Jeff Donnelly reports on Bikeways meeting; Historic Preservation Board Likely to Hear the Issue on August 10, 2010

Items learned or confirmed at the Bikeways Committee meeting on Wednesday June 23.


Euclid BODR

In 2002, the City Commission approved a BODR for the 70 foot Euclid right of way divided east to west as: 14 feet for sidewalk, swale, and encroachments; 9 feet for parking; 12 feet for one traffic (bikes and/or autos) lane; 12 feet for the reverse traffic lane; 9 feet of parking, and 14 feet for swale, sidewalk and encroachments on the other side of the street. The primary purpose of this design was to emulate Meridian Avenbue as the best pedestrian street in the neighborhood.   In addition to the exiting Meridian template, bump outs of approximately 9 feet were added to several corners, making the pedesatrian east-west crossing of Euclid at those points a maximum of 24 feet.

AGN Bikeways

Afterwards, the City Commission approved a bike ways plan for the City that named bicycle lanes as the only method of providing a bicyle facility or bicycle mode on Euclid. This approval, it turns out, conflicted with the 2002 EDAW BODR for Euclid that the Commission had previously approved. Specifically, the BODR called for a 24 foot moving vehicle space and the AGN bike lane proposal would require a minimum of 30 feet of moving vehicle space (20 for autos and 10 for bikes). Had the City Commission approved the bikeways proposal without specifying the bike lane mode, but allowed for the possibility of any of the three other modes -- bike paths/trails, bike boulevard, bike route -- there might not be a conflict. But the Commission, badly advised, failed to allow other bicycle modes or to resolve the conflict.

The City's application for changes in the BODR to accommodate the AGN Bikeway will come before the Historic Preservation Board on August 10, 2010.

On August 10, the Historic Preservation Baord can vote to maintain the BODR's 24 foot (two 12 ft travel lanes (bike and/or auto) with bump outs to limit pedestrian crossing distances and create a viable pedestrian north-south walkway or modify that BODR. Depending on the type of proposal, it may take 4 or 5 votes to modify the 2002 BODR.

Jeff Donnelly

Randall Robinson Reminder: Our vision for Euclid has always been to create a more-pedestrian oriented corridor, lowering the speed, calming the traffic and creating a safe shared roadway for cars and bikes.

The Smart Growth Manual
By Andres Duany, Jeff Speck, Mike Lydon


Bicycle Network

A proper bicycle network consists of four basic types of facilities: bicycle trails, bicycle lanes, bicycle boulevards, and share routes.

Bicycle trails are physically separated from higher speed traffic. Bicycle lanes are demarcated by striping within medium-speed roadways. Bicycle boulevards are streets with low traffic volumes in which priority is given to bicyclists by traffic-calming devices and signage. Finally, shared routes – the majority of thoroughfares – are low-speed streets in which cars and bikes mix comfortably.

The first step is to map the existing network, remembering that much of it will consist of unmarked shared routes within neighborhoods. This network should then be expanded by using the three other basic bikeway types, as contextually appropriate. . . .

Report on the CMB Bikeways Advisory Committee Meeting; Issue is Unresolved: Bike Lane vs Shared Roadway

Flamingo Park Neighborhood Association was invited to attend the June 23, 2010 meeting of the CMB Mayor's Blue Ribbon Bikeways Advisory Committee to discuss the plans for implementation of the Southeast Phase One Section of the Flamingo Neighborhood improvement program -- particularly improvements to Euclid Avenue.  Concern had been expressed that the narrowed 12 ft roadway would have to be expanded to 15 ft to accommodate a 10 ft auto lane and a 5 ft bike lane.  The view of the neighborhood was to implement the existing plans created by EDAW and approved by the City Commission in 2002.

The Committee indicated that they had not received any plans and could not discuss the matter until receiving plans.  Present at the meeting were David Henderson, the Bicycle / Pedestrian Coordinator for the County and Jeff County Traffic Engineer for the County who was pointed to as the responsible party for approving any plans.  Mr. Cohen spoke very strongly in favor of bike lanes separated from the auto lanes.  He indicated he had not seen any plans for Euclid Avenue Improvements, but upon receiving plans he would review them and likely suggest alternatives that would require separated bike lanes.

There did indeed appear to be an adversarial quality of the meeting with the bikeway members favoring separated 4 ft bikelanes on Euclid as was designated in the Bikeways Masterplan and representatives of Flamingo Neighborhood continuing to advocate for implementation of the plan for Euclid adopted by the City Commission as a part of the CIP Basis of Design Report.  It is likely that we will need to identify other venues for the resolution of the conflict, i.e.,

• Designated Responsible Departments -- CIP;  Public Works
• Assistant City Manager Jorge Gomez / City Manager Jorge Conzalez
• CIP Oversight Committee
• Historic Preservation Board
• City Commission

EPZ joins us at Flamingo Park Neighborhood Meeting and offers advice and cousel on streetscape plans

Subject: Euclid Avenue Improvements


Dear Denis,

This follows yesterday's meeting of the Flamingo Park Neighborhood Association about the Euclid Avenue improvements. It now looks like I will be unable to attend Wednesday's meeting in City Hall, due to meetings at the University I could not reschedule, so I am providing some comments emerging from our discussion. . . .
As you know, my questions and comments emerge from many years of involvement nationally with urban design and streetscape design, including studies for the City of Miami Beach for the area south of Fifth Street. Also, for the past two years I have chaired the Built Environment Adaptation Committee of the Miami-Dade Climate Change Task Force and I am thoroughly sensitized to the anticipated effects on South Florida such as sea level rise. For this discussion there are two relevant responses to climate change: mitigation (of human impact on global temperature) including reducing carbon emissions and urban heat; and adaptation (to the effects of climate change) that for South Florida includes learning to live with more frequent flooding as a result of sea level rise. There is of course much more to be said about both mitigation and adaptation, but I am focusing on those points that might affect the street design decisions.

With regard to an impending phase of street improvements south of Flamingo Park, it is my understanding that there are several guiding documents that have had public input and yet are not entirely compatible in terms of street width dimensions. These include the Basis of Design Report (BODR) of 2002, and the more recent Bicycle Master Plan, as well as more recent resident advocacy for narrower lanes and more attention to pedestrian mobility. While I understand that there is urgency to begin the project, I would suggest adding to the discussion the element of climate change and sea level rise, as it may provide the overriding rationale for choosing among the various options. Street flooding will intensify with time, so public expenditures for infrastructure should be as forward thinking and adaptable for evolving conditions as possible.

In our meeting we were looking at 2004 engineering drawings for Euclid, and we could not fully understand the street section, and potential changes in elevation. We raised several concerns related to the narrowing of the pavement and the extending of the curb into the existing cartway:

1) Will the crown of the road remain where it is? Presumably one would not plan to lower it as high water is already a concern. In which case, will the storm water system be moved (with the curb and gutter, and sewer inlets) closer to the center of the right-of-way to take advantage of a somewhat higher elevation?

2) Maintaining the crown has implications for extending the curb, requiring a somewhat higher curb elevation and the swale to slope from the sidewalk up to the curb, so a careful study of the geometry in section of crown, curb location and elevation, swale slope and sidewalk width, should inform the decision about dimensions. Here we are assuming the sidewalk remains at its current elevation.

3) Mitigation goals point to a street design with more green area and less pavement. This in turn suggests designating Euclid a bicycle route (or sharrow or shared street) to avoid additional pavement for a bike lane. While I believe the argument can be made for even narrower lane and parking dimensions, the BODR dimensions of 12' lane and 9' parking (total 21') would provide generous space for bicycles in the roadway as well a generous swale to accommodate shade trees.

4) Adaptation goals also point to such a narrower street section, as this will bring up the curb elevation, and position parked cars closer to the crown diminishing some of the flood risk. The wider swale will provide more permeable ground for storm water absorption. (As flood events intensify, a simple street section of 21' per side, would even allow a future use of the roadway with cars parked on the crown, with the driving lanes designated at curbside, as long as bumpouts are not installed.)

I hope this is helpful in advancing the discussion. As a property owner in the neighborhood, I look forward to the long awaited improvements to the public space, and I hope that this investment will serve the public goals of sustainability, resilience, and adaptability.

Lizz
Elizabeth Plater-Zyberk

Last Minute Proposal to change the Euclid Avenue Plan to add 5 foot concrete bike lane: Oh Say it Ain't So, Joe

The City is on the verge of implementing Phase 1 of the Flamingo Improvements – the Southeast Section from 7th to 9th Streets, from Washington to Meridian. (Likely the next phases will be 2 to 5 years down the line.) A contract has been let with Ric-Man International, Inc. and they will begin with the water distribution portion by early July. Later portion of this first Phase will be the Stormwater Drainage and Streetscape Improvements.

Seemingly at the last minute, County and City staff recommend changing the plan to add a 5ft bicycle lane along Euclid Avenue—taking the space from the pedestrian sidewalk and green planting swale. While we were hoping to model the new Euclid after Meridian, this change would result in a Euclid that more closely resembles 16th Street. We favor a bicycle route with bikes and autos sharing the roadway. So the FPNA is pushing back to retain the adopted plan – to create a better, cleaner, greener, safer, more pedestrian-oriented Euclid Avenue. 

These matters will be discussed at a meeting of the City Bikeway Committee tomorrow, Wed, June 23, 2010, 3:00pm, in the Mayor's Conference Room, 4th Floor, City Hall.


Some background information --

The proposed capital improvement program for the Flamingo Pak Neighborhood puts a priority on addressing improvements to Euclid Avenue. The existing plan – fully supported by the Flamingo N’hood Association -- includes the following explanation and treatment for Euclid:


Euclid Avenue (see Figure 3-18 thru 3-20): Euclid Avenue is a heavily traveled North/South vehicular corridor through the Flamingo neighborhood that connects 5th Street to Lincoln Road. The existing section of the Avenue consists of two 17’-0" wide travel lanes with +/- 2’-6" planting strips and 5’-0" sidewalks on either side. The Avenue was identified by residents as being the least pedestrian friendly Avenue in the neighborhood due to the speed of traffic and the lack of shade along the sidewalks. 
The proposed improvement is to modify the existing section to match that of the "preferred" Meridian Avenue section. This would require relocating the existing curb & gutter to allow for +/- 7’-6" planting strips with a continuous shade tree canopy. This would also "calm" the traffic by reducing the travel lanes widths to +/- 12’-0". To further improve the pedestrian experience, the existing sidewalks will be widened to +/- 6’-0" where possible (Appendix "B" – Sheet 21).

The Flamingo Park Neighborhood Association continues to be guided by the following principles:

1. We favor implementation of the Flamingo Cap;ital Improvement streetscape projects in a manner compatible with the adopted Basis of Ddeisgn Report.  We believe that the public space needs to adequately accommodate pedestrians, bicyclists and autos  -- in that order of priority!
2. We continue to support a 12ft roadway shared by bicyclists and autos -- with appropriate traffic calming, including crosswalks and 4 way stop signs at every intersection. 
3. We think that the Atlantic Greenway Network can best be implemented in South Beach by a Bike Route along Euclid.
4. We oppose increased asphalt along Euclid at the expense of the pedestrian-oriented sidewalk and green swale.  We need an increased tree canopy and shade.
5. We support moving forward with the Southeast Phae 1 portion of the project.  Nonetheless, it is imperative for the City to sit down with the community and review the detail plans currently being developed. 
6. We continue to favor moving forward with the development of the Stormwater Master Plan.  Nonetheless and in the meantime, it is important to review with the city the proposed elevation and geometry of the roadway, the slope of the sidewalk and swale, the elevation of the outlet pipes and the opportunity to encourage private property owners to replace concrete with pervious materials.
7. We continue to favor greenery over asphalt and a pedestrian, bicycle friendly public space that substantially slows auto traffic along neighborhood streets.

It seems clear to us that the Flamingo Park Neighborhood does not need more concrete nor another Sixteenth Street corridor.