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Home My WebLink AboutM-77-0439Joseph R. Grassie City Manager William E. Parkes Acting Director Department of Public Works .iv r ORA' IDUM April 21, 1977 Fit Central Florida Avenue . Matilda Street Traffic Study Sign -in Sheet with Votes and Results of Canvas As requested by the Commission, the administration held a public hearing concerning the results and recommendations of the traffic study undertaken in the vicinity of Florida Avenue and Matilda Street. Letters were sent to all property owners and other con- cerned citizens and the public hearing was held on January 4, 1977. After listening to those who wished to speak on the matter, those present were informed that the administration would make recommend- ation for alleviating parking and other related problems in the vicinity. Those attending the meeting were also informed that we would request the County Department of Traffic and Transportation to further study the area for additional remedies. At their meeting of January 13, 1977, the Commission passed their resolution approving the recommendations and requesting the imple- mentation of the necessary changes. Subsequent to the Commission action, the City notified the Department of Traffic and Transporta- tion and requested that they implement the changes and, in addition, make further studies of the area. On February 7, 1977, the Department of Traffic and Transportation replied to our request and recommended that Florida Avenue be made one-way westbound between Matilda and McDonald Streets. This would improve the traffic circulation during the peak hours for the school and would also allow angle parking on the north side of Florida Avenue. This, naturally, would increase the available number of parking spaces so sorely needed. After thorough consideration of their suggestion, we felt that their proposal for making Florida Avenue one-way was a valid one and noti- fied them to proceed. We requested that they keep us informed as to the schedule so that we could notify the school in order to orient the students and parents. FOR YUUR kFURIYATiON <7-.2s-72 '77--¢ Unfortunately, we did not tecontact the neighborhood oh our decisibf. The Department of Traffic and Transportation distributed notices to all of the residents that the one.way plan would go into effect on April 6. We immediately began to receive telephone calls in opposi' tion and, in an effort to resolve the situation, requested the De,. partment of Traffic and Transportation to withhold the change until tie could meet with those involved. On April 14, 1977, the representative of the Department of Public Works and the representative of the Department of Traffic and Trans- portation met with the property owners and residents of Florida Avenue. There were fifteen people attending the meeting. Of these fifteen, ten were owners or tenants of property on Florida Avenue. After lengthy discussion, the consensus was that those present should vote on the conversion of Florida Avenue to one-way westbound on a trial basis. It was also agreed that this trial period should end prior to the opening of the fall term at Coconut Grove Elementary School. The vote of the ten owners/tenants indicated that seven were in favor of the trial period and three opposed. Attached is a copy of the sign -in sheet for those attending the meeting with their votes indi- cated and tabulated. Mrs. Elizabeth Bettner was one of those attending the meeting and opposed to the proposal. She submitted lists of a canvas that she had made of owners and tenants on the street, which indicated over- whelming opposition. Attached are copies of the lists submitted. Mrs. Bettner indicated that if there were any possibility of the street being made one-way for even a short period of time, she would request that she be allowed to speak to the Commission on the subject. We feel that it might be advisable to allow her to do this and notify other individuals involved so that they might have similar recourse. PL0 .10A i1 E1JU t , ffiA `tLDA,,S C , 1C NA[ o„ E: . ( WAY. IB�lr�a .rv:: �t04 SAL Avan14g.�s, Florida Avenue has • no sidevtalks► Students on their way to' and ,from - Coconut Grove leunentarJ School walk in the 'roadway. Florida, Avenue s ;too harrow (18=0 ft.) to properly accommodate two -lay traffic plus ttudentS._ walking i h the:roadway, A roadway,, " one-wa,y . pattern would '.ir prove safet for students.• The conversion of • Florida Avenue toone4iay westbound •in conjunction:; ; da Avenue would; with the' barrica'r;es acr of Flo*ios, ��+, atilda Street north in effect, create a one-waSr pattern tnorthboundVwestbound);in front of Coconut Grove ElementarySchool. .:This would improvesafety because: studentswould be exiti'ny and entering' vehicles on the school side o` Matilda' Street. Students would no longer be crossing two lanes of two-,, Play traffic to and from thewest side of Matilda Street. k one-way westbound pattern. along Florida Avenue would eliminate the east- .bound traffic which now uses Florida: Avenue• to bypass' the traffic signal at.';the , intersection of,,McDoiald' Street. and Grand.Avenue ie way traffic alon Florida Avenu e ue:would permit 300'angle parking along thenorth side of; Florida Avenue', in front .of'_ Kirk Munroe Park, thus in-` creasing the _amount of parking available: 5) ,One-way; westbound traffic on Florida Avenue would permit` the instal anon: of_:separate right. and left-turhlanes along' westbound' Florida Avenue at McDonald Street, thus making it easier to.exit'onto McDonald Street: The. existing foila e on the northeast and southeast corners would be cut back. ts) hiothrists W1 thihcd to go eastbound 'on Grand ,AVenue.•from.F1orid Avenue would enter the Grind Avenue. traffic ,strearnat Mchonald Street where there is •.a traffic Si n l` instead of at-. !Matilda Street -'where, there is no traffic signal bis dv,ahtagersw If FlOr.ida Avei ue was one,way''westbourid;' all 'traffic alOng 'Florida Avenue •would have to go west to ticbonald Street this would result in a sljijht amount of inconveriierrce `and increased gas consumption for residents wish=.` ing;to go east,, n school days between the hours of G;OO A.M. and.3:30 when Mali Ida Street is barric ded, it would be ary iiecessfor all motorists to use • Grand Avenue and t ati lda' Street to• reach Florida- Avenue. Motorists • approaching from the northwest who are now able to turn left from McDonald'' Street 'into Fier da Avenue would tiave `to proceed • south: to the • signalized. intersection',at Grand Avenue where they:would turn left onto. Grand Avenue,; then left unto tiatilda;-Street and left onto Florida',Avenue. Parents approaching, Coconut Grove El ernentary School from the west who now use. Florida .Avenue would' have to use either Oak Avenue` or Grand Avenue. The;iparking restriction '.igns along the south side of,.Oak Avenue east �f ttati l da Street were r en;o� ed , during' the. 'week, of April 4, 1977, thus . ena41 i ng: parents approaching` from the west ;,to park :along .Oak Avenue. Comm_ obrgefity vehicles wbu)d not he•affected by thi ,`. -,:. osal• , The'fire statioWI'; eryin j this area:. is east of`hlatilda Street on Oak Avenue,' 1i it were ever tteeessary fbr emergency vehi.eles to enter frorn the west3 they would have ho rlif itu1tyfit, is not unusual fore emergency vehicles with flashers and sirens in operatio j '` Y'�• n to proceed a ainst the ti affic on a orrE-tra str`ee 2.) One-way street patterns at ,other similar locations have proved beneficial. and have had little negative impact on residents living along the streets. A1ternatives't Leave Florida Avenue:.two-way and:rely on the already approved rjecotttinenda4 tions to improve conditions. The already .approved retotiimefdations elude removal of• parki'rg•restrictions along the south side of'Oak Avenue.. east of r4atilda`Street, the installation of "f;O Af3GCF PAR,Kj '" signs on the north side of Floriria Avenue crest of Matilda Street, and they reloca- tion,of the. .liar,ricades across 1.latilda; Street.; 2.) Convert Florida Avenue :one -ay westbound. :) Lonvert Florida Avenue to one way westbound for a three or six month trial l esriod uhic}r could begin as early as April .25,' 1977. At the` end of the trial period, formally,canvass` all residents plus:the Coconut Grove Elementary School Administration and PTA' to: determine tie effective ness of the one-way operation. If the majority felt the one-way operation: was not Working, it would be removed and Flor-ida Avenue could ,be returned to two-way; operation: appears that there are more advantages thorn disadvantages to htlwever.i lie ,stated that' the advahta jet .outwe yh the clisadVap4 takes: t i5y therefore, recbmmended that 111terbative 3 be implemented fut` a. six°�r,onih tt'ia1 period Operations Division Dade County ;Department of Traffic. & Transportation April 14, 1977. ]z rr, i .f , r,'-' ao A.r?/40 �► tom. ,, 4 I i 1 =0 6, /'4 /a ?je7.-f-A/e JDerio Cy c.»ct / 4.0 dieJe.(14 l..!'•.a v-- r VW i • j"6+1 1\) Pi'VJ J 1, / V eO l it% A..— r Q- t 1 ,4,_.c.Q,,.er‘= II.,•- , n-�vf +- C i - r%4.. . e"<ji?N- ou:h i %e.rw•-en.r. .?' 114 f • s• "It t 44 c..!_ir..-.t.or Z.: JiLtr- rg 74:1 r< 0- 1 P-- g - : e. i ji F.-A- ,...., (,) i A ir r # • It #4' ta, G�iCi %4►0► 1,1 7 try- " JVo ' C Jt ) 4' U �r -. / 7..2 ,x V;. /;..,.%I 4vt_ /iv.t. Ar-L, ' it7t V.6 Na 8 0 Y' s s YQ S S l(1t c Yo s ye s eye. our • -61 J,fsr !Wr 7, �.ce.e to.. N(C1i(Li..c I)ikti c. (e 47 DO-1 r /v1 (=off 1 /7 /7' 7 4 r (Q t f r r. 11 et J"? rid 4' , 31 So I ed 3 • t to pear Property Owher and Concerned Citizen: 44 FLORIDA-MATILDA NEIGH OFHOOD STUDY .As you were told at the meeting on April 14, 1977 which wras held With property owners and residents on Florida Avenue '.concerning the proposal for making Florida Avenue one way, the City Administration has been informed of the results of -that meeting. It has been determined that in the best interests of all concerned there should be a public hearing to finally resolve the question. The City Commission will discuss the one way proposal at a public hearing to be held during the regular Commission Meet- ing on Wednesday, May 18, 1977. This discussion will come up at 4 p.m. If you have any questions regarding this matter, you may contact Mr. George Campbell at 579-6865 and he will be happy to assist you. Sincerely, Robert A. Davis. Director 'Department of Administration. Planning and Zoning Boards NRIG11130R1100D. STUDY'.' 1 i 1 ~ _ I I I Imill I imil 111111111111111=11111mimil I I - -0- • 1111upo111111111111mm11111111111111111111110 =. 4 „ $404{44.:114.4".14