FLAMINGO NEIGHBORHOOD ASSN -- MEETING NOTICE

Flamingo Park Neighborhood Association Meeting
Monday, August 5^th, 5:30 pm
at The Seymour, 945 Pennsylvania Avenue

AGENDA will include

• Status of Amendment to BODR CIP Projects
• Sixteenth Street Roadway / Streetscape Improvements
• Sixth Street Roadway / Streetscape Improvements

• Stormwater Masterplan
• Flamingo Park Projects

Also Marking Transitions……
Farewell to Rick Saltrick

Welcoming
Eric Carpenter, Public Works Director
David Martinez, Acting CIP Director

Alton Road Construction Update from FDOT

As a way of keeping the community informed about the overall progress on the Alton Road construction project, below is a summary of the work within active zones, the tasks that have been completed and the upcoming project milestones. This project, which began in April 2013, is scheduled through the summer of 2015 and has an estimated cost of $32 million. These overall updates, in addition to the weekly emails, will continue to be sent throughout the project. Please let us know what additional information would be helpful during this time as we continue to look for new ways of keeping the lines of communication open.

Ongoing/Completed Work:

·        Flyover bridge

o   Work remains on schedule

o   Contractor has demolished and removed the traffic railing on either side of the bridge

o   Contractor has started forming the framework for the new traffic railing

o   Coordination continues with the City of Miami Beach Police Department to support the signalization operations on 5 Street from Alton Road to the east

·        New water main

o   From north of 20 Street to 13 Street: The water main has been installed, tested and the final section is being prepared to be placed into service. The contractor has also installed new fire hydrants in this area.

o   From 13 Street to 6 Street: The contractor is scheduled to continue with water main installation along the southbound right lane and parking lane of Alton Road by mid-August

§  A traffic shift will be used to provide room for the contractor to work. The on-street parking on the east side of the street will be temporarily removed. On-street parking on the west side will be maintained where possible – a white bag over a meter means the parking space is available.

·        Work zone from 17 Street to Michigan Avenue

o   From Dade Boulevard to Michigan Avenue: The contractor continues installing drainage structures and pipe, as well as installing the foundations for new traffic signals and street lights. Within the next month, the contractor will begin rebuilding the roadway and then sidewalk.

o   From 17 Street to Dade Boulevard: The contractor has demolished the roadway. Within the next week, the contractor will begin installing drainage structures and pipe.

o   Once the work is complete on the east side of the roadway, the contractor will switch to the west side in the same area. The detour route will remain in place until both sides of the road are complete.

Next Steps:

·        Restriping West Avenue

o   The contractor is currently scheduled to restripe West Avenue in early September. The restriping would provide two southbound lanes on and one northbound lane on West Avenue.

·        Implementing the new roadway alternative

o   The Department will continue the process of revising the plans to include wider sidewalks.

o   A Public Hearing is being scheduled for October to present the raised center median concept to the community and allow for feedback.

PLEASE NOTE THAT THIS SCHEDULE MAY CHANGE DUE TO WEATHER OR UNEXPECTED CONDITIONS.

The Department will continue its coordination with the public, City of Miami Beach staff and elected officials. We welcome your feedback and thank you for your patience during this construction project. Additional information is available on the project page of the Department's website. You may also contact Construction Public Information Specialist Heather Leslie at 305-905-5876 or email her at Heather@hmlpublicoutreach.com. Drivers are encouraged to call 511 before they drive, or log onto www.fl511.com to get real-time traffic and lane closure information.

Alton Road Construction Update

For your safety please walk, drive and ride cautiously around construction zones and do not enter any closed work zones.

Hours of Operation
Work hours are from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m., with daytime lane closure hours from 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., Mondays through Fridays. Nighttime work may be conducted for specific operations on the flyover and certain drainage activities.

UPCOMING CONSTRUCTION ACTIVITIES:

The contractor is scheduled to resume the installation of the new underground water main along southbound Alton Road between 13 Street and 6 Street in mid-August. This work will require a traffic shift and the temporary removal of on-street parking. Once this shift is established, motorists will not be able to park on the east side of the street in this area. White bags will be used at the meters on the west side where parking may be maintained.

ONGOING CONSTRUCTION ACTIVITIES:

Monday, July 29 through Friday, August 2
Alton Road between Dade Boulevard and 17 Street

Daytime Work

Construction Activity

• Installing an underground fire line and restoring the roadway

Lane Closures/Detours

• One southbound lane may be closed during the day between Dade Boulevard and 17 Street. One lane will remain open at all times.

Alton Road at 16 Street

Nighttime Work

Construction Activity

·        Installing water main pipe at 16 Street

Lane Closures/Detours

• One lane may be closed at night on southbound Alton Road at 16 Street. One lane will remain open at all times.

Through mid-August 2013

Eastbound MacArthur Causeway flyover to northbound Alton Road

Daytime and Nighttime Work

Construction Activity

·        The flyover bridge from eastbound MacArthur Causeway to northbound Alton Road will continue to be closed while the contractor rebuilds the bridge approaches and replaces the bridge railing on the flyover.

·        This work is scheduled through mid-August 2013.

Lane Closures/Detours

·        A detour will be established along Alton Road and 5 Street in order to guide drivers around the work. The project team will continue to work with Miami-Dade County to optimize the timing of the traffic signals and is coordinating the use of off-duty police officers to manage traffic as needed.

·        Drivers are encouraged to seek alternate routes.

·        Bus service, business access and pedestrian access will be maintained at all times.

·        Motorists traveling east on the MacArthur Causeway who wish to travel north on Alton Road will have to:

1.      Continue east on 5 Street

2.      Turn north on Alton Road

·        Motorists traveling south on Alton Road who wish to travel east on 5 Street will have to:

1.      Turn east on 8 Street

2.      Turn south on Lenox Avenue

3.      Turn east on 5 Street

·          Southbound Alton Road remains open for motorists who want to access westbound MacArthur Causeway.

·        Motorists south of 5 Street who are traveling north on Alton Road and wish to continue north will have to:

1.      Turn east on 4 Street

2.      Turn north on Lenox, Michigan, Jefferson, Meridian, Euclid or Washington Avenues

3.      Turn west on 5 Street

4.      Turn north on Alton Road

·        Motorists south of 5 Street who are traveling north on Alton Road and wish to travel west on the MacArthur Causeway will have to:

1.      Turn east on 4 Street

2.      Turn north on Lenox Avenue

3.      Turn west on 5 Street

4.      Continue west on 5 Street to MacArthur Causeway

·        Motorists and pedestrians will not be able to cross east or west on Alton Road at 6 Street.

Through September 2013
Northbound Alton Road will be closed and detoured from north of 17 Street to Michigan Avenue (north of 20 Street). Motorists must follow the established detour route.

Construction Activity

• Excavating the roadway, installing new drainage, sidewalks, driveways, pedestrian ramps, lighting, signals and rebuilding this section of roadway

Lane Closures/Detours

• Alton Road will serve southbound traffic only in this area during this time.
• Northbound Alton Road traffic will be detoured as follows:

1. Turn east on 17 Street
2. Turn north on Meridian Avenue
3. Turn west on Dade Boulevard
4. Turn north on Michigan Avenue
5. Continue north on Alton Road

Pedestrian and business access will be maintained at all times. The construction team will coordinate the closure of driveways; however, at least one entrance will be maintained at all times.

PARKING RESTRICTIONS:

White bags will continue to be used on the west side of Alton Road in this area while the contractor continues to test and place into service the new water main. Motorists will continue to be allowed to park at spaces within the work zone where a white bag covers the meter. White bags will be removed approximately 48 hours before work takes place in order to indicate that parking is no longer permitted in the immediate area.

PLEASE NOTE THAT THIS SCHEDULE MAY CHANGE DUE TO WEATHER OR UNEXPECTED CONDITIONS.

Additional information is available on the project page of the department's website. You may also contact Construction Public Information Specialist Heather Leslie at 305-905-5876 or email her at Heather@hmlpublicoutreach.com. Drivers are encouraged to call 511 before they drive, or log onto www.fl511.com to get real-time traffic and lane closure information.

Collins Avenue Construction Update

For your safety please walk, drive and ride cautiously around construction zones and do not enter any closed work zones.

Hours of Operation
Work hours are from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Sections of on-street parking will be temporarily closed, as needed, to provide space for work. Area parking garages will remain open during the work.

UPCOMING CONSTRUCTION ACTIVITIES

The contractor is currently scheduled to move into the next work zone on Collins Avenue between 10 Street and Lincoln Road by mid-August. Once the new work zone is established, the current work zone on Collins Avenue between 5 Street and 10 Street will be restored and on-street parking reopened in this area.

ONGOING CONSTRUCTION ACTIVITIES
Monday, July 29 through Friday, August 2
East side of Collins Avenue from 5 Street to 10 Street

Construction Activity

·       Continue excavating for and installing drainage structures from 5 Street to 7 Street

·       Continue removing and replacing sidewalk on the east side of Collins Avenue from 5 Street to 7 Street

·       Begin excavating for and installing drainage structures from 7 Street to 9 Street

·       Begin removing and replacing sidewalk on the east side of Collins Avenue from 7 Street to 9 Street

Traffic Flow/Restrictions

• Southbound left turns on Collins Avenue may be eliminated at the following locations:

1. 9 Street
2. 7 Street – Access to 7 Street will remain open to northbound traffic and through Washington Avenue.

PARKING RESTRICTIONS
On-street parking will be temporarily closed in this area in order to provide space for work. Valet parking stations have been relocated to side streets within the work zone as follows:

·        Shoe Freak, Ithaca Hotel and Metropole Hotel: valet station is located on 100 block of 6 Street

·        The Hotel of South Beach: valet parking station is located on the 100 block of 8 Street

·        Whitelaw Hotel, Chesterfield Hotel, Hotel Shelley and Lily Hotel: valet station is located on 100 block of 9 Street

·        Blue Moon: valet station is located on 100 block of 10 Street

ONGOING PERMIT WORK:

Monday, July 29 through Friday, August 2
In front of 1400 Collins Avenue

Construction Activity

• The developer for the Walgreens will be closing the sidewalk and parking lane in front of the property to conduct work on the new store.

Lane Closures/Detours

• A pedestrian walk path will be established within the parking lane.
• No travel lanes will be closed for this work.

PLEASE NOTE THAT THIS SCHEDULE MAY CHANGE DUE TO WEATHER OR UNEXPECTED CONDITIONS.

Additional information is available on the project page of the department's website. You may also contact Construction Public Information Specialist Heather Leslie at 305-905-5876 or email her at Heather@hmlpublicoutreach.com. Drivers are encouraged to call 511 before they drive, or log onto www.fl511.com to get real-time traffic and lane closure information.

Follow us on Twitter @MyFDOT_Miami

The Miami Herald: Miami-Miami Beach rail link to be studied

[There appears to be emerging consensus on the desirability of improved transit linkage between Miami and Miami Beach.  The Gr Miami Chamber of Commerce is putting together a forum on the program and in outreach was informed that Mayor Matti Bower and likely all Mayor candidates favor Miami-Dade Mayor Gimenez' planning initiative now approved by the MPO.] 

› It is the first time since 2004 — when the Bay Link proposal died — that official interest has been revived in the project.

BY ALFONSO CHARDY ACHARDY@ELNUEVOHERALD.COM

Almost a decade after a project to build a rail line between Miami and Miami Beach stalled, the Miami-Dade Metropolitan Planning Organization on Thursday unanimously approved funding for a study that could revive the plan.

The MPO, the transportation planning panel that includes county commissioners and other elected officials, acted after Miami-Dade County Mayor Carlos Gimenez urged approval of the study as a way to ease traffic on roads linking Miami and Miami Beach.

“If we don’t do something about traffic in Miami Beach, it’s going to kill the tourism industry,” Gimenez told MPO members during their monthly meeting at County Hall.

The vote marked the first time since 2004 — when the old Bay Link proposal died — that official interest has been revived in the project. Bay Link would have connected South Beach to downtown Miami via a light-rail system over the MacArthur Causeway.

The cost of the nine-month, $325,000 study will be covered by six partners — $150,000 from the MPO, $75,000 from the Florida Department of Transportation, and $25,000 each from Miami-Dade Transit, the city of Miami, the city of Miami Beach, and the Downtown Development Authority.

The goal of the report, titled “Beach Corridor Transit Connection Study”, is to “update and refine past studies” that examined possible transit links between Miami and Miami Beach, according to documents released by the MPO.

The MPO documents refer to the previous Bay Link proposal, noting that it was derailed because of concerns about funding and whether other transit corridors should be given higher priority.

During debate Thursday on the new study, some commissioners said that although they supported the request, they wanted to revive interest in studying anew the option of building the so-called North Corridor rail line along Northwest 27th Avenue to Sun Life Stadium and the Broward County line, where it becomes University Drive.

“I would like to bring back the North Corridor,” said County Commissioner Barbara Jordan.

As outlined in the MPO documents, a consultant selected to conduct the study will review several rail options, including so-called “catenary-free technologies” that do not require overhead electricity lines for streetcars or light rail.

Late last year, employees of the Spanish railway company FEVE met with Miami Beach representatives to review the option of an electric streetcar free of overhead lines, or catenaries, as they are formally called.

The company runs such a service in Seville, Spain. The MPO documents released Thursday refer to the Seville system.

The desire of operating a rail system between Miami and Miami Beach has been around for a long time. Currently, , all of the rail systems are on the mainland.

Miami-Dade Transit operates Metrorail, which has two lines, including one to Miami International Airport, as well as Metromover, which has loops linking downtown Miami to business areas to the north and south of downtown.

‘If we don’t do something about traffic in Miami Beach, it’s going to kill the tourism industry.’
— Miami-Dade Mayor Carlos Gimenez, in a speech to the Metropolitan Planning Organization

Alton Road Construction Update

Please note the following and attached Alton Road project information, including the Alton Road Construction update and Alton Road flyover alert. 

At the City Commission meeting, this Wednesday, July 17, 2013, the City Commission will consider three alternative proposals from FDOT for the Alton Road project.  It is important that the community is united in advocacy on this matter. 

Useful links:

Alton Road FDOT Project Information

Alton Road -- Register Now for FDOT e-mail updates

Alton Road Reconstruction Coalition

  

For your safety please walk, drive and ride cautiously around construction zones and do not enter any closed work zones.

Hours of Operation
Work hours are from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m., with daytime lane closure hours from 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., Mondays through Fridays. Nighttime work will be performed when underground drainage or water main activities cross a side street or intersection.

UPCOMING CONSTRUCTION ACTIVITIES:

Sunday, July 14 through mid-August 2013

Eastbound MacArthur Causeway flyover to northbound Alton Road

Construction Activity

·        Starting the night of Sunday, July 14, the flyover bridge from eastbound MacArthur Causeway to northbound Alton Road will be closed continuously while the contractor rebuilds the bridge approaches and replaces the bridge railing on the flyover.

·        This work is scheduled through mid-August 2013.

·        This closure will allow the contractor to accelerate the schedule of bridge work from six months to approximately 30 days.

Lane Closures/Detours

·        A detour will be established along Alton Road and 5 Street in order to guide drivers around the work.

·        Drivers are encouraged to seek alternate routes.

·        Bus service, business access and pedestrian access will be maintained at all times.

·        Motorists traveling east on the MacArthur Causeway who wish to travel north on Alton Road will have to:

1.      Continue east on 5 Street

2.      Turn north on Alton Road

·        Motorists traveling south on Alton Road who wish to travel east on 5 Street will have to:

1.      Turn east on 8 Street

2.      Turn south on Lenox Avenue

3.      Turn east on 5 Street

·        Motorists will be able to travel south on Alton Road to access westbound MacArthur Causeway.

·        Motorists south of 5 Street who are traveling north on Alton Road and wish to continue north will have to:

1.      Turn east on 4 Street

2.      Turn north on Lenox Avenue

3.      Turn west on 5 Street

4.      Turn north on Alton Road

·        Motorists south of 5 Street who are traveling north on Alton Road and wish to travel west on the MacArthur Causeway will have to:

1.      Turn east on 4 Street

2.      Turn north on Lenox Avenue

3.      Turn west on 5 Street

4.      Continue west on 5 Street to MacArthur Causeway

·        Motorists will not be able to cross east or west on Alton Road at 6 Street.

ONGOING CONSTRUCTION ACTIVITIES:

Monday, July 15 through Friday, July 19
Alton Road from 13 Street to Michigan Avenue (north of 20 Street) Daytime and Nighttime Work

Construction Activity

• Testing and connecting the new water main between 16 Street and 13 Street.

Lane Closures/Detours

• One lane may be closed at night on southbound Alton Road between 16 Street and 13 Street. One lane will remain open at all times.

Through September 2013
Northbound Alton Road will be closed and detoured from north of 17 Street to Michigan Avenue (north of 20 Street). Motorists must follow the established detour route.

Construction Activity

• Excavating the roadway, installing new drainage, sidewalks, driveways, pedestrian ramps, lighting, signals and rebuilding this section of roadway

Lane Closures/Detours

• Alton Road will serve southbound traffic only in this area during this time.
• Northbound Alton Road traffic will be detoured as follows:

1. Turn east on 17 Street
2. Turn north on Meridian Avenue
3. Turn west on Dade Boulevard
4. Turn north on Michigan Avenue
5. Continue north on Alton Road

Pedestrian and business access will be maintained at all times. The construction team will coordinate the closure of driveways; however, at least one entrance will be maintained at all times.

PARKING RESTRICTIONS:

On-street parking has been reopened on the east side of Alton Road from 12 Street to 16 Street. This area has been restriped and placed in its original configuration. The contractor will return to this area at a later time in order to continue roadway and drainage construction activities.

White bags will continue to be used on the west side of Alton Road in this area while the contractor continues to test and place into service the new water main. Motorists will continue to be allowed to park at spaces within the work zone where a white bag covers the meter. White bags will be removed approximately 48 hours before work takes place in order to indicate that parking is no longer permitted in the immediate area.

PLEASE NOTE THAT THIS SCHEDULE MAY CHANGE DUE TO WEATHER OR UNEXPECTED CONDITIONS.

Additional information is available on the project page of the department's website. You may also contact Construction Public Information Specialist Heather Leslie at 305-905-5876 or email her at Heather@hmlpublicoutreach.com. Drivers are encouraged to call 511 before they drive, or log onto www.fl511.com to get real-time traffic and lane closure information.

Follow us on Twitter @MyFDOT_Miami