LTC 277-2007 63rd Street Bridge Projectm MIAMIBEACH
OFFICE OF THE CITY MANAGER
NO. LTC # 277_2007 LETTER TO COMMISSION
TO: Mayor Matti H. Bower and Members of the City Commission
FROM: Jorge M. Gonzalez, City Manager
DATE: December 7, 2007
SUBJECT: 63~a Street Bridge Project
The purpose of this letter to Commission is to provide you with an update on the 63~d Street Flyover
Removal, Indian Creek Reconstruction and 63~d Street Bridge Rehabilitation Project.
PROJECT OVERVIEW
On June 5th, 2006, the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) District Six Construction
Department began two separate but related projects in and around the intersection of State Road
A1A/Indian Creek Drive and 63rd Street in the City of Miami Beach. These projects were performed
concurrently to minimize construction time and related impacts. The combined cost for these
projects is approximately $15 million. The two (2) project descriptions are as follows:
The 63rd Street Bridge Rehabilitation Proiect: replacement of mechanical, electrical, structural
components and aesthetic improvements such as new bridge decking, concrete traffic barriers, new
decorative hand railing along the sidewalks, new street lights and navigational lights, a fresh coat of
paint and new windows for the control house.
The Indian Creek Drive Reconstruction Proiect: permanent removal of northbound flyover and
reconfiguration of the intersection of 63rd Street and Indian Creek Drive as well as new drainage,
sidewalks, lighting, roadway, medians, traffic signals, street lights and landscaping.
CONSTRUCTION SCHEDULE
The Indian Creek Drive Reconstruction Project was completed February 2007, and the 63`d Street
Bridge Rehabilitation Project is almost complete. FDOT has informed the City that the span and
tailock gear reducers purchased by the Contractor failed the Federal Highway Administration's
(FHWA) minimum 30 year life expectancy requirement and material testing. In order to mitigate this
issue, the Contractor will be operating the bridge with temporary gear reducers until the new FHWA-
approved reducers are manufactured and installed. The new gear reducers are scheduled to be
installed in June 2008, after the end of the school year.
The entire project is expected to be finished by September 2008. To minimize the impact on traffic,
the replacement of the gear reducers will be conducted on barges from underneath the bridge. As a
result, Alton Road will be reduced to two (2) travel lanes during evening hours only, intermittently, for
approximately 3 to 4 hours. In the event of a bridge failure before the permanent reducers are
installed, the Contractor will be onsite immediately to ensure emergency response.
LTC
December 7, 2007
63rd Street Bridge Project
Page 2 of 2
The City has requested to FDOT to keep the Maintenance of Traffic (MOT) for the 63`d Street Bridge
Project in effect until June 2008. The City is evaluating the current free flow operation and the
feasibility of keeping this concept as a permanent solution, additionally providing traffic signal pre-
emption for crossing pedestrians and northbound left turn emergency vehicles. This operation
seems to have reduced potential traffic conflicts and seems to have improved the Level of Service
(LOS) at 63`d Street and Collins Avenue and 63`d Street and Indian Creek Drive intersections. Marlin
Engineering has been awarded a contract to conduct the evaluation study, which is estimated to be
completed within one (1) month.
The construction staging area for the project will be fully restored after the completion of the project,
in September 2008. The construction trailers need to remain onsite to be available for the
installation of the gear reducers.
Please feel free to contact me if you have any questions or concerns.
M HB/FV
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