OLD BUSINESS  2.

COMMITTEE MEMORANDUM

HISTORY:

In 2015, the City of Miami Beach became the first City in the State of Florida to formally adopt a new modal prioritization to guide its transportation infrastructure investments.  The City's adopted modal prioritization consists of: 1. Pedestrians; 2. Bicycles, Transit, and Freight (depending on the corridor); and 3. Private Vehicles.

Through the Transportation Master Plan process and following the adoption of the Master Plan, the City of Miami Beach Transportation Department has worked closely with the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) to identify, study, fund, and implement pedestrian improvements along State Roads within the City of Miami Beach.  The City will continue this coordination to ensure a safe and connected pedestrian network.

SRA1A/Collins Avenue is one of the City's major thoroughfares traversing the entire length of the City in a north-south direction.  While Collins Avenue provides some facilities for safe pedestrian crossings, the Transportation Department staff has been advocating for some time for FDOT to create safe pedestrian crosswalks and enhance pedestrian safety at multiple locations along the corridor, including at 36th Street, 79th Street, 83rd Street, and 87th Street.

ANALYSIS:

Proposed Traffic Signal at Collins Avenue/79^th Street Intersection

In 2016, pursuant to the City’s request, FDOT approved the implementation of a signalized crosswalk at Collins Avenue and 79^th Street. Since that time, the Transportation Department staff has been working with FDOT to fund this project as part of the FDOT 5-Year Work Program. This project was discussed at the June 28, 2017 FDOT District 6 Scoping Committee meeting. Transportation Department staff attended the meeting to advocate for FDOT to fund the project and expedite the construction of the signalized intersection. Subsequent to the meeting, City staff has continued seeking advancement of the project.  As a result of staff’s efforts, FDOT is currently designing the project and, as part of its Tentative 5-Year Work Program, FDOT is proposing to advance project construction from Fiscal Year (FY) 2022/23 to FY 2018/19, which will begin on July 1, 2018. The estimated construction cost is approximately $427,000.

Proposed Enhanced Crosswalks at Collins Avenue/83rd Street and Other Intersections

In 2016, pursuant to the City’s request, FDOT approved the installation of enhanced pedestrian crosswalks with overhead Rapid Rectangular Flashing Beacons at the intersections of Collins Avenue/83rd Street and Collins Avenue/87th Street. These crosswalk projects were also discussed at the June 28, 2017 FDOT District 6 Scoping Committee meeting and received support from the Committee. Typically, when new projects are proposed for funding through the FDOT 5-Year Work Program cycle, the project is initially programmed in the fifth (5th) year of the FDOT’s Tentative 5-Year Work Program. If the funding is ultimately approved, the project is included in the FDOT’s Adopted 5-Year Work Program. 

In order to achieve economies of scale, FDOT staff proposed combining these two projects along with a proposed mid-block crosswalk at the 3600 block of Collins Avenue. All three (3) proposed enhanced crosswalk/Rapid Rectangular Flashing Beacon projects have been incorporated into a single project.  The estimated cost of this project, including design and construction, is $811,132.  The projects are currently proposed for design in FY 2018/19 and construction in FY 2022/23 in the FDOT 5-Year Tentative Work Program.

CONCLUSION:

Given that FDOT has advanced the design and construction of the Collins Avenue/79th Street signalized crosswalk, with funding for construction to be available in July 2018, the Administration recommends no further action on this item.

The City will continue to work with FDOT to advance the implementation of the proposed enhanced crosswalks along Collins Avenue at 83rd Street, 87th Street, and the 3600 Block.  If FDOT is not amenable to advancing funds and expediting this project through its Work Program cycle, then City staff will pursue funding through the City’s FY2018/19 capital budget process, with the condition that FDOT reimburse the City in the year that the state funds become available. If approved through the capital budget process, this financial arrangement will require a Locally Funded Agreement to be executed between the City and FDOT.