OLD BUSINESS  1.

COMMITTEE MEMORANDUM

KEY INTENDED OUTCOME:
Ensure Comprehensive Mobility Addressing All Modes Throughout The City

HISTORY:

In July 2015, the City Commission adopted a modal prioritization, placing pedestrians first; bikes, freight and transit second; and cars third.  Subsequently, in April 2016, the City Commission adopted the Miami Beach Transportation Master Plan (TMP), Bicycle Pedestrian Master Plan, and Street Design Guide.  Within the TMP is a robust Project Bank to guide transportation infrastructure investments and initiatives over a 20-year horizon.

The TMP recommended a Complete Streets concept for 23rd Street.  Complete Streets are streets designed for all users, which include pedestrians, bicyclists, motorists, and transit riders of all ages and abilities. Complete Streets make it safe and convenient to cross the street, walk to shops, and bicycle to work, improve reliability of transit service, and enhance safety for pedestrians to walk to and from their destinations.

The 23rd Street Complete Streets Feasibility Study was initiated in April 2017 with the goal of transforming 23rdStreet into a Complete Street.  The consultant team identified and assessed existing transportation conditions and recommended multimodal transportation improvements which would increase access and safety for users of all travel modes.  Conditions within a 2 to 3 block radius of the study area were reviewed, since they influence and have an impact on the study area.  The Street Design Guide was an important guiding document in the development of this feasibility study.

Transportation Department staff developed a process which included input from internal and external stakeholders at multiple stages of the study.  A kick-off meeting was held with the consultant team to initiate the studies and ensure that City Staff and the consultant team were in agreement regarding project deliverables and schedule.  Bi-weekly update meetings were held with the study team during the project start up, as well as multiple review meetings with internal City departments to provide updates and obtain feedback.

A public input meeting was held on August 7, 2017 at 6 PM at the Miami Beach Regional Library to obtain valuable community input and provide direction to the study team.

Draft deliverables were prepared by the consultant team per the scope of service and generally focused on phased solutions intended to transform 23rd Street into a Complete Street. Staff reviewed the deliverables and provided comments to the consultant team throughout the process. 

This item was referred at the December 13, 2017 Commission meeting to the December 20, 2017 Neighborhood/Community Affairs Committee (NCAC) meeting.  At the December 20 NCAC meeting, the item was deferred to its January 24, 2018 meeting.  At its January 24 meeting, the NCAC recommended that the proposed 23rd Street Complete Street draft concept be reviewed with the community first and, subsequently, that the Administration bring the item back to NCAC for discussion.

On February 20, 2018, the 23rd Street Complete Street draft concept was reviewed by the Collins Park Neighborhood Association (CPNA).  The CPNA expressed concerns regarding a proposed traffic circle at 22nd Street and Park Avenue.  The traffic circle concept was initially proposed by Miami-Dade County to mitigate traffic congestion on Park Avenue due to the proposed entrance to the proposed Collins Park Garage.   Since that time and through coordination with Miami-Dade County and the City's Office of Capital Improvement Projects (CIP), the entrance to the proposed Collins Park Garage has been relocated to Liberty Avenue.  As a result, the proposed traffic circle at 22nd Street and Park Avenue was replaced with a raised intersection at that intersection due to impacts to the existing crosswalks.  The proposed raised intersection at Park Avenue and 22 Street is more acceptable to the community.

Additionally, over the past several months, Transportation and CIP staff worked together to design mutually acceptable roadway cross sections for both 23rd Street and Park Avenue.  These consensus roadway cross sections accommodate the needs of both the 23rd Street Complete Street project and the current Collins Park Garage project and will be incorporated in the Design for the Collins Park Garage project. 

Transportation Department staff met with representatives of the CPNA again on October 10, 2018 to review the final revised 23^rd Street Complete Street concept plan.  The revised plan received a favorable review.

A second public meeting was held on November 16, 2018 at the Miami Beach Regional Library to review the final draft concept with the community.   A computer visualization of the proposed 23rd Street Complete Street concept was presented to the community and was favorably received.  The owner of the Valero gas station on 23rd Street attended the meeting and the access improvements to the gas station as well as the signalization improvements at the intersections of 23rd Street with Park Avenue and Dade Boulevard were personally reviewed with the gas station owner.

Coordination with the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) and Miami-Dade County Department of Transportation and Public Works (DTPW) has occurred consistently throughout the feasibility study process.  The City's Transportation Department staff and consultant team met individually with both FDOT and DTPW for an initial review of the proposed improvements.  Extensive coordination has taken place regarding traffic issues, especially regarding the intersection of Park Avenue and 22nd Street.  DTPW is currently reviewing the traffic study for the 23rd Street Complete Street project. 

ANALYSIS:

The 23rd Street Complete Street project seeks to enhance 23^rd Street with a Complete Street design from Dade Boulevard to Collins Avenue.  In addition, bicycle improvements to Park Avenue between 23rd Street and 22nd Street, new bicycle lanes on 22nd Street, and improved access from Collins Avenue to the Beachwalk at 23rd Street are proposed.  Whether on foot, bicycle, or bus, the proposed improvements to 23rd Street will provide residents, tourists, and others with more travel options, greater safety, and increased accessibility to the surrounding areas and the beach.

Specifically, the concepts for the proposed 23rd Street Complete Street project include: buffered bicycle lanes, bicycle boxes, enhanced sidewalks, parklets, improved access management, transit islands, an improved shared-use path connection to the beach, two (2) raised pedestrian crossings, flexible space for freight and passenger loading and unloading, and a designated freight loading area.  The proposed improvements are further described below.  Attachment 1 depicts the recommended 23rd Street Complete Street Concept Plan.

On 23^rd Street, buffered/protected bike lanes are proposed between Dade Boulevard and Collins Avenue.  The space for the new bicycle lanes and expanded sidewalks will be gained by relocating the existing on-street parking to the new Collins Park Garage and transitioning 23rd Street from two (2) lanes in each direction to two (2) lanes in the westbound direction and one (1) lane in the eastbound direction.  This reduction in the number of vehicular lanes on 23rd Street was supported by the traffic volumes in the Traffic Study which was conducted as part of the feasibility study.  A new signalized intersection at Park Avenue will be synchronized with the Dade Boulevard traffic signal.  This will reduce existing westbound vehicular queues on 23rd Street and Park Avenue.  Channelizing ingress and egress at the gas station driveway will promote better traffic flow, and the proposed enhanced crosswalk to the gas station area and widened sidewalks near the gas station will ensure a safer and more comfortable experience for pedestrians. 

Along the north side of 23rd street between the gas station and Liberty Avenue, the concept proposes enhanced sidewalks with a landscaped buffer and  dedicated buffered bike lanes.  The wider sidewalks and curb extension will provide a safer and more convenient experience for pedestrians and cyclists as well as additional space for outdoor seating and parklets.

Along Park Avenue, just south of the gas station, proposed curb extensions will create a shorter crossing distance at the intersections with 23rd Street and 22nd Street to make it safer for pedestrians.  Repurposing existing on-street parking with buffered bike lanes will  help create a complete bicycle network within the project area.  A dedicated valet drop-off is provided for the Vintro Hotel.  A loading zone is proposed on the east side of Park Avenue adjacent to the Collins Park garage, and has obtained the necessary Waiver of Development Regulations. 

At 23rd Street and Liberty Avenue, a proposed raised intersection will promote traffic calming and enhance pedestrian safety.  The crosswalks are proposed to be flush with the sidewalk to create a safe slow speed for vehicles crossing this pedestrian space.  A dedicated westbound left turn lane at the intersection will provide access to the parking garage main entrance on Liberty Avenue.  South of the parking garage entrance, to 22nd Street, Liberty Avenue will be a pedestrian promenade.  Landscaping and seating areas create a neighborhood amenity and gathering space.  The improvements to Liberty Avenue are part of the current Collins Park Garage project being managed by CIP.

Along 23rd Street between Liberty Avenue and Collins Avenue, additional proposed improvements include a "flex space" for freight and passenger loading/unloading to be located on the north side of 23rd Street adjacent to Studio 23 and a transit island platform on the south side of the street.  As an example, the flex space can be used for freight loading and unloading during the day and for valet in the evening and will help prevent trucks and vehicles from stopping in a travel lane to unload, pick-up, or drop-off at various locations such as Walgreens and Studio 23.  The proposed transit island along the south side of 23rd Street just east of Liberty Avenue features a separated bike lane "bend" (i.e., the buffered bike lane transitions to the right of the transit island preventing conflicts between cyclists, stopped buses, and passengers boarding and alighting).  The Citibike station near the corner of 23rd Street and Collins Avenue will remain as it provides a valuable and convenient mobility option for the community.

Proposed improvements to the public beach access path include aesthetic treatments, a wider pathway, more visibility, and increased safety.   New signage will make it easier to locate.  The existing path is approximately 10 feet wide which consists of a 7 foot path and a 3 foot landscape buffer.  The proposed improvements will increase the width of the walking path to 10 feet and replace the shading from the landscaping with lightweight canopies.  The improvements to the Beachwalk access path will create a more enjoyable experience, safer conditions, and increased capacity for pedestrians and bicyclists.

Proposed improvements along 22nd Street include buffered bicycle lanes between Park Avenue and Collins Avenue and a raised intersection at 22nd Street and Park Avenue.  The existing on-street parking spaces along 22nd Street are proposed to be repurposed and accommodated in the Collins Park Garage; however, a request to accommodate a passenger pick-up/drop-off area on the north side of 22nd Street in front of the Miami City Ballet will be reviewed as part of the design development phase of the project.    

Along Collins Avenue, striping and bicycle sharrow lanes (shared vehicular/bicycle lanes) are proposed to enhance bicycle connectivity to the improved public beach access path as well as to the proposed bicycle lanes on 23rd Street and 22nd Street.

Along Pine Tree Drive and Dade Boulevard, green buffered bicycle lanes are proposed, as well as a transit island improvement.  Pine Tree Drive and Dade Boulevard are being studied in detail as part of separate feasibility studies and will be presented to the City Commission for review in the future. 

The table below includes the planning level cost estimate for the 23rd Street Complete Street Project, as recommended in the final draft feasibility study. 

PHASED IMPLEMENTATION

Given that the proposed cross section for 23rd Street is being incorporated into the Design for the Collins Park Garage project, the Administration anticipates constructing some of the above proposed improvements to 23rd Street in particular as part of the City's ongoing parking garage construction project.  Those improvements that cannot be included in the Collins Park Garage project due to scope or funding constraints will be designed and constructed as part of a separate future project.  Funding for the future project will be requested as part of the Fiscal Year 2019/20 budget process.    

CONCLUSION:

The proposed Complete Street improvements to 23rd Street and the surrounding area will greatly enhance mobility options in the area and provide a more enjoyable and safer experience for all users.

The Administration supports the proposed improvements recommended in the 23rd Street Complete Street Feasibility Study and recommends that the Neighborhood/Community Affairs Committee endorse the recommended concepts for City Commission approval in December.  Time is of the essence given the limited window of opportunity for several of the recommended improvements to be constructed as part of CIP's ongoing Collins Park Garage Project.