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HomeMy WebLinkAboutM-93-0597TO CITY OF MIAN11, FLORIDA .0NTER-OFFICE MEMORANDUM DATE August 3, 1993 FILE SUBJECT Traffic Control Plan for the Coconut Grove f 1 �� Business Area FROM l.IJ �_) REFERENCES Waldemar E . Lee ENCLOSURES Dade County Code Director of Public Works Sec. 30-416 and 30-417 � \ Cesa H . Od I City Manager I have received a copy of the July 19, 1993 letter from the Coconut Grove Chamber of Commerce concerning a traffic control plan for the Coconut Grove Business Area and have the following comments. Staff from the Public Works Department has evaluated the proposed plan to control traffic flow through the intersection of Grand Avenue, Main Highway and McFarlane Road and determined that the requirements of City Code Section 54-17 "Prohibition of Vehicular Access" do not apply to this traffic control plan because access to these three roadways will not be prohibited. The proposed plan will control the operation of traffic by restricting certain turning movements through the intersection. The State of Florida Functional Classification also Iists Grand Avenue, Main Highway and McFarlane Road as minor arterial roadways under the Jurisdiction of the Metro -Dade County Public Works Department. Section 30-416 of the Dade County Code authorizes the Dade County Traffic Director to plan and direct the operation of traffic on the streets of the county. Since the proposed plan controls the operation of traffic on minor arterial roadways under the Jurisdiction of Metro -Dade County, this department recommends that the Coconut Grove Chamber of Commerce Traffic Committee coordinate with and obtain the necessary approval and cooperation from the Metro -Dade County Public Works Department. Although City Commission approval Is not required by the City or County Code for traffic operation control, the Coconut Grove Chamber of Commerce Traffic Committee may still desire to have conceptual approval from the Commission for their presentation to the County Traffic Director. Enclosed is a copy of Dade County Section 30-416 and 30-417 for your reference. LJH:gc m 30,1 93- *n7 § 30.414 DADE COUNTY CODE § 30-416 referring to them, shall be filed alphabetically and by location. Such reports shall be available for the use and information of the traffic engineer. All accident reports made by persons involved in accidents shall be without prejudice to the individual so reporting and shall be for the confidential use of the sheriff's department or other county and state agencies having use of the .records for accident prevention purposes, except that the sheriff's department or municipal police departments may disclose the identity of a person involved in an accident when such identity is not otherwise known or when such person denies his pres- ence at such accident. No such report shall be used as evi- dence in any trial, civil or criminal, arising out of an accident, except that the sheriff's department shall furnish upon de- mand of any person who has or claims to have, made such a report or, upon demand of any court, a certificate showing that a specified accident report has or has not been made to the sheriff's department solely to prove a compliance or a failure to comply with the requirements that such a report be made to the sheriff's department. (Ord. No. 71-94, § 1, 12-21-71) Sec. 30415. Drivers' files to be maintained. The public safety department shall maintain a suitable record of all traffic accidents, warnings, and arrests, which shall be filed alphabetically. (Ord. No. 71-94, § 1, 12-21-71) Sec. 30-416. General duties of traffic director. It is the general duty of the traffic director to plan and determine the installation and proper timing of traffic -control G9 devices; to plan and direct the operation of traffic on the 1 streets of this county; including parking areas; to conduct investigations of traffic conditions; to cooperate with other county, municipal and state officials and make recommenda- tions for the improvement of traffic movement and condi- tions, including improvements in streets, and to carry out the Supp. No. 93 770.58 LES § 30-416 TRAFFIC AND MOTOR VEHICLES § 30-417 t additional powers and duties imposed by ordinances of this county or as directed by the county commission. (Ord. No. 71-94, § 1, 12-21-71) Sec. 30-417. Specific duties of traffic director. The traffic director is hereby authorized to: (1) Through streets. Designate streets or parts of said streets, as through streets. (2) Stop streets and stop signs. Determine and designate intersections where a particular hazard exists upon other than through streets and to determine whether vehicles shall stop at one or more entrances to any such intersection, and shall cause to be erected a stop sign at every place where he shall find a stop required, except at those intersections which are controlled by auto- matic signals or other traffic -control devices. Every stop sign erected pursuant to this chapter shall be a standard sign adopted by the state road department. (3) Crosswalks. Designate by appropriate devices, marks or lines upon the surface of the roadway, within the jurisdiction of this county, crosswalks at those places where he shall find that there is particular danger to pedestrians crossing the roadway, and when he shall further find that the existence of a crosswalk will re- duce that danger. (4) Safety zones. To establish safety zones of such kind and character and at such places where he shall find that there is particular danger to pedestrians, and which are consistent with state law, and where he shall find that the existence of a safety zone will reduce that danger. (5) One-way streets, roadways and alleys; signs. To desig- nate one-way streets, roadways and alleys, and when- ever the traffic engineer designates any one-way street, roadway, or alley, he shall cause to be placed signs giv- ing notice thereof, and no such regulation shall be ef- fective unless such signs are in place. Signs indicating ( Supp. No. 93 770.59 § 30-417 DADE COUNTY CODE § 30-417 § 30-417 TRAFFIC AND MOTOR VEHICLES § 30-417 the direction of lawful traffic movement shall be plac- ed at every intersection where movement of traffic in provisions of the traffic ordinance of this county and the opposite direction is prohibited. to make and enforce temporary or experimental regu- (6) Marking traffic lanes. Require the marking of lanes lations, consistent with this chapter, to cover emer- upon the roadway of any street where he shall find that gencies or special conditions. No such regulations shall a regular alignment of traffic is necessary in the in- be effective and in force until and unless adequate terest of safety and efficiency, or at such places as he signs, signals or other notices are erected, clearly in - may find to be advisable, consistent with the traffic dicating said regulation. No such temporary experi- regulations of this county and state law. mental regulation shall remain in effect for more than ninety days. The traffic director may test traffic -con- (7) All-night parking. Prohibit all-night parking, and to trol devices under actual conditions of traffic. cause to be erected signs giving notice thereof, upon any street or portion thereof, whenever in his opinion (11) Angle pa) -king. Shall determine the location of angle such prohibition is necessary or advisable in the in- parking zones. terest of public safety. (12) Prohibit parking on left side of one-way street. Pro- (8) Play streets. Declare and to establish, whenever he hibit the standing or parking of vehicles upon the left - shall find that the public safety and convenience are hand side of any one-way street and to erect signs best served thereby, any street or part thereof a play giving notice thereof. street, and to have placed appropriate signs and barri- (13) Perilait parking on one-way streets. Determine when cades enclosing the roadway indicating and helping to � � standing or parking may be permitted upon the left - protect the same. Whenever authorized signs and barri- hand side which include two or more separate road - cades are erected enclosing any street or part thereof ways and to cause to be erected signs giving notice as a play street, no person shall drive a vehicle upon thereof. any such street or portion thereof. (9) Signs, signals and devices; specifications. Designate (14) Restrict parking in hazardous places. Designate by traffic -control signs, signals, lane markings and other proper signs, places in which the stopping or parking devices and shall determine the hours and days during of vehicles would create an especially hazardous condi- which any traffic -control device shall be in operation tion or would cause unusual delay to traffic. or be in effect. In all respects all traffic -control signs, (15) Curb loading zones. Determine the location of passen- signals and devices shall conform to the manual and ger and freight crub loading zones and shall place and specifications as approved by the state road depart- maintain appropriate signs indicating the same and ment. All signs and signals required hereunder for a stating the hours during which the provisions of this CA.: particular purpose shall be uniform as to type and lo- section are applicable. ] cation throughout the county. All traffic -control de - vices so erected and not inconsistent with the provi- (16) Truck routes, designating. Designate certain streets as C,n sions of state law or this chapter shall be official traf- truck routes to be used for the expeditious and con- venient movement of farm tractors, trailers, semi- trailers, trucks and other commercial vehicular traffic (10) Emergency and experimental regulations; testing. and shall give notice thereof by means of appropriate Make all regulations necessary to make effective the signs placed along such streets. Supp. No. 93 770.60 Supp. No. 171 \ 770.61 ,t Gocoqut 911i" - Y /CChamber of Cx)mmerc� � 2820 McFARLANE ROAD �Vfq{pMgtP� COCONUT GROVE. FLORIDA 33133 (305) 444-7270 FAX 444-2498 July 19, 1993 Mr. Cesar Odio j City Manager City of Miami 3500 Pan American Drive Miami, Florida 33133 Dear Mr. Odio: For the past several months, the Coconut Grove Chamber of Commerce has been working with several members of our community to find solutions to the traffic problems we experience in the Coconut Grove Village area. Many, potential solutions have been considered and discussed, but at our most recent meeting, those individuals who were present decided that we should take the ,'monumental task of resolving the traffic problems one step at a time. Individuals who participated in the committee, either on their own behalf or as representatives of their respective organizations, were Tricia M. Naron (Coconut Grove Chamber of Commerce), John Riordan, Jeff Cohen (Metro Dade Department of Transportation), Tim Evans (CocoWalk), Mike McGee, Sky Smith (Coconut Grove Chamber of Commerce), Christina Abrams (N.E.T. Administrator), Lou Wechsler (South Grove Homeowners Association.), Joyce Nelson, Jane Scott, Pancho Diez-Rivas (Janjo's), Hamish Ziegler, David Geil (Center Grove Homeowner's Association and Cocoanut Grove Village Council), Bob Fitzsimmons (Cocoanut Grove Village Council), and inyself. As a rvsuit car dlsQussloiis, -tile CU.—Williree has unanimously decided to propose the following: 1.That a temporary barricade be erected from a point starting at the corner of Main Highway and Grand Avenue, immediately in front of the Coconut Grove Bank, to a point at the corner of the intersection of McFarlane Road and Grand Avenue, immediately in front of Johnny Rockets, as a test project aimed at reducing traffic congestion in the Coconut Grove Village. 2.That necessary traffic studies be conducted by the Metropolitan Dade County Department of Transportation (DOT) prior to the erection of the suggested barricade for the purpose of determining feasibility of the test project. 3.That DOT make necessary arrangements to properly mark the lanes and time the traffic lights so that they conform to the traffic pattern resulting from the presence of the barricade. 1 Traffic Congestion in Coconut Grove Page 2 4. That DOT conduct subsequent studies to determine the effect of the barricade on traffic congestion, and on streets and intersections which feed the Village. 5. That the test project be in place for a period of 90 days, and that the barricade be in place during that test period 24 hours per day, seven days per week. The latter being absolutely necessary to gain the greatest benefit of the test since traffic lights and lane markings cannot be changed unless the project is continuing in nature rather than for a few hours at a time. The notion of the barricade was raised during a prior meeting of the Traffic Committee by Mr. Clark Turner, of the City of Miami Planning Department, as he was describing a potential solution to the traffic congestion problem in the Coconut Grove Village. Mr. Turner went on to explain that part of the cause of the problem is the merger of streets of different character at the intersection of Main Highway, Grand Avenue, and McFarlane Road. He explained that if traffic flowing through Main Highway and McFarlane Road were isolated from traffic flowing through Grand Avenue, much of the conflict and resulting congestion may be eliminated. Again, we would like to emphasize that this is simply the first step in trying to resolve the traffic problems of the Coconut Grove Village, and is not intended as a complete solution to the problem. We look forward to continuing our work with interested parties to eventually find a more comprehensive solution to the problem. We ask that you place this matter on the next available agenda for consideration and approval by the City of Miami Commission. Naturally, I am available to speak with you or your representative on this matter, at your convenience. Should you need to reach me, please do not hesitate to call me at the Coconut Grove Chamber of Commerce office. Sinc w, Ivan F. Fernandez Secretary IF/ cc: Honorable Xavier Suarez, Mayor Honorable Victor DeYure, Vice Mayor Honorable Miriam Alonso, Commissioner Honorable Miller Dawkins, Commissioner Honorable J. L. Plummer, Commissioner Calvin Ross, Chief of Police D6- 93- 597 Mr. Dawkins: We can't sign it until we read it, Frankie. We're getting read to read it. Ms. Rolle: Oh, you are getting ready to read it? Mayor Suarez: We've got to read it. Mr. Dawkins: We've got have an order. Take it easy. Ms. Rolle: But, there wasn't a place on there for all the signatures. Mayor Suarez: We are going to put them all on, with or without a place. Mr. Dawkins: Let's do that. May I move this resolution now. THEREUPON, COMMISSIONER DAWKINS READS TITLE OF RESOLUTION INTO THE PUBLIC RECORD. SEE HEREINBELOW. "WHEREAS, the area between Grand Avenue and Charles Avenue in the Coconut Grove area of the City is an area which has historical and cultural significance to the citizens of the City of Miami; and WHEREAS extension of McDonald Street southerly from Grand Avenue to Charles Avenue would destroy the ambiance of the entire Coconut Grove community; NOW THEREFORE be it resolved by the Commission of the City of Miami, Florida: Section 1. It is the intent of the Miami City Commission that there shall never be an extension of McDonald Street southerly from Grand Avenue to Charles Avenue in the Coconut Grove area of the City of Miami, Florida. Signed by Xavier Suarez, and 300 years from the today they will want to know who Xavier is. Mayor Suarez: It says "never" on it, but... Mr. Dawkins: And I so move it. Mrs. Kennedy: Second. Mayor Suarez: Well, the only signature we are missing is Miller Dawkins and 300 years from now, they are going to wonder who the hell Miller Dawkins is! OK, next item, PZ, whatever it is. Mr. Dawkins: No, no, call the roll on the resolution! Mayor Suarez: All right, call the roll on the resolution. The following resolution was introduced by Commissioner Dawkins, who moved its adoption: RESOLUTION NO. 88-187 A RESOLUTION EXPRESSING THE INTENT OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION THAT THERE SHALL NEVER BE AN EXTENSION OF MCDONALD STREET SOUTHERLY FROM GRAND AVENUE TO CHARLES AVENUE IN THE COCONUT GROVE AREA OF THE CITY OF MIAMI, FLORIDA. (Here follows body of resolution, omitted here and on file in the Office of the City Clerk.) Upon being seconded by Commissioner Kennedy, the resolution was passed and adopted by the following vote: AYES: Commissioner Victor De Yurre Commissioner Miller J. Dawkins Commissioner J. L. Plummer, Jr. Vice Mayor Rosario Kennedy Mayor Xavier L. Suarez NOES: None. I Submitted innte pubiic ABSENT: None. COMMENTS MADE DURING ROLL CALL: Mr. Plummer: Well, hell, why not! 62 February 25, 1988 �'� C� �Uc•t r-- Ella .J il�ri� %JCrj,J Village Center Ir ula'' .i C� 9ON A viable technical alternative explored with the community was to relieve peak hour traffic congestion and pedestrian delay in the Village Center by eliminating the intersection of Main Highway/McFarlane Road at Grand Avenue and simultaneously constructing a E-2 permanent at -grade pedestrian crossing in an east -west direction. This action, In turn, would require the extension of McDonald Street from Grand Avenue to Main Highway to provide for vehicular traffic circulation displaced by the Intersection closing. The McDonald extension by itself would offer many other circulation benefits, to traffic in the commercial core area and to substantial numbers of other motorists who now make the McDonald/Commodore Plaza connection via a short segment of Grand Avenue. The overriding negative impacts of the McDonald extension from Main to Grand were deemed to far surpass the positive effects it would achieve for pedestrian and vehicular traffic. Therefore, such a solution was quickly and quite decisively dropped from con- sideration by City Commission action. Submitted liato the public recon-d in co n.ection mrith item 3c� on McItty "!' irai City Clerk 93- 597 l7F Villagg C rater it ue lation The physical layout of streets in the Village Center permits no reasonable opportunity for significant capacity improvements and little in the way of relief for peak hour traffic con- gestion and pedestrian delays. Significant improvement in easing Village Center traffic can be achieved only through changes which the community currently finds unaccep- table. Respecting the overriding land use, environmental and quality of life issues in this community, no significant changes in traffic patterns for the Village Center are recom- mended. The remaining options within the Village Center are few, but there are some minor im- provements that can and should be made. Small but important safety improvements in Village Center vehicular and pedestrian circulation can be achieved through signage, striping, intersection improvements, and traffic signals. The specific areas for improvement were listed previously and are illustrated on Figures 21 through 24. These improvements consist of correcting minor intersection disruption and conflict reduction; minor improvements to channelize and organize traffic flows; and proposed signalization to improve traffic flow, better delineate pedestrian areas, and generally improve pedestrian and vehicular traffic safety within the Village Center. Alternative lane arrangements, and changes to the signal phasing at the Village Center's focal point -- the Main/Grand/McFarlane Road intersection -- were also explored in a quest for a viable enhancement to pedestrian circulation problems and vehicular traffic congestion. No viable lane configuration or major signal phasing change was found to be notably superior to the current operation. Fine tuning signal timing adjustments -- using the same phasing scheme now in effect -- might be of limited technical benefit. However, the minor benefits likely would not be perceived by the typical motorist. None- theless, monitoring of traffic flow with associated signal timing adjustments, when needed, should be continued. Submitted into the .public record in con.nr^ction vvith item 3 on G1 /-R 7 0 3 . Hirai Lii Crleik 49 9 3- 597 0 L O O U GnAND AVE. Bu * Id road utwout-^`i Black G.rove r114411, a ,. C .1 \�� Ilrriilil Stills ll'rrrir ?>� A consultanl hired to solve traffic pruhlenls in r00 Coconut (;rove says the hest way to ease collpestion O� is to build a road through a residential part of the FA Black Grove. <� Itut city administrators say extending McDonald THOMASAVE' '�,_ Street from Grand Avenue to Main highway %vould ``j-- i-- �--,— cause morn Irnuhle ilmll it's worth. \\} Proposod extellgion "Knowing how this town works, the new road of McDonald St. verould become a husy traffic street through the (SW 32AVE.) censer of the Grove," said ,lack Luft, chief of ctrhart �• "''E""� design for the Miami !Tanning Depaltmenl. "The roam woui(1 he an open invitation to commercial rezoning. It only makes sense that property owners -� 9d and the privale sector wou)r1 want to (lo that.„ Wit -LIAMAVE 11 - rwenly-Iwo people attended a mcetinf, Friday of City Ilan to hear the Kendall consulting firth of �;- Transport Analysis 1'rofes.tiionnl,cecommend ways to ease rush -flour traffic in the GrOve.'1'he city is paying \ s�,•:/ il;5,000 for its advice. A second rneeling for residents is scheduled for 7 :7 p.m. "Thursday ;it City liail.'Tile City Conrntission will review the consrlllant's work .fan. 28. -"` City administrators will urge, that the commission _---ES —VE- reject the McDonald Street recommendation and GROVE/from 11) doing anything to the black neigh- borhood. It seems if it involves the black area, you don't have to have much input, you just need to do what has to be done.", Consultant David Rhivard says the proposed extension would wipe out at least (lace homes. The road is needed because rush-hour commuters cause traffic jams three blocks av:ay at the intersection of Grand, McFarlane. Road and Main Highway. Pedestri- ans have trouble crossing the busy intersection. To solve this mess, the consul- tant r(-commended huilding a pe- destrian walkway ;It the intcrsec- tion that would prevent traffic on Grand Avenue from turning on to either Main or Mcl arlane. That wouhl force drivers wallt- ing to get to Main to use Commo- dore plaza or Fuller SU•eet, over- lOading tirose blocks. The MCDOIl- ald ertcnsiorr would take pressure Orr COnunodore and Fuller, ac- cording to the consultant. An alternative tO the RlcUnnald `itrect proposal would he cutting a road through peacock park to connect South Dayshore Drive to Main highway, Rhinard said. Even his firm rejecled Ihat solution. "This is the easiest solution we could have found," Rhinaill said of the McDonald Street extension. 1 +eCe{>t the fact that Ihr (;iovo's Ir;tf(ic plohlems ale nnsolv;llrle, Loft fold flic i;rollp "hhc, traffic (toes not lend ilsrif try solutions," Lull said. "It heconu•s earl of the conditions of living in (he Grove.." .)ill) McMaster, ,l spokesman for the Coconut (;rove Civic Club. which opposes the proposed street extension, believe, the issue is still alive. " l hey're t;lkillg it hefore the commission," IVcMastcr said. "If it was dend, they wouldn't he taking tine proposal before the commission." C;rove residents have been buzzing about the piopww(l road for weeks. Steven Cooke -Yarborough, vice president of (ile lit;erlail Association, says the road extension could solve tile traffic problem, hilt would divide the Ular{( t;roee from fire yiliat;e center. Other residents, particularly those who would he affected by the lunposal, are % naiad. Dazelle Simpson. a pediatrician, said (he Charles Avenue house of her grnndfnlher, the late F...W. Stirrup, is near the proposed roadway. "i would feel very upset alxint losing that house. He has in his will that property is never to be sold " she said. "i'm very upset whenever they tall( about 111c°ase tint to (;110VE / I) Submitted into the public record in co necticn with item 30 on 1 3 MaIL-ty Hirai City Clerk 93- 597 Frankie Itolle has called Coconut (grove home for 41 years, including; 27 in her house on William Avenue. She's not going; anywhere, she says. r I Doll't "r-h-avke 0-VUA,­" oa-lft h &--h Uaff � r u 9C? By FELICIA iler,dd .shill Wrifo The homespun remnants of the Old South live in the quaint, mostly black area of Coconut Grove. It is Saturday afternoon and a hush like baby's breath lingers on the sidewalks. An elderly man whose dark rVrrs arr f�idin : i„ blue sits in front of a house scaling fish, and children weave in and out of traffic oil their bikes, watching a group of ladies in fancy feathered hats and men in dark suits leaving a funeral. Talk of new roam sl The quiet is deceptive. The area is troubled these days. Troubled and angry and ready to fight. A consultant hired by the city to ease Coconut Grove's massive traffic conges- tion said recently that the best way to do so is to build a road through a corner of ,irs anger in Grove the residential, mostly black area of the Grove. Many residents believe the proposal would be the tlrst in a series of steps to raze their houses, take their land and tarn their historic neighborhood into a glitzy commercial strip. The proposed road would extend McDonald Street from Grand Avenue to Main Highway by slicing through Thomas and William avenues. City administrators have already said such a move would be more trouble than it's worth. A City Hall meeting to discuss the issue is set for 7 p.m. Thursday. Many residents in the black— neighbor hood said Saturday the expect their', plense tilm to GROVE/2B road "Iakc/lis vow tq_p I h Mass turnout predicted for hearinr; on McDonald fit. plan .�. GR.OVE/from Ili neighbors to turn out en Im for what they see as another skirmish f. in an ongoing battle to save their little world. Some have family histories here e that date back before the turn of r'e the century and can point to u'+ h­ses built by their ancestors o - mian craftsmen who were at.rong Miami's first settlers. They k are proud of the little community a4 � that was home to the late Rev F ` ' -Theodore Gibson, an Episcopal priest active in the fight to 5. desegregate Miami's public facile ties. Road slices area "This road cuts directly through my neighborhood, and that's out- rageous to me," said Cornelius Shiver, 30, a computer program mer who was born and raised in j the Grove. hie calls himself a Geosau — his father is from Georgia and his mother is from Nassau. That pwaigree is as common in this part e Grove as the quiet dignity t..-,. comes from knowing your history. "Most of the people are black .homeowners who have been here _for years," Shiver said. "They ` have no place to go. We've been afraid of something like_ this for -years. This will kill the communi- ty . Shiver said the neighborhood is prime real estate: it's near 13is- cayne Bay, close to downtown and squeezed between two wealthy residential areas. Shiver said he and his friends believe it is only a matter of time before blacks are forced out. i { `Toehold' feared Others agree. e# F .y pi4tT7° f a,a a Y .°, A �alc,..-i'3:iaa d.<,.. !j'' •< Q r x t : .<.'< J f�''t��i[�"�. 1<�'< Sett.! ibf lf� ,•'��.f,3L r ���E� ��� �� 7 �� ?f � � at �;gyy�LK� �t \ ; s t s;.�fi~u` © •;a' R--.Si?> tttfi �tf 8'1`f"yP`Syi%'"1 .f i Sri F �''.�, y. «�r�`�Y•v. >a.!3i5� .' � �. �k'%,dr', #�+d-:'�''I? :1 a bS�Mb4��J�,' nr A C.W. GRIFFIN / Miami Herald Stall Willie Silencer Hart cleans fish in front of his niece's house traffic is a nuisance — and a hazard — to kills and old people, they said. Luella -foots, 73, who cattle to hliarni from Georgia 50 years ago, said she finds it quiet most of the ti rtl e. "I like it here," she said of her wooden -frame horse on Willinnl their homes if the proposed road becomes a reality. "Those people are kind of grandfathered in there," said Rolle, who has lived on William Avenue for 27 years and has been in the community for .11 years. "Oil our little streets we get viinunh traffic as it is. We don't her husband also own several pieces of proporty in the area. They arelt't planning to go all where for any price, she said. "Phis community means happi- ness, it means life, it neeans roots," said [3illy [toile. "Wheo people settled here way hack, it wasn't a mistake. '1 hey calve close to the water•" Billy Rolle, a retired school administrator, said blacks in the Grove have long fought whites' encroaching on their land. "'The inen who lived here fought it," Rolle said. "'They weren't sophisti- crlled, but they were brave." Oldest in Dade Coconut Grove probably is the oldest organized black community in Dade County, according to Dorothy Fields, founder and chief archivist for the Black Archives History and Research Foundation Of South Florida. Unlike Over - town, once a thriving black enter- tainment and commercial district until strangled and bisected by 1.95, the Grove was quiet and residential, a cluster of homes and stores and churches that provided a black haven in a bustling, adolescent and sonletiIli es danger- ous Southern town. Blacks who lived there literally helped build Miami, with their architectural know-how from tropical climates. Women worked as domestics in wealthy white homes. At dusk they returned to the Grove and the homes and children they carefully tended. Crime increases The area isn't as sedate any- more. Some descendants of the original settlers moved out and drugs moved in. Purse -snatching is a constant hazard. Many of the homnc hnvo hnrc rm it,. ".;",i...... l.I t'., ellt'll, tilt' U..1, l.o.dl (lua Two Cutlers int"" —ted t at 3 p.m. Saturday gal 5 mi apprehended first r V Philippines, said Co, �,� lard - "We're calling c scut presumed dead," Cr nevi two cutters and tt elicol darliness it'll Saturd he c; Crewmen who j rrd fit - know w1int triggere CcJ offic fuel flit' ship, all the µme, men officer in a single s of I "J ho crew just said Ile w s «•ere scared to death of this gti _ on deck and didn't know w1w - Hernando acknov: ledged dismissed as the ship's first of! that Caused the ship to run ail - captain of the cutler Cape Y brought to a Key West holdin The British consulate in P be deported to Bermuda, the - heading to fort Everglades. MIAMI =_ Show with Cuban's — About 30 demonstrators n' Center for the Fine Arts downt+ work by Cuban artist Jose 13, Latin American painters. The protesters said that hk IIte 111wo, of Time, the center k, The work is part of "Art of 1920-1987," organized by the In a protest letter, the grl are equivalent to government o protester Esther Pilar Mora Al STATE ROAD 874 Two billed in beat Two people were killed 1• across two lanes of traffic, ra, crashed head-on into a pickup The 58-year-old man in instantly, said Florida fiighw,l Fife will not identify him until Jorge Perez, 22, of Miami Vazquez, 20, of Hialeah, wert Perez swerved wildly acrosr, Perez's 198.1 Oldsmobile hit t1w Kendall Drive. His car caughi An on -duty Metro -Dade j the accident when it occurred from the flaming car, Ygieskn Both were airlifted to Jac Vazque-r_ died at f 1:15 p.rrl. P, Existing sidewalks on Main Highway will be widened at the intersection from 8 feet to I feet,`'along Grand Avenue's north side 'from' 12 feet to 20 feet, and along McFarlane '�:; Ski ?;�•-_ ���;. ; ;,,,. • .. , , +, ��I •- Road from 6 feet to 10 feet. Trafficmovements at the intersections are simplified by providing a continuous right turn for ,ail northbound Main Highway traffic to McFar lane Road; two phase green time for west bound Grand Avenue traffic and a three phase traffic circulation system (1 as opposed p Y to the existing four phases. ) 5'•Tiiese circulation patterns .result in a system that would move morning and evening peak hours traffic .,,,at approximately the same level that the present ts,<`system does; would reduce the congestion during .mid -day and weekends particularly on Main High- ' way and Grand Avenue; and provide for much more separation of automobiles, pedestrians and bicycles - than presently exists. The following diagram ;describes the four signal phases for the proposed Indicated by graphic symbols on the map depicting intersection design: vehicular proposals are the following local street +r.7 system improvements: Poinciana Street -Close Poinciana Q) Street at Braganza Avenue and Plaza 4 _ _ k i ,:Q rf Street so as to divert traffic eastbound 0 N } � on Poinciana to Solana Road northbound 0+ '�' and westbound traffic to Plaza Street southbound and by so doing, eliminate 77/// U Poinciana as a major connection to I. ... �"•f . Main Highway for LeJeune Road rush �' U Q hour traffic and University of Miami i traffic. Charles and Frankiin Streets ' Die courage excessive and hazardous �T'� t1• '' "„ ;fhrtiligh traffic by providing stop signs ,y�.;� for; all east -west movements across these two streets at both Plaza and I MAIN - Mc FARL_ANE - GRAND 'PROPOSED INTERSECTION / SIGNAL PHASE 'An, ddifional modification that could be �.; •. . made,would be to permanently close Fuller ,y '0;'.:' Street and convert it to a pedestrian plaza, ;;,•, The opportunities for creating an outstanding public space that would enrich the social ;;•;,`, focus and physical environment of the Village Center are too great to be ignored. Fuller Street is not a vital part of the Village Center circulation system, and in fact, by fostering left turns to and from it, conflicts with the safe flow of traffic in the vicinity. ' The mounting congestion on arterial roadways and increasing through traffic demands has forced traffic to seek new routes that often lead through low density neighborhoods. This situation will continue to worsen unless corrective action is taken. � GRAND AVE. GRAND MAIN HIGHWAY ` Mc FARI..ANE RD • „E� � PEDESTRIAN L+ PHASE A 9/c-.26 9/c-.26 p/c 113 -.756 P,M g/c=,12 4/c-.37 g/c-os