| | | | | | | | | | City of Miami Beach, 1700 Convention Center Drive, Miami Beach, Florida 33139, www.miamibeachfl.gov
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| | | | | | | | | | Item 11.
COMMITTEE MEMORANDUM | | | |
| | | | | | | | TO: Land Use and Sustainability Committee
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| FROM: Alina T. Hudak, City Manager
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| DATE: September 28, 2022
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| | | | | | | | TITLE: | DISCUSS THE POSITION OF THE VENETIAN ISLAND’S RESIDENTS REGARDING THE VENETIAN CAUSEWAY BRIDGE RENOVATIONS |
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| | | | | | | | HISTORY:
| At its December 8, 2021 meeting, the City Commission approved a referral to the Land Use and Sustainability Committee to discuss the Venetian Causeway bridge renovation and the residents’ position on the project.
The Miami-Dade County Department of Transportation and Public Works (DTPW) is currently executing the design of the Venetian Causeway Bridge Replacement. The Causeway includes ten fixed span bridges and two bascule leaf span bridges over the Intracoastal Waterway (ICWW) (Bridge Identification No.’s 874459, 874460, 874461, 874463, 874465, 874466, 874471, 874472, 874473, 874474, 874477, and 874481) extending from North Bayshore Drive (City of Miami) to Purdy Avenue (City of Miami Beach). For ease of identification, the bridges are numbered 1 through 12, with Bridge 1 being the westernmost bridge and Bridge 12 the easternmost bridge.
The currently proposed project will be implemented in accordance with the approved Project Development and Environmental Study (PD&E Study) that was conducted on the causeway to address identified structural and functional deficiencies of the twelve existing bridges through potential alternatives such as replacement or rehabilitation. The resulting Preferred Alternative from the PD&E Study is to replace Bridges 2 through 12 of the Venetian Causeway in the following manner:
- Concrete Arched Beams for the fixed spans of Bridges 2 through 12
- A double-leaf bascule bridge for the movable span at Bridge 10
The project will increase the safety and resiliency of the bridges, maintain the aesthetics of the causeway, and enhance bicycle and pedestrian facilities. |
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| | | | | | | | ANALYSIS:
| The design and permitting phase of this project is currently underway and is anticipated to be completed in the Summer of 2024. The current PD&E Study is in the final signatures process at the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT). During the study, FDOT and DTPW coordinated extensively with the Venetian Isles residents including the Venetian Islands Homeowners Association (VIHA) to ensure their concerns were heard and addressed. DTPW and its Consultant team are working on progressing the design and will be presenting an update at a public meeting anticipated for early 2023, where they will seek additional input from the public.
Following completion of the design and permitting, the procurement of a construction contractor is expected to take approximately 12 months, with an expected construction Award & Notice to Proceed in the Summer of 2025. At this time, construction is expected to take four to five years. The sequence of bridge work and maintenance of traffic phasing will be evaluated further during this detailed design phase to ensure efficiency, cost effectiveness, and to minimize impacts to the traveling public.
In anticipation of discussing this referral, the Public Works Department reached out to the VIHA to obtain their official position. Attached is correspondence from VIHA’s President, Melissa Beattie, affirming their support for the Venetian Causeway Bridge Replacement project.
In addition, the Public Works Department has been coordinating closely with DTPW and its consultant for the design and construction of two emergency pipeline replacement projects along the Venetian Causeway as follows:
- Emergency Replacement of approximately 3,600 LF of 16-inch Sanitary Sewer Force Main along Dade Blvd, between Island Avenue on Belle Isle and Jefferson Avenue. This project is near completion, with the replacement sanitary sewer force main already in operation.
- Emergency Replacement of approximately 2,200 LF of 10-inch Sanitary Sewer Force Main and 16-inch Water Main along Venetian Way, between Rivo Alto Island and Belle Isle. This project was awarded to the lowest-bid contractor in August 2022.
These replacement pipelines were designed considering the future bridge rehabilitation/replacement work, and are intended to remain in service during and after the bridge construction is executed.
DTPW recently applied to obtain federal grants towards the funding of this project. On August 3, 2022, the City of Miami Beach Public Works Department submitted a letter (Attachment) in support of DTPW’s application to enhance the likelihood of award and completion of this critical project for our community. |
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| | | | | | | | CONCLUSION:
| The Venetian Islands Homeowners Association (VIHA) and the Administration are supportive of this project. Attached are letters of support from VIHA and the Administration. |
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| | | | | | | | Applicable Area
| South Beach |
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| | | | | | | | Is this a "Residents Right to Know" item, pursuant to City Code Section 2-14? | | Does this item utilize G.O. Bond Funds? | | Yes | | No | |
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