Item Coversheet

Resolutions - C7  Q




COMMISSION MEMORANDUM

TO:Honorable Mayor and Members of the City Commission 
FROM:Raul J. Aguila, Interim City Manager 
DATE:April  21, 2021
 



SUBJECT:

A RESOLUTION OF THE MAYOR AND CITY COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF MIAMI BEACH, FLORIDA, APPROVING THE CROSS SECTION PROPOSED BY THE FLORIDA DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION FOR THE FUTURE RECONSTRUCTION PROJECT ON STATE ROAD 907/ALTON ROAD, BETWEEN MICHIGAN AVENUE AND 43 STREET, INCLUDING REDUCED LANE WIDTHS OF 10 FEET INSIDE LANES AND 11 FEET OUTSIDE LANES; AND FURTHER, URGING THE FLORIDA DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION TO INCLUDE ADDITIONAL PEDESTRIAN CROSSWALKS TO ENHANCE PEDESTRIAN SAFETY THROUGHOUT THE PROJECT CORRIDOR.


RECOMMENDATION

The Administration recommends that the Mayor and City Commission adopt the resolution approving the proposed cross section, including reduced lane widths of 10 feet inside lanes and 11 feet outside lanes, as proposed by the Florida Department of Transportation for the future reconstruction project on State Road (SR) 907/Alton Road between Michigan Avenue and 43 Street; and urging the Florida Department of Transportation to include additional pedestrian crosswalks to enhance pedestrian safety throughout the project corridor.

BACKGROUND/HISTORY

SR 907/Alton Road is an arterial roadway in the State Highway System under the jurisdiction of the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT).  In the section between Michigan Avenue and 43 Street, Alton Road is a four-lane roadway divided by a center landscaped median.  The road has on-street parallel parking on the west side between Michigan Avenue and Chase Avenue.  North of 41 Street, the typical section includes on-street parallel parking on both sides of the street.  Under the existing conditions, Alton Road has a sidewalk on the west side only and a non-continuous bike lane on the east side for northbound bicycle travel only.  The inside lanes on Alton Road are currently 11 feet wide and the outside lanes are 12 feet wide.

 

FDOT is currently working on the roadway design for Alton Road between Michigan Avenue and 43 Street.  The scope of work includes a full reconstruction of the project corridor including installation of a new drainage system, pavement reconstruction, street lighting, striping/pavement markings, signage, and the construction of a new sidewalk and separated 2-way bike path on the east side of Alton Road adjacent to the Miami Beach Golf Course.  The project is currently approaching 60% design development phase and is scheduled to commence construction in 2025.  Prior to finalizing the design for Alton Road, FDOT has requested that the City Commission approve via Resolution the proposed reduced lane widths.

 

A common concern from the community in this section of Alton Road is vehicular speeding in both directions.  Given that physical traffic calming devices typically used on local roads, such as speed tables, speed humps, and traffic circles, are not permitted on arterial roadways, one of the most effective approaches to reducing vehicular speeds is through context-sensitive street design, including narrowing travel lanes, adding bike lanes, and incorporating safe pedestrian crossings

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ANALYSIS

The City’s Transportation and Mobility Department staff has been working closely with FDOT in developing a new street design for Alton Road.  In particular, the City has been exploring ways to make the street safer for all users and more livable and contextual to the surrounding land use by incorporating bicycle facilities and pedestrian amenities (sidewalks and crosswalks) in the design plans as well as by incorporating traffic calming measures to reduce speeds through safe street design.  Attached is the draft typical section as proposed by FDOT for the Alton Road reconstruction project.

 

As part of a separate effort, the Transportation and Mobility Department completed the Alton Road Shared-Use Path Feasibility Study in 2019 which recommended a new sidewalk and a separated two-way bike path on the east side of Alton Road from Michigan Avenue to 43 Street and along the east side of Old Alton Road between 43 Street and Chase Avenue, including new lighting, hardscape, and landscaping.  The concept was approved by the City Commission and provided to FDOT for inclusion in the design and construction of the Alton Road reconstruction project.

 

In June 2019, the City Commission adopted Resolution No. 2019-30852 supporting the FDOT Alton Road reconstruction project and prioritizing the inclusion of bicycle and pedestrian facilities to improve safety and connectivity as part of the future Alton Road project.  Pursuant to the City Commission resolution, FDOT is working on incorporating the new sidewalk and separated two-way bike path on the east side of Alton Road as proposed by the City in the future Alton Road reconstruction project with some of the path enhancements to be funded by the City.

 

An essential element in making a street more livable and reducing vehicular speeds is narrowing travel lanes.  As a result of the City’s request, FDOT is proposing to narrow the width of the existing travel lanes on Alton Road.  Specifically, FDOT is proposing narrowing the inside lanes (adjacent to the median) from 11 feet to 10 feet and the outside lanes from 12 feet to 11 feet.  This is expected to reduce speeds and crashes along this section of the corridor and facilitate the proposed sidewalk and separated two-way bike path on the east side of Alton Road adjacent to the Miami Beach Golf Course.  According to the Federal Highway Administration, narrowing travel lanes is effective in reducing speeds along a corridor by 10 to 15%.  It is important to note that due to high truck volumes on Alton Road, FDOT does not support narrowing the outside lanes to less than 11 feet in width given most trucks travel on the outside lanes and need a safe buffer on each side to minimize the potential of sideswipe collisions with vehicles on the adjacent lane.

SUPPORTING SURVEY DATA

Based on the 2019 Resident Survey, 47% of residents responded that at least one person in their household regularly rides a bike and 33% of residents consider bicycling the most viable alternative to using cars for trips within Miami Beach.  Based on the same survey, while 64% of residents feel somewhat safe when riding their bicycle in the City, 37% of residents feel unsafe.

CONCLUSION

FDOT is currently in the design development phase of a roadway reconstruction project on SR907/Alton Road between Michigan Avenue and 43 Street.  The City has been working with FDOT to develop a street design for Alton Road that will improve safety, reduce speeds, and improve pedestrian and bicycle safety and connectivity.  To promote traffic calming, FDOT is proposing to narrow the existing travel lanes.  The proposed lane width reductions are expected to reduce vehicular speeds and crashes along this section of Alton Road as well as facilitate the proposed sidewalk and two-way bike path on the east side of Alton Road adjacent to the Miami Beach Golf Course.  Additionally, City staff is working with FDOT to include additional pedestrian crosswalks along the project corridor to improve pedestrian safety and convenience.

 

Prior to finalizing the design of the future Alton Road project between Michigan Avenue and 43 Street, FDOT has requested that the City Commission approve the proposed cross section, in particular the reduced lane widths.   The Administration recommends that the City Commission adopt a resolution approving the cross section as proposed by FDOT.  

Applicable Area

Middle Beach
Is this a "Residents Right to Know" item, pursuant to City Code Section 2-14? Does this item utilize G.O. Bond Funds?
No No 

Strategic Connection

Mobility - Increase multi-modal mobility citywide and connectivity regionally.
Legislative Tracking
Transportation and Mobility

ATTACHMENTS:
Description
Attachment - Draft Typical Section
Resolution