.6 to 10.5 mph
2.0 10.6 to 13.5 mph
2.5 13.6 to 16.5 mph
3.0 More than 16.5 mph
Points volume 24 hr.
0.5 500-1,100 veh.
1.0 1,101-1,700 veh.
1.5 1,701-2,300 veh.
2.0 More than 2,300 veh
4. Traffic Calming Plan Development
The results were compared with the thresholds recommended in the City of Coral Springs'
Traffic Calming Manual and revealed that Prairie Avenue (W 28th Street to W 41st Street),
North Bay Road (Michigan Avenue to W 29th Street), and West 34th Street (Prairie Avenue to
Chase A venue) are warranted for traffic calming treatments.
The traffic calming plans shown in the BODR - Neighborhood 8, Packages A & B were
reviewed. It was found that the recommended speed tables were not sufficient. Due to the high
volume observed along Prairie Avenue and W34th Street and high speeds observed along North
Bay Road, it is recommended that four traffic calming devices be installed on Prairie Avenue,
two be installed on W34th Street and three traffic calming devices be installed on North Bay
Road. These locations were selected based on their proximity to driveways, other traffic control
devices (stop sign, signal), utility component (manhole, inlet), nearby intersection, light poles,
and other traffic calming devices. The recommended treatment is speed hump or speed cushion.
More information on these and other devices are discussed in the next section.
I City of Coral Springs Trame Calming Manua!- approved June 2002 (p.6)
The traffic calming plans for Prairie Avenue, W34th Street and North Bay Road are presented on
the next pages.
5. Traffic Calming Treatment Comparison
As a part of the pilot study, a research of types, advantages/disadvantages, and costs of the
common traffic calming devices were completed. A summary is found below:
Volume Speed Noise Emergency & Cost Effectiveness
Reductions Reductions Service Access
Road Striping No change Yes No effect No effect Low
Speed Humps/Speed Possible Possible Increase Some problems Moderate ($2-$5K)
Cushions
Traffic Circles/ Unclear Minor Minor change Some Moderate to High
Roundabouts constraints ($1 0-$30K w/o ROW cost)
Chockers/Bump-outs Rare Minor Minor change No effect Moderate
($10-$20 per approach)
Gateway Treatments Unlikely Yes Possible No effect Moderate ($5-$15K)
Increase
Short Medians No Yes No effect No effect Moderate ($5-$15K)
Raised Crosswalks No effect No No effect No effect Moderate ($4K)
Textured Pavements Unlikely Yes Minor change No effect Moderate to High (varies)
The proposed traffic calming device for the three streets are speed cushions. Similar to speed
humps, these devices are one of the most cost-effective means to calm neighborhood streets.
Speed cushions have added feature of accommodating emergency vehicles while still cause
general traffic to slow down. The Police and Fire Departments should be contacted so that the
speed cushions installed are suitable based on their specific vehicles' axle width.
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34th Street
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Recommendations
The following recommendations are made regarding the traffic calming program in the City of
Miami Beach:
. Submit the traffic calming plans to Miami-Dade County for approval
. Conduct neighborhood meetings for affected residences on North Bay Road and Prairie
A venue
. Upon approval from both the County and the residents, install the rubberized speed
cushions at the recommended nine locations along Prairie A venue, W34th Street and
North Bay Road.
. Conduct a speed and volume study, for each of the two streets, six to eight months after
the installation, to ensure that the speeds have been reduced to less than 5 mph over the
posted speed limit.
EXHIBIT "B" - Speed Cushion
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