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Home My WebLink AboutM-91-0079CITY OF MIAMI. FLORIDA PZml INTER-OFFICE MEMORANDUM •,, Honorable Mayor and Members of the City Commission Cesar H. Odio ROM City Manager DISCUSSION: DATE FILE SUBJECT Port of Miami Tunnel Study Discussion Item --City Commission REFERENCES Meeting of January 24, 1991 ENCLOSURES It is respectfully requested that the City Commission review and confirm, as necessary, your policy as expressed in Resolution 89-199, February 23, 1989 (see Attachment A), which approved the Watson Island Master Plan (January, 1989) which plan made provision for a tunnel from the Port of Miami (see Attachment B). The Port of Miami Tunnel Study, sponsored by the Florida Department of Transportation, has now selected as the preferred alternative, a tunnel from the Port of Miami, under Government Cut, emerging on Watson Island, and merging into the MacArthur Causeway/I-395 (see Attachment C). BACKGROUND: By memorandum of July 31, 1990 (see Attachment D) the City Commission was supplied the report "Port of Miami PD & E" July 18, 1990, and informed that the preferred alternative contained in the report was a tunnel under Government Cut and emerging on Watson Island. At this point in time in the Port of Miami Tunnel Study, the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) has requested a letter from the City confirming that this preferred alternative is consistent with the Watson Island Master Plan, in order to proceed with the Port of Miami Tunnel Study (see Attachment E--letter to FDOT dated August 23, 1990). CHO Attachments CC: Planning and Zoning Division J-89-06 2/23/89 RESOLUTION NO. 89-199 A RESOLUTION, WITH ATTACHMENTS, APPROVING, IN PRINCIPLE, THE WATSON ISLAND MASTER PLAN 1989; FURTHER, DIRECTING THE ADMINISTRATION TO PROCEED TO PUBLISH SAID PLAN, AS AMENDED; AND PROVIDING AN EFFECTIVE DATE. WHEREAS, previous plans for the development of Watson Island included proposals entitled "Watson Island Recreation Program" prepared by Edward D. Stone, Jr., for the City of Miami (June, 1973); "Watson Island Development of Regional Impact and Environmental Impact Statement," prepared by Post, Buckley, Schuh and Jernigan, adopted by Resolution No. 80-525 (July 10, 1980); and "Marine Exposition Center" (1986). WHEREAS, the Miami Planning Advisory Board at its meeting of December 7, 1968, Item No. 3, following and advertised hearing,. adopted Resolution No. PAB 95-88, by a 7 to 0 vote, RECOMMENDING APPROVAL, in principle, of the Watson Island Master Plan 1989, as hereinafter set forth; and WHEREAS, the City Commission after careful consideration of this matter, deems it advisable and in the best interest of the general welfare of the City of Miami and its inhabitants to approve, in principle, the Watson Island Master Plan 1989; as hereinafter set forth; NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF MIAMI, FLORIDA: Section 1. The Watson Island Master Plan 1989, in essentially the form attached hereto, and as amended on February 23, 1989, is hereby approved, in principle, and the City Manager is hereby directed to publish said Plan, as amended. Section 2. This Resolution shall become effective immediatley upon its adoption pursuant to law. CITY ULUTIOY Na •.° 1- 79 F6 4 PASSED AND ADOPTED this 23rd day of February , 1989. Arktga6c— MA7rY HIRAI CITY CLERK PREPARED AND APPROVED BY: / I .../ 7 . %-k ./, L,// 40 L E. MAXWE `AS ISTANT CIT ATTORNEY APPROVED AS TO FORM AND CORRECTNESS: JOR E L ERNANDEZ CIT ATTORNEYI JEM/db/M891 XAVIER L.,9AREZ, MJWOR 91- 79 Wil 0 PARKING w s� g 1 GApS too. l50 . WATSOP `+ ( Midtown a Interchange 395 h O Venetian 0--- , SUNSET ISLANDS VENETIAN ISLANOS ausewal(Toll) n FA V 1 1 I to A, e_ GDG 0414.. t q JVOL s e� Rickenbacker Cswy r • r �9 cho one/ 20 � � I , t BELLE ISLE 6STAR IS Is FISHER Is Q) 1 Lam r L. ♦ •� VIR IA i KEY Duck b� VIRGINTA BEACH PARK Nofthwest _ Point PROJECT DEVELOPMENT AND � � PORT OF ML4MI TUNNEL AND ENVIRONMENTAL STUDY ACCESS IMPROVEMENTS POST, BUCKLEY, SCHUH & JERNIt3AN, INC. IN nsaocu►rlW WffW SVERDRUP CORPORATION AND LAW MINEERINQ I is CORRIDOR ALTERNATIVES :2 91- '79 7 :!11 C� �{��► ''CDIIi iQ YMEMonANDUFA - g0 BUG -2 rn � Flonora a Mayor and Members 90 Of t City Commission;« -kr5hnel Study; July 18, 1990 Cesar H. Odio oil ,,,,, III ,!, City Manager On July 18, 1990, the consultants for the Tunnel Study, Post, Buckley, Schuh and Jernigan Inc. released the attached report: "Port of Miami Tunnel PD L E," July 18, 1990, which recommends that definitive analysis and detailed plans, specifications and cost estimates be prepared on the preferred tunnel alignment --from the Port northerly under Government Cut and surfacing on Watson Island to join the MacArthur Causeway and I-395. This alignment is preferred over five other alignments (see attachment for shared and distinct advantages of this alignment). However, no further work will be undertaken for the next 6-8 weeks as the consultants seek concurrence from City, County, State and Federal agencies. The City Administration will schedule this study as either a discussion item or public hearing item, at the first meeting in September (now scheduled for September 7 , 1990), depending on your wishes. Please contact Aurelio Perez-Lugones, prior to Augustl0,th. BACKGROUND The Commission will recall that this Tunnel Study was undertaken at the urging of this Commission and became an implied obligation in thp, City/County agreement for land acquisition for the new Port of Miami Bridge._ The intent of the study was to evaluate alternatives so that traffic to and from the Port of Miami would not have to go through downtown, the N. 5th-6th Street Corridor or Biscayne Boulevard but could be diverted around downtown. In a complementary -action, the Watson Island Master Plan, approved by the Commission by Resolution 89-199: February 23, 1989, accommodates the concept of a tunnel in this general location. The report forecasts that by the mid-19901s traffic demand will exceed the capacity of the new Port Bridge, thereby indicating that retention of the existing low-level Port Bridge may be necessary. Further, the report forecasts that by the year 2010 traffic demand will rise to 55,176 vehicles per day to and from the Port through downtown Miami as compared with 18,796 today, which forecast would exceed the traffic -carrying capacity of both the existing Port Bridge and new Port Bridge combined, thereby justifying serious consideration of this tunnel. 1/ Funding for the Tunnel Study is from the U.S. Department of Transportation, through the Florida Department of Transportation. Page 1 of 2 91- 79 Honorable Mayor and Members of the City Commission The report deliberately does not impute a cost for the acquisition of public land --because of the difficulty in making estimates of the fair market value of park land. There is no existing earmarked funding for the estimated $168 million cost of the tunnel. Given the long process of identifying funds, programming them, preparing construction documents, bidding the work, and actually constructing the tunnel, it is unlikely that the tunnel would be open for traffic until after the year 2000. Attachment cc: Xavier L. Suarez, Mayor Honorable Miller J. Dawkins, Vice-14ayor Honorable Victor De Yurre, Commissioner Honorable J. L. Plummer, Jr., Commissioner Honorable Dr. Miriam Aionso, Commissioner Sergio Rodriguez, Assistant City Manager Aurelio Perez-Lugones, Legislative Liaison Luis A. Prieto-Portar, Director Public Works Department Page 2 of 2 1.�- 79 Attachment ALTERNATIVE 1 SHARED ADVANTAGES • No impact on FEC railroad • Minor impact on utilities • Suitable cross sections • Good alignment • Able to accommodate transit • Good constructibility • No impacts on local street network • Good design for safety • Land use compatability • No housing or business displacements • Few impacts on cultural facilities/community services • Few visual impacts • Comparatively low property values • Only short-term ecological and hydrological distrubances • Few air quality impacts ALTERNATIVE 1 DISTINCT ADVANTAGES • Minimal right-of-way requirements • Shortest tunnel length • Best maintenance of ship traffic during construction • Fewest vehic:e hours of travel • Best system linkage • Least Impact on historic/archeological sites • Greatest energy conservation Source: PBS S i 91-- 79 (Eitv of Eiantt it/ 1 / O 4 • Mt«M, Pt..1,YNiNC �• z� SERGIO RODRIGUEZ Meow August 23, 1990 Mr. Jose L. Gomez, P.E. District Project Development and Environment Engineer 1000 NW 111th Avenue Miami, Florida 33172 r„ ' 90 CESAR H AUG 24 PM 34 �0 ;; .•. H. ODIO �\ m,�� ,.•wn. City rvUna !r .� �irJ rrr ►``. ..., ..1C1 Re: Work Program Item Number 6123165 State Project Number: 87000-1597 F.A.P. No: DE-0010-801 County: Dade Port of Miami Tunnel Access Improvement Watson Island Dear Jose: This letter is to inform the Florida Department of Transportation of the current status and proposed development of Watson Island, in relation to the proposed Port of Miami tunnel improvements currently under PD&E study. The current status of Watson Island is outlined below: o Watson Island was deeded to the City of Miami by the State of Florida in 1949 and is still owned by the City of Miami. This deed was granted with the restriction that the property be used solely for public purposes. o Watson Island is designated as Recreation in the Future Land Use Element of the MCI{P, September, 1989; and it is currently zoned PR (Parks and Recreation). However, it has never formally been dedicated as a public park. o The Watson Island Master Development Plan was prepared and approved in principle by the City of Miami in 1989. This plan presents the public purpose goals for the island. The Access Circulation Parking section of this plan indicates the location of the "Future Ramp to Port Tunnel" as one of its elements. Page 1 of 2 PLANNING. BUILDING AND 70NING nf.PARTMENl.':7S N W )nd %Ir,•n.M•.,ml. Ilnr,rl8 .111211/0"I i74.NY1R Mailing Addimt . 11 (1 Rot 1 M ?M / A114mr. I lessul., 11;11 IhM 91- 79 It FJ Mr. Jose L. Gomez, P.E. August 2, 1990 It is assumed that the FOOT will require a detailed analysis of projected traffic volumes on I-395 and on MacArthur Causeway to compare future vehicular levels of service to the standards FOOT has established for State highways. As you know, these FOOT standards are more restrictive than those adopted by the City of Miami as part of its Comprehensive Neighborhood Plan. Consequently, if projected traffic on the State facilities meets present FOOT standards, it will automatically be in compliance with the City's LOS standards. The study has been referred to the City Commissioners and the administration is waiting for instructions to follow after the City Commission hearing of September 7 or September 27, 1990. In conclusion, potential placement of the Port of Miami tunnel portal ramps on Watson Island is compatible with the City of Miami's planned development of the island. Close coordination with the City of Miami is necessary throughout the study to insure that tunnel portal location, design aspects and construction aspects remain consistent with the City of Miami's intended use of Watson Island; with the MCNP, September, 1989, including the concurrency requirements of the same; and instructions or policy decisions resulting from the aforementioned City Commission hearings. Sincerely, P% Rodriguez ector of Planning, Building and Zoning SR/vb vb/90;118 Page 2 of 2