ANALYSIS:
The Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) is in the late design stages of the reconstruction of Alton Road (SR 907) from Michigan Avenue to 63rd Street. Construction is expected to begin in 2020. During the design of the project, the City had requested that FDOT save all of the existing canopy trees along this roadway. The City had also requested that FDOT raise the roadway to a minimum crown elevation of 3.7 NAVD in accordance with the City Commission amended Storm Water Management Master Plan.
FDOT conducted an inventory of the existing trees. During design it was determined that many trees will be significantly impacted by the new roadway elevation. FDOT staff is requesting direction from the City to proceed in one of two directions:
1) Save all of the existing trees to the maximum extent practicable which may limit the extent of increasing the roadway elevation during the reconstruction; or
2) Allow many of the existing mature trees to be removed. Due to the overhead power lines, replacement trees of similar type may not be allowed to be replanted in the location of where the mature large canopy trees existed.
Regardless, the Department of Public Works will work with FDOT to save as many trees as possible during the process but in the event that they must make a choice, FDOT has requested some direction on this matter.
To gauge the residents’ opinion with regards to this project, the attached project information (Exhibit A) has been distributed door-to-door by the City to inform residents and address any of their issues or questions. In addition, there was a public meeting on Tuesday, May 23, 2017 at 6 pm at the Miami Beach Golf Club at 2301 Alton Road to discuss the project and take questions from the public.
Following the meeting, a survey was conducted. The survey results and opinions expressed are attached as Exhibit B.
To summarize the public outreach efforts completed to date:
- Physical letter/meeting invites sent to (352) homes: May 1
- Door to door outreach to (352) homes: May 3, 4, 5
- Digital outreach via email by HML Outreach
- Digital meeting invite via NextDoor website
- Public Meeting: May 22 at Miami Beach Golf Club
- Physical mailer/survey call to action sent to (352) homes: May 25